Miss Allford's Class

I am currently re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I don't always have time to read what I have assigned my students to read. After all, I've already read all the novels that I'm teaching this year. I do think it's good to re-read a novel you're teaching, though, if time allows.

I am a little more than 2/3 of the way finished with Mockingbird, and Tom Robinson has just been found guilty. I'm trying to remember how I felt when I first read this book in high school in Mrs. Allford's English III class. Did I really expect Tom to be found innocent? I'm a pretty optimistic guy--I get that from my dad, but I'm pretty sure I realized that Tom was going to be found guilty, despite all the evidence. I think at this point in the novel during my first read-through, I was wondering what could happen next. It seemed that the major plot was over with.

A side note: I still remember Mrs. Allford telling us that Tim Johnson, the crazy, rabid dog in the novel was a symbol of Maycomb's racial tension. I don't know why that has stuck with me, but it has. It makes me wonder what my students will remember about me. How I act, or what I say. Mrs. Allford had a favorite saying, which was, "Fake it 'til you make it." Ha. I can't say that's the best advice I've ever heard, but I sure liked it when I heard. Maybe I should develop some catchy phrases for my students.

Anywho, I really like how the Boo Radley and Tom Robinson plot lines come together at the end of the novel, just like a good Seinfeld episode. Ha!

Ruined Surprise

This school year I have written every essay that I have assigned my English students. Just as a sort of "I-did-it-so-you-can-do-it-to" credibility thing. I think it's gone over very well, and the end result for me has been rewarding. I had forgotten what it was like to write for fun. I really enjoy the writing process, and narrative writing is one of my favorite kinds of writing, which, coincidentally, was our first essay to tackle this year.

I wrote one essay about my grandparent's farm and all the memories connected to it. These mainly involve my sister and my cousins and all our crazy adventures, which include: crazy billiards, leeches from the creek, forming a chain and grabbing a hot wire fence, and my foolish choice to jump up and down on a pseudo-frozen pond.

I was so pleased with how this essay turned out that I decided I would give it to my grandma (Ma-ma, if you must know her "real" name) for Christmas. Today, my parents and I visited Ma-ma down in Hobart. We were down there because Dad is preaching a revival at the church where he grew up.

While we were visiting, we were talking about school. I told Ma-ma that I was writing example essays for my English students.

Then Mom opened her mouth.

She asked, "Did you ever get to read that essay about the cousins?" She turned to me. "Now, where were you showing that essay before?" (I had shown this essay to one of my cousins at a wedding earlier this month.)

Ma-ma looked confused. "No, I haven't," she said.

I decided not to make a scene. "Well, Ma-ma, I'll have to bring that essay and show it to you at Thanksgiving," I said nonchalantly, hoping that she would forget between now and Christmas.

Meanwhile, my dad was in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen where he was getting a cup of coffee. He started to chuckle because he realized Mom had ruined the surprise.

"What?" Mom asked.

"Nothing," Dad smirked.

Mom and I had a good laugh on way out of Hobart. The good thing about this situation is that I get to hold this over her head for a couple weeks.

Told any more secrets today, Nancy?