A Nice Surprise

It’s time now to begin the next semester, spring semester. I have often wondered why the spring semester begins in the winter and why it is called spring when we sometimes have to trudge through the snow, but perhaps that’s a topic for another time.

In preparing for the new semester, I looked back over the last three to see what I need to change and what I need to continue. Many of my students read my novel,That Ever Died So Young, and even wrote about it. In viewing the themes, I saw that the students consistently came up with the same themes. I thought it would be interesting to make a list of them.

1. An alternative Program/Education for students who will not go to college or want something other than a college
oriented program.
2. Hit and Run: What are the ramifications?
3. Owning a business: Steps to take to Begin A Business
4. Edgar Allen Poe’s Poem, That Ever Died So Young. What did he mean when he wrote the poem? How is the poem the same or
different in the story?
5. What is the World of Fashion Designing Like? How can one become a fashion designer?
6. Physical Exercise: Running. How does one become a runner? What kind of diet and exercise regime should they consider?
7. Anxiety/stress. What is it? What causes anxiety? What brings on an anxiety attack?
8. Homeless and runaway Teens: How does a teenager become homeless? Where do they go? What does she/he do? Why do they run
away? What are they searching for?
9. How to cope with loss? A Comparison of how Scott copes with research or experience.
10. Safe Driving. What must one do to be a safe driver? Does safe driving only mean keeping yourself safe?
11. Bullying: Who are bullies? Why do they bully? What do they look for in those whom they bully?

What a nice surprise, huh? And here all along, I just thought I wrote a story. I tried to see which one was the favorite of each of the three classes. Bullying was written about in each class, but also many students wrote about loss, anxiety/stress and safe driving. Most of these were students right out of high school.