Make Shakespeare accessible! My students are eager to learn, but struggle with the language of Shakespeare. By providing them with a class set of the play which includes a modern translation of the text, they will be able to connect with the language of the Bard more easily.
Our school, like so many other public high schools, struggles with poverty and budget cuts.
My students deserve to be given the opportunity to excel despite these financial hardships. Their exposure to Shakespeare is limited, and they struggle with language of his plays. My students also need the ability to think critically in order to be successful in the classroom and in their post high school endeavors.
The work of Shakespeare is challenging and by analyzing his works, they will be provided with tools to enhance their critical thinking skills. I want to ensure that all of my students are equally prepared for either college or entrance into the workforce. No matter what road they take upon graduation, they need to be able to think critically and creatively in order to be competitive in the 21st Century. My students also need access to materials that will ensure that our curriculum aligns with recent changes made to our state standards.
My Project
This text will be included as part of my American Literature class, due to changes in the state and federal standards which now require the inclusion of a Shakespearean play in each level of English. This play lends itself to study in English III due to its basis on the story of the Sea Venture, an English ship which wrecked on its way to the colonies. By including this text in the class, my students will be able to make connections with our studies of early colonial literature and compare the writing styles and themes of these authors with Shakespeare. I try to convey to my students that literature is always relevant, no matter the time period in which it was written. Also, my students quite often have a limited world view due to their limited access to technology and travel. By studying the archetypal patterns found in Shakespeare, I hope to continue to illustrate how cultures interact and interconnect at the literary level thus broadening their world view.
The inclusion of this text in my classroom will enhance my students' overall experience with the work of Shakespeare.
Many of my students are discouraged when they struggle with comprehension while reading his plays. By making it more relevant and accessible, it will give them a new sense of confidence in their ability to read his works. If they can read Shakespeare, they can read anything! It will also broaden their view of his work by allowing them to read a play that is not a tragedy.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Hamilton and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.