The Art of teaching Shakespeare: Start with the basics

Mention Shakespeare in a classroom and get ready for students to groan or tell you how much they hate the Bard and how he is completely irrelevant. It is difficult for teachers to engage students in something that is not only daunting for students but can be daunting for the teacher as well. Today's blog post is less a blog and more of a collaborative sharing of resources. I pride myself on the fact that I can get any child to love Shakespeare through passion and my extensive knowledge. I have attached to this blog a lesson I used with a high ability year 8 class. It is a very basic introduction to Shakespeare but one that the kids thoroughly enjoyed. Let me know what you think. Thanks to the RSC, Elliot Shrimplton and Patsy Rotenburg for aiding in my quest to get young people to appreciate the Bard.

Actors understand Iambic Pentameter as the heart beat of a character. Each line should signify 10 heart beats. But sometimes this is not the case, like in this monologue. The second line has 11 beats. That is because there is an added beat in the word Juliet. What actors know is that in that line Romeo's heart has skipped a beat at the mention of Juliet. It tells us how he feels for Juliet and it tells the actor how fast his own heart beat must be going to match Romeo's.

Puppetry

This week I plan to highlight something that I enjoy teaching and something that I believe has huge benefits for children...Puppetry.

I first came across puppetry when undertaking some summer study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Under the guidance of the incredible Director of Puppetry for Warhorse, I learnt the importance of bringing the puppet to life in order to suspend reality.

In order to suspend reality we must first make the puppet. Below is a video that I have created with a company called Second Circle Media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9-OGuD-Vo8


Once the puppet is created students should get into groups of four. In these groups each person is assigned a role.

Puppeteer 1: Controls the neck of the puppet, the right hand and the sound of breath
Puppeteer 2: Controls the hips of the puppet, the left hand and the physicalisation of breathing
Puppeteer 3: Controls the legs of the puppet
Puppeteer 4: The actor who works opposite

The puppeteers must work together in order to suspend reality. They do this by ensuring all eyes are on the puppet. By having every eye on the puppet, the actors ensure that the audience eye line is constantly directed to the puppet.

Puppeteer 1 is the lead puppeteer. They are in control of the breath. Students should be able to choreograph movements to the timing of breath.



Activity: Once the puppet is created and I have explained the role of each Puppeteer, I encourage students to watch and mimic human action. Really paying attention to how each muscle move. This level of detail ensures that students can recreate human physicality as much as possible. It is usually at this point I show them clips on youtube of humans doing everyday things, like kicking a ball, we analyse these in detail.

 I usually get each student group to created a short scene in which the puppet must complete a simple, everyday activity. This can be swinging a baseball bat, walking or moving to sit in a chair. Something simple like in the clips they have seen. I allow about 15 minutes for students to explore this.

I then get the students to present the simple action to the rest of the class who tell the performance things the liked about the performance and things they feel could be even better if.....

Once this is complete I then ask students to now go back and try and improve their micro scene even further.

Strategies for Effective Classroom Management

Effective classroom management is a tricky thing, it is a skill that eludes some teachers and one that radiates from others. I don't pretend that I know everything and in fact I am still learning and trying new strategies. One thing that always strikes me is the atmosphere and the environment students create when they have a teacher who implements effective strategies. Below is a list of 4 common strategies that I find many great classroom management teachers implement.

1. Seating Plan

This is a constant variable within all great classroom managers. I
t is designed to maximise the learning potential of the students in the class. When done well students with particular needs are identified and place strategically. When done right students who show a potential for disruptive behaviour are neutralised by those around them.

2. Modelling best practice

One of the most effective classroom management strategies is when the teacher models the behaviour, attitude and work ethic the students are required to have. Some of the greatest teachers that I have had the chance to observe have presented themselves in such a way. This practise has become the corner stone for my teaching. Every week my Year 7 students must go to the library for 30 minutes to actively read and discuss the novels they have read. When the students read, I also read. I am not actively walking around the room checking that students are doing the right thing.
There is no need to. Having a book in my hand is added powerful strategy. If a student talks, I will often hear his/her peers state 'Shh Sir is trying to read and so am I'. Modelling is best practice. How are you going to encourage student engagement and learning, if you yourself are not engaged and ready to learn?

3. Humour

This is a technique that is only used by some of the most skilled teachers. Humour is a powerful tool within the classroom for managing behaviour and creating an enjoyable atmosphere. This is a tool that only VERY skilled teachers exercise as the teacher has the skill to pull off the jokes without offending or crossing the line. This tool is best used once the teacher has met and understood the students as it requires the teacher to have an understanding of the student's sense of humour. Humour, for the most part, is the most effective tool in teaching as it gently defuses any situation, allows students to understand the need to refocus and do the right thing and above all it allows students to still feel as if they have had a gentle reminder rather than being punished for being off task.

4. Admitting when you are wrong

In the education profession, teachers are seen by society as pinnacle know-it- all's. 'If the teacher doesn't know the answer, then how is my child going to?' is a constant comment said on a whim by parents. But the reality is, teachers are human beings. They are explores of knowledge and advocates of curiosity. However, teachers are not know-it-alls and the first people to admit this is often students. Occasional reminders to students that we are not all knowing and powerful makes us a little more human to them. Rita Pierson once said 'Tell a kid you're sorry and they are in shock.' Not only are they in shock that you have admitted a mistake but they have also respected you more for being honest. For children, society rams honesty down their throats as a quality all good humans possess. So if society is asking children to be honest, they expect honesty, and in turn when given honesty (even if it is admitting that you don't know the answer or you accidentally misspelt something on the board) students reward you with immense respect.