Teaching Shakespeare School 2010
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s flagship education program is designed to support the vital work of teaching Shakespeare in today’s classrooms.
William Shakespeare never intended to publish his plays; he wrote scripts, not books. For us, the real value of his plays lies, as it did for him, in their production on the stage.
The Teaching Shakespeare School shows teachers how to approach these plays not as literature but as theatre.
Stage 1: Workshops
Tuesday, August 24, to Thursday, August 26 at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Teachers and professional actors attend workshops together. These interactive workshops introduce you to the drama-based activities you will employ in your classroom in Stage 2. Teachers also attend performances of As You Like It and The Winter’s Tale. Your tickets are included as part of the program.
Teachers are divided into elementary (up to Grade 8), secondary English and secondary drama sections. On the final workshop day, you are partnered with the artist who will visit your classroom in Stage 2.
Stage 2: Classroom Visits
September and October at your school
Your artist partner will make three visits to your classroom; each visit is one class period in length. You and your artist partner will work together to enrich the students’ experience of a Shakespeare play and prepare them for Stage 3. The play explored should be one of the plays you worked on in August. At least one visit should occur before your class trip to see the play at Stratford.
Stage 3: Student Theatre Trip
September and October at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Choose from a selection of dates for which excellent seats have already been reserved. Teaching Shakespeare School classes are also provided with free tickets to a Pre-Show Presentation the morning of their matinée visit. You will receive ticket order forms during Stage 1.
Stage 4: Student Players’ Festival (drama section only)
November
Classes participating in the drama section perform Shakespeare scenes before expert adjudicators on the stage of the Studio Theatre.
Cost
The only costs* to participate in the Teaching Shakespeare School are your students’ theatre tickets and buses for Stage Three (and Stage Four for drama section classes) and your overnight accommodation in Stratford during Stage One, if you choose to stay over.
A deposit of $125 is required on registration to secure your spot. Your cheque will be returned on the final day of Stage One, or for cancellations before June 1.
The workshops, the classroom visits and your theatre tickets in August are funded by the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
*Subsidies are available based on need.
Who Can Participate?
Teachers’ workshops are in three sections:
• Elementary (Grades 4 to 8 )
• Secondary English
• Secondary drama
New and experienced teachers alike are welcome. No arts background is required.
Please note that preference is given to teachers registering in groups of two or more from the same school.
Information and Registration
Please contact our Education Department:
• E-mail: educate@stratfordshakespearefestival.com
• Elementary section: 519.271.0055, ext. 2440
• Secondary English section: 519.271.0055, ext. 2319
• Secondary Drama section: 519.271.0055, ext. 2440
Registration deadline is April 30, 2010.
Teacher Testimonials
“I teach in an inner-city class with academic and behavioural problems. I went into the workshops thinking that Shakespeare would be way over the kids’ heads. But instead, the play was broken down into easy, interactive lessons that engaged the kids. Fantastic program!!!”
“This workshop is the best that I have ever attended in over 20 years of teaching and professional development. I was completely inspired to bring the world of Shakespeare to my Grade 5 students, and they, in turn, responded with the utmost enthusiasm.”
“A wonderful resource for English teachers and an exciting, viable approach to Shakespeare.”
