"It is not well done, mark you now take the tales out of my mouth, ere it is made and finished" - William Shakespeare
Here I sit, more than twenty-four hours after my return from the Folger and my mind is still racing. So many ideas, so many resources, so many things to plan... and if you asked me what I want to do first my answer would be - sleep. I am so run down it's really hard to express in words. I am not well. I suspect I have a nasal infection. Yeah, it's as nice as you think. My stuff is still all over my apartment, which is a total mess by the way, for reasons I'll not delve into here, not not at least, I'm mentally and physically exhausted. A month is the longest I've ever been away from home since the nineteen eighties when I was in the Air Force. Seriously. A week or two here and there for vacation, that's it. A month doesn't sound like much, but it's serious business. Especially when you're doing the work that we were doing.
Okay, there was fun too, but the fun never got in the way of the work, never the other way around. The work was why we were there, and it really wasn't a lot, it was just a short time. Research paper, lesson plans, other projects like the text illumination project (which you can see on my portfolio page - http://mjklein67.googlepages.com/home) Most of the fun, as I have previously mentioned, happened on the bus. Ahh, the bus. Perhaps the most interesting time of the day. I know I've talked about the chanting, the cheering (the young man doing push-ups story is now legendary), and I've mentioned Albert, but I haven't gotten into detail. Allow me...
Albert is perhaps a 45-50 year-old African-American man local to the area. He is dark skinned, and wears glasses. He has not a gray hair on his head and the biggest, brightest smile a human being can have. Always. None of this is all that interesting. What makes Albert interesting is his genuine interest in you. He never said the same thing to anybody. If someone was sick a certain way, and many of us were, he'd ask about those particular symtoms. And then he'd offer some helpful advice "Make sure you're takin' enough Vitamin C. You can never have too much. It'll do ya some good." He'd remember names. He had a number of greetings and goodbyes, but seemingly, they were always different to me, as if he knew what he said yesterday and didn't want to repeat himself the next. Still really, not that interesting, okay. Albert was the fanciest dressed school bus driver I've ever seen. On rainy or dreary days he'd be decked out head to foot in a Burberry rain suit. He always matched. I like that in my bus driver. He was never without a chapeau of some sort, straw, baseball, sun. And he always was putting on hand lotion. He is a good smellin' man. More importantly, he never complained about anything we did. He endured the chanting, the singing, the clapping (goddamnit there was a lot of clapping!). He never had a bad word to say, and we loved him. He even apologized for DC traffic. Most days it took us 30 minutes or so from the Folger to Georgetown, on a couple of occasions, it took over an hour. That sucked, but we of course never blamed Albert, but he apologized anyway. Like it was his fault. I'll miss him as well.
One of the most valuable things for me was meeting teachers from all over the country. All regions, it seemed, were represented - California, Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Tennessee, Fl, as well as a bunch of east coast people. I was the only person on the trip who had just completed his first year. Everyone else had at least three years; at least two people had over twenty-five years of service in. Speaking with other teachers who do the same thing was immeasureable. What was particularly great about it was that the conversation about teaching never stopped. It wasn't always about Shakespeare, mostly, but not always. Talking with people I work with is great, and I've gotten tons of insight from the people in my building, but the conversations usually last maybe half a period, and then it turns into a joke or about someone's baby and sometimes a joke about someone's baby. It's great don't get me wrong but, I don't have children so this conversation is usually irrelevant to me, unless the children are cute, and then I give the rightfully placed "AWWW!" when viewing pictures, but otherwise babies are babies to me. My sisters' have had six between them. Honestly, I'm over the cute baby. In my first year of teaching, I'm interested in becoming better at it.
There's a fine line that I'm still slowly treading. The short conversations about something specific and the long, sometimes drawn-0ut, conversations about the general. Both are important, and I need both. I seem to have gotten fewer of the latter. This month, though, has filled in some blank spaces. Which is good, I don't want to bother people. Much of teaching, from what I can tell, is experiment. What works? Well, what I've learned is something that works in one class, may be a complete disaster in another. I learned that all on my own this year. I come into the second year of my teaching already with the confidence of my supervisor, for which I am eternally grateful, and now with the experience of this past month I feel like I have opened more doors to more resources than I can count. I can't say if I'm good at what I'm doing, but one thing I've learned is that I love doing it. I know, it's a bit cheesy. I like cheesy. Sometimes the kids like cheesy too. What made me proudest this year were two things: first, one of my more reticent students, a tenth-grader, on the last day shook my hand and said "You were a good teacher. Thanks for teaching me." He barely passed the class, and I thought he hated me. He rarely said anything to me in the hallway, and never anything in class. Second, one of my seniors gave me a card that said she was glad I traded my old job "for this occupation." I'm glad too. There's a month left in summer, I've volunteered to do some work at school, but I have one week free. I intend to enjoy that one week, but I must admit, I'm really looking forward to starting year two.
mahalo
03 August 2008
24 July 2008
I really shouldn't be here...
