Unexpected Boon

Today, unbeknownst to me, is advisement day for tenth graders. This means, in simple terms, that the counselors come to the class and grab your students, haul them down to the office, and help them plan their schedule.

So I was given a rare and unexpected break from first and third period.

In second period, I had the students map out the different relationships between the characters in The Great Gatsby, which they're reading. I wanted them to see the veritable cornucopia of possibilities that Fitzgerald had created with the exposition.

Then they used selected sentences from Chapter III to create sentences of their own that modeled the original's structure. I wanted them to realize that if they combine their creative ideas with a little structure, then they can really create something special. I think they were proud of their creations, because they repeatedly asked me to read them.

On days such as this, I truly don't mind teaching. If all of my classes acted like this, I could do it forever.

I'm not tutoring tonight, so the faithful few who visit regularly can expect more posts later today. Thanks everyone for the comments and the visits, whether planned or erstwhile. It helps to know someone's reading.