Just got the phone call that the school principal (who is most definitely NOT my pal) got wind of our Shakespeare project, decided that he too was uncomfortable with the potential content, and that since it is not part of the state curriculum, in short, we can’t do it. Period.
Since my kids have to actually spend a few years in this school system I will limit my opinions on the subject, but I’m sure you all can gather what they may be.
I want to thank everybody who came flocking to my rescue, flooding me with no end of resources on how we might be able to make it work. We all know that the subject can be taught at this level, many of you have experience doing exactly that. And we all know that it is a *good* and *positive* thing. I just happen to have hit a dead end this time.
I’m temporarily down, but I’m very much not out. Watch this space for future efforts to climb back up that hill.
Passion and Patience.
And Patience.
And Patience.
And a bit more Patience.
http://bardfilm.blogspot.com/2011/09/on-directing-much-ado-about-nothing-at.html
Sharing your sorrow and frustration,
kj (Bardfilm)
Have you ever considered homeschooling? It turned out pretty well for me, and my siblings and I had all the Shakespeare we could ever want. 🙂
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. Creeps in this petty pace from day to
day…
On the other hand, a lucky escape, perchance?
You are not respopnsible for
the sometimes overly protective
and proscriptive nature of
modern schooling.
Keep your own children engaged
with Shakespeare, and if a chance
comes in future to engage others'
then that'll be a bonus.
:O
Sorry. What a letdown. I hope that your principal at least appreciates that there's a parent out there who believes the students can learn more, and are willing to do as much work as you did for them.
He damned sure will when I hunt him down and introduce myself next week. I would like to find out his official logic for denying this, and see whether I can work with him on a more accurate interpretation of what we were attempting.
If he saw it as taking away from existing curriculum work to do an unscheduled series on the subject of Shakespeare, then he'd have a point – but that is not the case. I was thinking of it more along the lines of the "Who is your daddy and what does he do?" segment of guest speakers that includes the local dentist and bug expert. All I wanted was a block of time to talk about my favorite subject. If worse came to worse I'd even be willing to chuck out all the performance content if it meant that I could still at least get in there and bring up the topic of the man and his poetry.
What grade and subject do you teach? I've been through this many times myself… I now lead a Shakespeare Outreach program for elementary schools. Some enlightened principals welcome us, others (no comment) sound more like the person who shut down your program…. You can see what we do at http://www.shakespeare-winedale.org, the Outreach link. best,
cs