"The wise man's folly is anatomiz'd Even by the squand'ring glances of the fool." -- William Shakespeare
So, here I am, writing here when I should be writing my research paper. I'm easily distracted. I really have a lousy writing process, but when I get started, I usually bang out the work I need in no time. Problem is, I have no time. As I may have mentioned, we have a lot to do, the research is just one of many projects on the table. But for me, the paper is the most challenging. I seriously dislike writing something that may not be my best work. And I feel that this research will not be. Simply because I don't think I've done enough reading yet. And quite honestly, it's all my fault. I knew before I came that I'd be doing a research paper, but I waited until I came to start thinking about it. I'm trying to make a connection between a comedy - Much Ado, and a tragedy - King Lear, using Revenge as the common denominator. I have an idea, but I really need to look at it some more. Of course I don't have that kind of time, so, basically I'm just going to wing it.
Things here have been great. We have gotten along pretty well, and we've sort of made up little circles of friends with whom we spend more time. Now that doesn't mean there are people we don't like, there was at first, but walls have come down, and there is now less cattiness. Going out to dinner is still an ordeal on occasion. I'm used to going out with a group where it is unwritten that everyone will split the check. It's simple and causes no distress. Of course, until you go out with people who want to do accounting at the table, break out an abacus, and start trying to figure out what everyone owes by what they've ordered. I've yet to come across a situation where there are no problems doing it this way. The money is always short, people have left, and those who often really owe the most, put in the least, leaving the guy who had a coke and a salad shelling out 30 bucks. Now in the third week, we are starting to split the check. Note to self - ask what the custom of eating in a group is when you are with a new group!
This week we're studying Richard III. I have read this play recently, but studied it years ago. Some of the allusions have faded for me, and the minutiae of it all has evaporated. Even now, when discussing it at seminar, I don't feel like I have much to contribute. It's a good play, and Richard is a great villain, right up there with Iago, but the history and the complications of laws of succession gets confusing. We have only one more day, then we begin Lear. And I'm very excited to be studying Lear here because our lead scholar is the man when it comes to this play, and I'm going to be teaching it for the first time this coming year. Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm reeking nerdy, but I'm happy.
Performance is really cool. We've switched our acting teachers, and our new one is wonderful. She's very positive and energetic. I really liked our first instructor as well, and to have worked with both of them will really round out my understanding of performance, but I'm excited to be working with her now. I've heard great things, and we get to act some more on the stage at the Folger. We have to prepare for a final performance next week based on a script that my group has put together. I'm going to try to tape it to share later on.
I have another site you can check out if you want to see some of the work I've been doing while I've been here - http://mjklein67.googlepages.com/
We're going to see King Lear in New Jersey on Saturday, and then we begin our last week here. It's been such a great experience learning from the scholars and the other 24 people I'm here with. Hopefully I won't forget everything as soon as I get back!
Okay, back to the research paper.
I have got to tell you about Albert, our bus driver - the coolest cat I've ever met. Next time!
mahalo
So, here I am, writing here when I should be writing my research paper. I'm easily distracted. I really have a lousy writing process, but when I get started, I usually bang out the work I need in no time. Problem is, I have no time. As I may have mentioned, we have a lot to do, the research is just one of many projects on the table. But for me, the paper is the most challenging. I seriously dislike writing something that may not be my best work. And I feel that this research will not be. Simply because I don't think I've done enough reading yet. And quite honestly, it's all my fault. I knew before I came that I'd be doing a research paper, but I waited until I came to start thinking about it. I'm trying to make a connection between a comedy - Much Ado, and a tragedy - King Lear, using Revenge as the common denominator. I have an idea, but I really need to look at it some more. Of course I don't have that kind of time, so, basically I'm just going to wing it.
Things here have been great. We have gotten along pretty well, and we've sort of made up little circles of friends with whom we spend more time. Now that doesn't mean there are people we don't like, there was at first, but walls have come down, and there is now less cattiness. Going out to dinner is still an ordeal on occasion. I'm used to going out with a group where it is unwritten that everyone will split the check. It's simple and causes no distress. Of course, until you go out with people who want to do accounting at the table, break out an abacus, and start trying to figure out what everyone owes by what they've ordered. I've yet to come across a situation where there are no problems doing it this way. The money is always short, people have left, and those who often really owe the most, put in the least, leaving the guy who had a coke and a salad shelling out 30 bucks. Now in the third week, we are starting to split the check. Note to self - ask what the custom of eating in a group is when you are with a new group!
This week we're studying Richard III. I have read this play recently, but studied it years ago. Some of the allusions have faded for me, and the minutiae of it all has evaporated. Even now, when discussing it at seminar, I don't feel like I have much to contribute. It's a good play, and Richard is a great villain, right up there with Iago, but the history and the complications of laws of succession gets confusing. We have only one more day, then we begin Lear. And I'm very excited to be studying Lear here because our lead scholar is the man when it comes to this play, and I'm going to be teaching it for the first time this coming year. Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm reeking nerdy, but I'm happy.
Performance is really cool. We've switched our acting teachers, and our new one is wonderful. She's very positive and energetic. I really liked our first instructor as well, and to have worked with both of them will really round out my understanding of performance, but I'm excited to be working with her now. I've heard great things, and we get to act some more on the stage at the Folger. We have to prepare for a final performance next week based on a script that my group has put together. I'm going to try to tape it to share later on.
