Comments on: Thoughts on Shakespeare http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/ Another excellent Edublogs.org blog Wed, 05 Sep 2007 20:59:11 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Vince http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Vince Thu, 10 May 2007 02:11:39 +0000 http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/#comment-97 Keep up the great work! Keep up the great work!

]]> By: lashley http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/comment-page-1/#comment-5 lashley Wed, 04 Oct 2006 00:28:26 +0000 http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/#comment-5 I agree as well. I can't remember how many times I have said, "Let me look at up and make sure I am telling you correctly." It feels like teachers must be this pillar of wisdom, infallible and having all needed knowldge immediately at their command. And yes - Shakespeare requires more than its fair share of that knowledge as far as students are concerned. What looks a little challenging to us is an incredible barrier to our students. I think that keeping the original purpose of those plays in mind helps to smooth the pathway for both teacher and students. He wrote a thing of beauty and made it come alive. It spoke across social gaps and class barriers (no small feat in Elizabethan England.) His messages and lessons are more difficult to discern only because they require much more imagination than modern prose. Maybe it would help to think of Shakespeare's works as poetry, for that is what they are. I agree as well. I can’t remember how many times I have said, “Let me look at up and make sure I am telling you correctly.” It feels like teachers must be this pillar of wisdom, infallible and having all needed knowldge immediately at their command. And yes – Shakespeare requires more than its fair share of that knowledge as far as students are concerned. What looks a little challenging to us is an incredible barrier to our students. I think that keeping the original purpose of those plays in mind helps to smooth the pathway for both teacher and students. He wrote a thing of beauty and made it come alive. It spoke across social gaps and class barriers (no small feat in Elizabethan England.) His messages and lessons are more difficult to discern only because they require much more imagination than modern prose. Maybe it would help to think of Shakespeare’s works as poetry, for that is what they are.

]]> By: EDLA 7550 » How can you help students understand the power of his language, appreciate the beauty of his speeches and recognize the universality of characters and themes in Shakespearean and contemporary discourses? http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/comment-page-1/#comment-3 EDLA 7550 » How can you help students understand the power of his language, appreciate the beauty of his speeches and recognize the universality of characters and themes in Shakespearean and contemporary discourses? Wed, 27 Sep 2006 18:58:52 +0000 http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/#comment-3 [...] Delbert suggests an examination of the use of language as reflective of the Shakespearean and contemporary times. Such close language analysis is also reinforced through a practical application in the posts, Who Loves Shakespeare Now? and Much Ado about Shakespeare. The application in the former post is meant to help students to examine the ways in which literary devices such as repetition or rhyme, just to name but a few, can enhance the writer’s intent. The application recommended in the latter post focuses on the ways to make Shakespeare’s language more accessible to the student. [...] [...] Delbert suggests an examination of the use of language as reflective of the Shakespearean and contemporary times. Such close language analysis is also reinforced through a practical application in the posts, Who Loves Shakespeare Now? and Much Ado about Shakespeare. The application in the former post is meant to help students to examine the ways in which literary devices such as repetition or rhyme, just to name but a few, can enhance the writer’s intent. The application recommended in the latter post focuses on the ways to make Shakespeare’s language more accessible to the student. [...]

]]> By: Nancy McKeand http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Nancy McKeand Mon, 25 Sep 2006 01:26:55 +0000 http://wolfblog.edublogs.org/2006/09/20/thoughts-on-shakespeare/#comment-2 You are so exactly right: most of us fear not being able to answer a question posed by a student. We are the teachers, after all! Learning more about the topic, whatever it is, is the only answer. Part of being a new teacher is that you can't possible hope to know everything about everything you are asked to teach. That will improve as time goes on. But that is really why it is so important for teachers to keep taking courses, to keep learning, to keep thinking deeply about what they do in the classroom. It is also important, too, I think, to let your students know when you don't know. Don't pretend that you know when you don't. But, of course, you have an obligation to try to find an answer once the question has been asked! You are so exactly right: most of us fear not being able to answer a question posed by a student. We are the teachers, after all!

Learning more about the topic, whatever it is, is the only answer. Part of being a new teacher is that you can’t possible hope to know everything about everything you are asked to teach. That will improve as time goes on. But that is really why it is so important for teachers to keep taking courses, to keep learning, to keep thinking deeply about what they do in the classroom.

It is also important, too, I think, to let your students know when you don’t know. Don’t pretend that you know when you don’t. But, of course, you have an obligation to try to find an answer once the question has been asked!

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