Shakespeare and Student Performance

            This week I chose Chapter 8, “Goals and Limits in Student Performance of Shakespeare.”  This chapter talked about adding “more use of student performance in teaching both Shakespeare and drama in general” (96).  I feel it would be beneficial to use student performance while using Shakespeare.  Performance can create a better understanding and allow students to use their creativity.  Frey states, “One reason to use student performance in teaching drama is to help students see differences between dramatic and nondramatic forms.  Most drama is designed for performance, and students need to understand what that means” (96). 

            I can remember in high school using the stage to perform a small scene of a Shakespearean play for my tenth grade English class.  We had to prepare everything from props, costumes, what the script meant, memorizing the script, actions, and expression to use, etc.  I was a little nervous about doing this, but once we started I felt much more comfortable with what we were doing.  It ended up being one of my favorite things we did that year.  Everyone thought it was fun and different from anything we had done.  I was unsure how to “act out” Shakespeare, but that is what my teacher had taught us.  She taught us the basics and how to read into Shakespeare.  Frey even talks about teachers incorporating the basics.  On page 96, “if a teacher is going to devote three or four weeks or more to a play, he or she should be able to teach basic literary analysis and divide the class into groups asked to work up a small part of the script for a memorized and blocked performance.”  This is what my teacher did. 

            You may wonder about the ones who are nervous and shy, or do not want to do it.  I was one of those students at first, but after I knew exactly what we were doing I felt more comfortable.  Our teacher did not grade on our acting skills alone, but we had to try our best and be prepared which made me less nervous.  Frey made a good connection that I never really thought about.  He compared it to a speech.  Every student has a speech or some sort of presentation where they have to stand up in front of the class, so why not incorporate plays?  As teachers, we need to expose our students to these sorts of things or they may get bored with the same things that go on.  If we present our students with our expectations, our focus, the information they need to know to succeed, etc, then our students should feel excited about performing a scene.  If students are having trouble understanding what to do or if a teacher wants another resource to use, you can tie in different films that model excellent acting skills the students can gain from.

            On page 97-98, “it does promote collaborative learning. And it helps students to reappropriate and refashion a piece of their culture in a responsible way, to choose and to create instead of to consume.  But it teaches students more about the meaning of a play and about the nature and functions of drama than they can learn through any other method I know.”  I feel what Frey said is very important.  When students are able to be hands-on and collaborate, they are able to learn more and gain a better understanding. 

I found the following website very helpful on how to incorporate Shakespeare into your classroom in many various ways.  It also provides some great resources to use too.

http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/

Stand OUT

Branding and technology are definitely two things teachers will have to know about and address.  They are things that will be on the rise more than they are now till we are teachers.  Both of these articles were fantastic and made some excellent points. 

            If you take a look at your students, you will see they are influenced by advertisements and branding.  This is a big thing today.  Some students may not realize how much they are truly affected by it.  Even as a college student and adult today, we are all affected.  I loved how Kramer compared the influence of media.  On page 301, he said “I wondered how, without lecturing or moralizing on the issue, I could enable my students to see that media influence, like the water in which fish swim in the ocean…”  The water is invisible to the fish, just like media is invisible to us.  Media has such an incredible impact that it begins to shape who we are and become.  The idea of branding is to “fit in” and deem what is “popular”.  Advertisements present a positive image to make them appealing.  It creates an image to be achieved when most of the time it is unattainable.  The image is altered and computerized.  Reading this particular article, reminded me about Feed.  Advertisements are geared for specific targets and displayed at certain times to get the most out of the advertisement.  A lot of thought goes into making an advertisement, and we should have our students using that same level of thinking following these advertisements and branding. 

As a teacher we have to encourage our students to think and try hard to achieve what they want.  We want to teach our students to think for themselves and not each other.  We want to see the individual uniqueness and differences in our students.  We want our students’ identities to come from their own thinking, and not what they are seeing around them.

On page 302, the teacher had her class take two quizzes, just like the ones we took in class last week.  This goes to prove that more students know more about popular culture than academic information.  I liked when she asked the students why this is, and it is because popular culture is represented EVERYWHERE through logos, TV, commercials, etc.  Students are bombarded with information on a daily basis, so why wouldn’t they know it.  It’s everywhere and we have grown up all around it.  Advertisement will lead our students into being uncritical thinkers.  As a teacher, I will do everything possible to present this in my students.  They will think, they will critique, they will analyze and question, and they will be an individual.  All of the media, branding, and advertising is just so incredibly overwhelming.  We are consumed with constant advertising every day.  I want to encourage my students to think on their own and make them of the media and what it tries to do. 

