I like Thursdays.  Thursday is the day before Friday.  Thursday nights are laid back at our house.  Thursdays are just usually pretty good days.  Today was no different.  My PreAP classes had their Socratic seminars for Of Mice and Men.  They read the small novel independently, keeping a dialectical journal to process their thinking.  They wrote three questions:  1 factual, 1 inductive, and 1 analytical to bring to the table today.  I am always amazed at the depth of their thinking.  I purposely give them very little direction and then I sit back and watch them work.  This assignment always builds their confidence and I'm hoping that having moved it to the fall of the year, rather the spring when I usually assign it, will pay off in their other work.  Of course, not everyone met my expectations...  I think those kids felt sort of left behind today, especially when they noticed everyone else's excitement (whether it was "loved it" or "hated it") about the book. 

Tomorrow we're getting in the Halloween spirit in my classes and reading "Masque of the Red Death."  I stayed after school this afternoon and created a little atmosphere for our reading by covering my light panels with colored paper -- I got every color that's in the story except purple -- and covering my window with "scarlet" paper to mimic the final chamber's windows.  I have  three more panels to cover in the morning. 

I am swamped with papers to be graded.  That's just the norm for an English teacher.  It's pretty difficult to assess writing if you don't actually have them write... 

Can I just express my excitement over the upcoming holidays?  I am ready!  This is my favorite time of year!  The weather is finally cooperating and cooling off for us; it now feels like late October rather than late August.  WalMart already has their Christmas aisles in place!  I may have to make some spiced tea mix this weekend since we're already dealing with freeze warnings : )

My goal tonight is to be in bed by 10:00.  It's 9:45, so I'm cutting myself off!  Good night!