Teaching a Shakespeare unit necessitates instruction relating the cultural differences present in England during the sixteenth century. What most struck the class as offensive was that Romeo, a seventeen year old, was determined to marry Juliet, a thirteen year old. Although Romeo was behaving in a way that our culture would deem inappropriate or even criminal, I explained that his behavior would not have been considered deviant in his culture. This opened the doors to a discussion about cultural differences found in other forms of literature, and the importance of judging a character’s behavior based on the cultural norm of the text’s setting rather than that of the reader.
To help students better relate to a character’s attitudes or expectations, I equated many of the characters to contemporary celebrities. For example, Paris’ desirability as a love interest to the women of Verona was deemed the equivalent of Channing Tatum’s to the women in America. This allowed students to understand why other characters expected Juliet to be thrilled that Paris was interested in her and why those same characters were baffled when she showed no interest.
Technology was used throughout the unit and was employed in nearly all lessons. The smart board was used for presenting Prezi’s, video clips, movies scenes, and PowerPoint presentations. While the pre- and post-tests were taken on paper, all act quizzes were done on chrome books through schoology.
My confidence in teaching this Shakespeare unit was high due largely to the fact that I have loved Shakespeare since I was in 9th grade. I have read all of his plays at least once and several of them, including Romeo and Juliet, multiple times. I was thrilled when I learned my mentor teacher had a Romeo and Juliet unit scheduled during my time in her class.
I created a physically and emotionally safe classroom by welcoming questions about the text, addressing cultural concerns with understanding, and providing a structure of patient support during performances which allowed for all students to feel confident in their ability to read complex text in front of their peers. My classroom management strategies evolved greatly during this unit. I began the unit striving for a high level of control and found that too much control stifles creativity. I learned to let go a little and allow my students to express themselves within the confines of acceptable classroom behavior.
The data from the TWS showed me where I need to intensify instruction through more frequent reinforcement and application. It has also demonstrated to me that data is a useful tool to determine the effectiveness of my lessons.
I have learned so much in teaching this unit. Several of my professors have said that they often learn new things or perspectives from their students, and now I understand what they meant. Seeing Romeo and Juliet through the eyes of students who had never before encountered Shakespeare was enlightening; however, what I found most notable was how quickly they related and adapted to both the characters and the cultural differences. While they understood the characters' motivation to find love and to free themselves of parental control, they couldn't understand how both Romeo and Juliet could have made such drastic and impulsive choices. It is my hope that I continue to learn from my students while they're learning from me.
To help students better relate to a character’s attitudes or expectations, I equated many of the characters to contemporary celebrities. For example, Paris’ desirability as a love interest to the women of Verona was deemed the equivalent of Channing Tatum’s to the women in America. This allowed students to understand why other characters expected Juliet to be thrilled that Paris was interested in her and why those same characters were baffled when she showed no interest.
Technology was used throughout the unit and was employed in nearly all lessons. The smart board was used for presenting Prezi’s, video clips, movies scenes, and PowerPoint presentations. While the pre- and post-tests were taken on paper, all act quizzes were done on chrome books through schoology.
My confidence in teaching this Shakespeare unit was high due largely to the fact that I have loved Shakespeare since I was in 9th grade. I have read all of his plays at least once and several of them, including Romeo and Juliet, multiple times. I was thrilled when I learned my mentor teacher had a Romeo and Juliet unit scheduled during my time in her class.
I created a physically and emotionally safe classroom by welcoming questions about the text, addressing cultural concerns with understanding, and providing a structure of patient support during performances which allowed for all students to feel confident in their ability to read complex text in front of their peers. My classroom management strategies evolved greatly during this unit. I began the unit striving for a high level of control and found that too much control stifles creativity. I learned to let go a little and allow my students to express themselves within the confines of acceptable classroom behavior.
The data from the TWS showed me where I need to intensify instruction through more frequent reinforcement and application. It has also demonstrated to me that data is a useful tool to determine the effectiveness of my lessons.
I have learned so much in teaching this unit. Several of my professors have said that they often learn new things or perspectives from their students, and now I understand what they meant. Seeing Romeo and Juliet through the eyes of students who had never before encountered Shakespeare was enlightening; however, what I found most notable was how quickly they related and adapted to both the characters and the cultural differences. While they understood the characters' motivation to find love and to free themselves of parental control, they couldn't understand how both Romeo and Juliet could have made such drastic and impulsive choices. It is my hope that I continue to learn from my students while they're learning from me.