THREAD: So, I'm assigning parts to my 9th graders for Book 1 of The Iliad. "Who wants to be Calchas? He's a prophet who always has bad news. Agamemnon doesn't like him." One of my students says, "Delilah should be Calchas." (Name changed for privacy.) I'm like, "Why's that?" 1/

The student says, "Because she's always negative towards me in class." WHEN I SAY THE WHOLE CLASS WAS LIKE

Delilah looks at me and then Samson (name change again and biblical because I like it) and says, "Wait, what?!" I ask, "Well, what do you mean she's always negative towards you?" Samson's like, "She always has something to say when I try to make a point." 2/

It's juicy and the class is wriggling in their seats because this beef came out of nowhere. I say, "Well, I don't think she's negative. I think you bring up points with which she doesn't agree. I counter you as well sometimes when I don't agree with you." Samson considers. 3/

I add, "And the reason why I do that is that you make me think about my own views and I want to share them with you. I want to enrich your mind like you enrich my mind. It's because I care. What do you think, Delilah? It's because you care, right?" 4/

Delilah to Samson: 5/

Tension breaks. Students laugh. Samson says, "Fine. Someone else can be Calchas." Delilah and I wrinkle our noses at each other in solidarity. And we have a heck of a time reading Book 1 aloud. 6/

THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS THAT A STUDENT USED CALCHAS, A PROPHET IN THE STORY OF THE ILIAD BY HOMER, TO COMMUNICATE HOW HE WAS FEELING TO A CLASSMATE AND THEY MADE UP. I CAN'T MAKE THIS UP. 7/7 #TeachLit