2018 AMC 10A Problem 4

How many ways can a student schedule $3$ mathematics courses — algebra, geometry, and number theory — in a $6$-period day if no two mathematics courses can be taken in consecutive periods? (What courses the student takes during the other $3$ periods is of no concern here.)

$\textbf{(A) }3\qquad\textbf{(B) }6\qquad\textbf{(C) }12\qquad\textbf{(D) }18\qquad\textbf{(E) }24$