Drawing class - a pumpkin value study

Tonight in drawing class - a lesson on value drawing. I wish I had the pumpkins of my students. They were terrific, I think...but they weren't quite so confident. I often draw with my students. I don't know that it is the proper way to teach a drawing class, I mean, I get up and walk around every so often and comment or help them with their drawings. I find that not only does it help me relax and make it more fun than me just sitting there waiting for them to finish, but I encounter things with my drawing that I can bring up, that I may have otherwise forgotten to teach them. So as we are working we do little mini-lessons on stuff like reflected light, how to draw shadows, etc. Anyway, three of my students were missing tonight, but everyone seemed to really get into their drawing, and I can tell they are incorporating the things I am teaching them. I can see a lot of growth already. Oh, and I should mention, that I didn't exactly finish mine. I did the clone stamp on the background (right side) and I know it looks terrible, but trust me, it's way better than leaving it white!