Needs Statement (Detail the challenges facing your school/class and the need for project funding).
When students read Shakespeare's plays without using the resources recommended in Shakespeare Set Free, less than 50% of students overall are able to access higher levels of understanding. Studies show that students retain only “10% of what they see, and 30-40% of what they see and hear” (Michigan State University, 2016). Many high school classes are based on lectures and teacher-led discussion, and lack engaging, kinesthetic activity. As complex and high-level texts, such as Shakespeare, are introduced into English classes, the inability to interpret characters and plot leads to disengagement and hinders the students’ comprehension of the material.
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Acting out the Shakespeare plays and using props enables students to use creativity to interpret how they think the characters would behave. By allowing students to use their critical thinking skills, a more engaged classroom is created. Further enhancing the program through higher-quality props and other items will improve it even more.
Home and community involvement (How will the project impact the school/classroom, parent, and/or community involved).
This project will result in a higher level of engagement in English IV classes and allow for students to learn more from the English curriculum. It is important that students are attentive in class and this can be achieved by invoking an engaging, exciting environment.
Ability to continue project after Grant is exhausted (Does the project have longevity and can it be sustained?).
English IV teachers will be responsible for the upkeep of these props and they would continue to use them even after this specific project is over. Shakespeare is a lesson that is taught every year to twelfth grade students and these props will help to enhance the learning experience year after
The most common misconception is that reading Shakespeare is not worth your time and doesn’t help you in life. Professor, Michael Mack effectively argues the total disparate. When giving a speech to a group of college freshman, Mack establishes an effective argument that convinces his audience to give Shakespeare a chance and maybe it will help in life in life through his use of rhetorical devices and strong evidence.
Many college students have the misconception that reading Shakespeare is a waste of time. Michael Mack presents a different view in his speech to college freshmen “From Why Read Shakespeare?” Mack’s speech constructed an effective argument that reading shakespeare will help you in life through his use of rhetorical devices and counterclaims.
When you hear the word Shakespeare, you probably think that it is meant for the people that use intellectual language, the literary types, or even the people who have a higher reading level than the average person. Well, a college professor named Michael Mack argues that Shakespeare can be for everyone once you understand it and it can relate to the real world or be a reflection of it. Mack produces an effective argument that although Shakespeare is difficult, it is worth the effort. Through his use of rhetorical devices and counterclaims.
When Romeo and Juliet comes up in school curriculum any observer can see students eagerly signing up for roles, puzzling over Juliet’s eagerness to marry a stranger, or rehearsing their own unique interpretation of the play. In these moments students are released from the usual monotonous class period and allowed to enjoy a timeless piece of literature. While some may claim that Shakespeare is outdated or difficult to read, the positivities of including it in ninth grade curriculum far outweigh any struggles of comprehension.
The authors do not describe how they would teach to students or what activities/assignments they would include in their lesson. Furthermore, they do not reference any outside resources that they would use to teach this lesson. Frank Hodgins is an English professor at a university, so he should be a reliable source. However, the contents of this article do not address teaching of Richard III, so his reliability can be questioned because he does not provide a guide as the title suggests that he will. Audrey Hodgins is probably less reliable because she is an American Studies student and may not know much about teaching or Shakespeare. The “Questions for Discussion” section is the only part of the article that could be directly used for instruction in the classroom to help students critically think about the
Shakespeare is dead. Shakespeare is not relevant in today’s times. It is very boring for students to listen to the material, and only a certain type of personality can appreciate Shakespeare.
The class lesson focused on reading, speaking, and understanding a work of William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Nights Dream. Student desks were arranged in a horseshoe shape so that all students faced the center of the room. The ELL students were seated in three small groups throughout the horseshoe, though I’m not sure if this was by choice or by design. The teacher and students were supported by an ESL tutor. During the class students worked with a neighbor to paraphrase sections of the reading. Students, for the most, part were prepared and responsive when called on. The main focus of the class activity was reading silently and orally, passages from the play and paraphrasing individual acts and scenes as a class. Both the teacher and individual student volunteers took turns reading the parts.
“Shakespeare isn’t worth my time!” A common phrase said by college students. Michael Mack gathered a large freshman class and delivered a speech called “Why Read Shakespeare?” noting that the value of reading Shakespeare must, from time, be articulated. Mack generated an effective argument that’s purpose is to persuade people that Shakespeare is indeed difficult to read, but he is worth the effort through his use of rhetorical devices and counterclaims.
Do you ever wonder why Shakespeare is still taught in high school. In high school, Shakespeare was shoved down our throats and I despised Shakespeare and his works. I thought that they were pointless and was just a way to torture high school students, but the more I think about what Shakespeare is trying to teach through his works. The more I respect and understand the themes and the language of his works. The more that you understand the more that you can relate, the more that you can relate the more that you can reflect on the things that you have learned. In this essay, I will argue that Shakespeare’s works are important to learn . I will support my argument by explaining the universal themes in Shakespeare’s
To teach Macbeth, or not to teach Macbeth-- That is the question. Shakespeare has added over 1,700 words and phrases to English. With works translated into almost every language, Shakespeare has a heavy influence on today’s culture. But should we still be reading material that is over 400 years old? And which book from Shakespeare’s collection should be taught? Students should be exposed to Shakespeare’s Macbeth to refine analytical skills, to understand difficult concepts, and to assess current history.
Pursuing further why Shakespeare should not be taught in school is because Shakespeare is very difficult to understand. “Shakespeare's way with words can be tough for students to grasp”.(DeBlasis) Shakespeare is a lot to comprehend because the way Shakespeare speaks is very different from today's text”.(DeBasis) Shakespeare is very tough to understand now days
The morals and values presented in his works speak to the audience, often offering a new perspective on the world in which they live. Students are affected by the powerful and complex characters and are rewarded with profound insights into human nature and behavior.I firmly believe that Shakespeare's works, like no other literature in the high school curriculum, challenge and invigorate the minds of students. Because of the complex characters, difficult vocabulary and style in which he writes, students must elevate their level of learning to grasp a clear understanding of his works. Shakespeare's plays hold intricate meanings and messages. His
Shakespeare is not something that is considered easy reading, in fact I still believe it’s a pain, but even as a sophomore I can still see the importance of reading and studying shakespeare’s works. I understand that my opinion is not shared by many and that I will more than likely be written off because of my age, but even though I am young and inexperienced, I can still see the importance even when I don’t like it. High schoolers simply do not care enough to understand Shakespeare and the way it was meant to be portrayed, but that doesn’t mean they won't grow an appreciation for it later in life because I know I certainly have and I’m only in the
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet should be taught in a ninth-grade curriculum today because his work is still relevant today. In the article On the Bard’s Birthday, is Shakespeare Still Relevant? The author, Alexandra Petri, says, “These are not plays we read and see together as a generation or a country. They’re works we enjoy as a species. Shakespeare offers a roadmap to the human” (374). What Petri means is that Shakespeare wrote plays that everyone from around the world can relate to because the plays go over subjects that affect all of us today. This is shows that Shakespeare should be taught in a ninth-grade
I’ve heard rumors about Board of Education members threatening to cut Shakespeare from high school curriculums because of a lack of student interest and benefit from his work and am concerned. I know you’re resisting this curriculum change, and I would love to proffer an idea that might help your cause. I think the best way to counteract this lack of enthusiasm among students is to introduce a friendly competition, not unlike the annual Science Fair. In our Science classes we are required to turn in a final project but are given the opportunity to enter that project into a Science Fair and potentially win a prize, such as homework passes or a pizza lunch. Far more students choose to enter the contest than not to simply because it’s fun to compete and it’s always nice to win something.