Longtime readers of the blog will know that we’ve been waiting literally for years for my kids to start learning Shakespeare in school. Middle school was a big bust, with one teacher in the eighth grade who dragged his feet during Romeo and Juliet to the point where my oldest never even finished it, and when her younger sister later had the same teacher, he didn’t even try, he just showed the movie.
My oldest is in high school now and taking a class called Monsters in British Literature, where they’ll be reading The Tempest. My favorite. The one I used to tell them as a bedtime story. Plus, bonus? The same teacher does the second semester Shakespeare in Modern Film class, also known as the one where I get Bardfilm to do my kid’s homework.
Well tonight was open house where we got to meet the teachers. Look what greeted me in Monsters and British Lit?
Oh, yeah. We’re gonna have a good time with this class.
The class will cover Beowulf and Frankenstein as well as Caliban. The teacher made it a point to mention that she’d recently seen The Tempest at the Globe, and how she just loves being “the Shakespeare teacher.”
I introduced myself briefly – “My daughter’s been raised on Shakespeare. I read The Tempest to them as a bed time story. I think we’re gonna love this class.” I knew I could have talked her ear off. I had pictures of my kids in the Folger vault loaded up and ready to go on my phone. I showed great discipline, I want everybody to know!
I hope to have very many exciting stories in the upcoming year. It’s been a long time coming! A fine fine day indeed.