Who knows what advertisements will be like in five to ten years?  We are already so consumed.  I cannot image what it WILL be like.  We will have students more wrapped up into media than we already are.  Our students have grown surrounded by this type of atmosphere.  We have to guide them to be individuals.

Technology is also a growing trend that is here to stay.  For our students’ success, we have to start incorporating technology into our classrooms.  We have to make a move to combine traditional and contemporary strategies.  A way to do this is to get to know your students.  This is extremely important I think for anything you do with your class.  By observing your students, you can recognize positive aspects to get them motivated and succeed.  We have students growing up submerged in technology, why not use what they know to help them succeed? 

On page 544, Tarasiuk says, “The technology is present in schools, but the focus of curriculum in the schools is still based on traditional forms of text.”  This is so true.  Schools have the technology, but the curriculum needs to change to allow the use of more technology for students.  As a teacher, we have to be open when it comes to more contemporary strategies.  Technology is not a bad thing.  Students are able to be very creative and thorough while using technology.  Since they are comfortable with using a computer and other resources, they overachieve and make projects more meaningful.  I will definitely bring in a contemporary twist into my classroom to see what all my students can succeed at by using technology.  Students can use all sorts of different resources are on the Internet.  Be open to what your students can teach you.  They know how to explore websites and create things on their own.  Allow them to use the contemporary flare with the traditional ways.  It is all about combining traditional and contemporary together.  Incorporating technology will truly bring out something amazing from your students.   



Censorship

Censorship is an increasing situation in all districts and states.  “The Ripple Effect of Censorship: Silencing in the Classroom” brings forth the issues with censorship.  Censorship is truly “silencing” teachers and students. 

            On page 59, Noll states, “their subsequent hesitancy to use—or decision not to use—certain pieces of literature for fear of negative repercussions.”  Teachers have to be tremendously cautious as to what they are teaching and what novels or pieces of literature they choose.  Making this decision is like a teacher being trapped in a room full of mouse traps covering the floor.  One wrong move can cost you. 

            Censorship is different in different districts, but it is still on the rise.  Teachers are seeing the same issues too.  Noll noted on page 60 that, “they have been questioned, challenged, or censored for their use of certain literature.”  Every English teacher thinks about censorship and “expressed concern about the issue of censorship” (60).  A teacher has to limit their students because of the fear of censorship which should not have to happen.  A student should receive the most out of their education.  When a student hits the “real-world” there isn’t going to be any censorship.  A student should be exposed to these pieces of literature to grow as a person.  Some of the material may be offensive or something they do not agree with but parents and students need to understand it’s a piece of literature that was chosen for a reason and they will learn something from it.  A student should NEVER be limited!  School districts fear the parents.  On page 60, Natalia had a complaint from a parent about Helter-Skelter.  The parent did not know anything about the novel.  The school district made the parent happy by removing the text.  Parents have misconceptions and assume so many things that they end up limiting their own child.

            Since we cannot avoid censorship and we will all be first year teachers soon, this is something we will have to face.  School districts do vary from one another but you have to be careful as to what you choose in your classroom and reading material.  One teacher mentioned in the article expressed on page 60, “that set the tone for my career in teaching, and I have been cautious ever since.”  A certain text can cost you your job. 

            On page 61, “it has a negative effect that has worked harm, both in chilling the spirits of teachers and students and in placing some books in the deep freeze.”  Teachers are questioning and reviewing texts that they have used before.  They remove them from their own list in fear of censorship and their job.  As a teacher, we have to play it safe.

            Some teachers have started teaching censorship which I feel is what needs to be done.  Students need to be exposed to these issues.  They cannot be sheltered.  On page 62, a teacher encourages, “her students to read, discuss, and write about novels which have been censored elsewhere and to share the books with their parents.” I feel the way to decrease censorship is to address it with students and parents which is where teachers see complaints coming from.  A student can learn a lot and grow from the exposure of censorship.  As a teacher, I feel you can get meaningful discussions through texts that are controversial. 

Here I found an article about censorship and how to handle it in your classroom:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr031.shtml

The American Library Association has a link about banned books and the issues that go along with it.  It also gives a list of the top banned books of the year, etc.

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/index.cfm