I have another site you can check out if you want to see some of the work I've been doing while I've been here - http://mjklein67.googlepages.com/
We're going to see King Lear in New Jersey on Saturday, and then we begin our last week here. It's been such a great experience learning from the scholars and the other 24 people I'm here with. Hopefully I won't forget everything as soon as I get back!
Okay, back to the research paper.
I have got to tell you about Albert, our bus driver - the coolest cat I've ever met. Next time!
mahalo
17 July 2008
It was not alcohol free thursday
"If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it" -- William Shakepeare
Hanging out with teachers is sometimes dangerous. Okay, not like that kind of dangerous, the other kind. The kind that you know you'll hate yourself in the morning kind of dangerous. It got so bad last week that we instituted "alcohol free Monday." We all agreed that no one would indulge on Monday after eight straight days of some imbibing of some kind. It was successful. I myself took part and refrained. Today however, and well, yesterday, not so much.
Yesterday we had an end of the day lecture from perhaps the least enthusiastic person on the face of the earth. He was telling us about a grant the Folger had gotten to create a site to display images that perhaps have not been seen in four hundred years. The site will make it easy for scholars and other researchers to find stuff. Exciting right! Yeah, exactly. You're asking yourself the same question we were, they don't already have this? Wait, the more ridiculous issue is forthcoming - it's not going to be ready until 2009 at least, and not completely until '10. Okay, it's great that the Folger is finally catching up with what my phone can do, I appreciate that, but c'mon, 2010? Tell you what, send me an email, at least I'll remember then. We sat for an hour for this guy who had zero personality and talked with the lowest voice and no inflection - at the END of the day!! The two things we all agreed on was that the lecturer was not a good speaker/teacher, and that we all needed a drink. Perhaps several.
Today was one of my new friend's birthday. We decided to go out for sushi. I love sushi, and I was particularly excited to have non-bread sustenance . It seems that DC is big on sandwiches. Everything is a goddamn sandwich. Or, at the least, bread related...ie. Pizza. I finally rebelled. I have not had, with the exception of some broccoli two days ago, any substantial veggies in 10 days. I was worried about contracting scurvy! Today for lunch I bought myself some baby carrots, a banana, a plumb, and a cup of peaches all neatly cut up in a little cup. And it was delicious. Nary a slice of bread in sight. We also have a colloquium style lunch once or twice a week. That's where we all eat lunch together, and we have a speaker talking to us while we're eating. Those are optional, and as I mentioned, I rebelled at that today as well. I wasn't alone, however, there were about ten of us enjoying the warm sunny day DC finally offered instead of sitting inside. We were marginally guilty, but hey, the colloquium is optional.
My new friend had to bolt right after dinner because there was an issue with the person she is staying with, so I hung out the other person (there were three of us for dinner) at a bar not far away. We were joined by yet another memeber of TSI. (Teaching Shakespeare Institute). Why was I telling you all this? Oh, because it was NOT alcohol free Thursday. We were supposed to be celebrating a birthday, we wound up celebrating Thursday. The funny thing is, despite all the debauchery, we're still sharing ideas about the Institute and how we can apply things to our own classes... at all hours, in all places. And of course - how best to make the Bard more approachable to our students.
It's all exactly what I came down here for. It's late. Fare thee well.
Mahalo
Hanging out with teachers is sometimes dangerous. Okay, not like that kind of dangerous, the other kind. The kind that you know you'll hate yourself in the morning kind of dangerous. It got so bad last week that we instituted "alcohol free Monday." We all agreed that no one would indulge on Monday after eight straight days of some imbibing of some kind. It was successful. I myself took part and refrained. Today however, and well, yesterday, not so much.
Yesterday we had an end of the day lecture from perhaps the least enthusiastic person on the face of the earth. He was telling us about a grant the Folger had gotten to create a site to display images that perhaps have not been seen in four hundred years. The site will make it easy for scholars and other researchers to find stuff. Exciting right! Yeah, exactly. You're asking yourself the same question we were, they don't already have this? Wait, the more ridiculous issue is forthcoming - it's not going to be ready until 2009 at least, and not completely until '10. Okay, it's great that the Folger is finally catching up with what my phone can do, I appreciate that, but c'mon, 2010? Tell you what, send me an email, at least I'll remember then. We sat for an hour for this guy who had zero personality and talked with the lowest voice and no inflection - at the END of the day!! The two things we all agreed on was that the lecturer was not a good speaker/teacher, and that we all needed a drink. Perhaps several.
Today was one of my new friend's birthday. We decided to go out for sushi. I love sushi, and I was particularly excited to have non-bread sustenance . It seems that DC is big on sandwiches. Everything is a goddamn sandwich. Or, at the least, bread related...ie. Pizza. I finally rebelled. I have not had, with the exception of some broccoli two days ago, any substantial veggies in 10 days. I was worried about contracting scurvy! Today for lunch I bought myself some baby carrots, a banana, a plumb, and a cup of peaches all neatly cut up in a little cup. And it was delicious. Nary a slice of bread in sight. We also have a colloquium style lunch once or twice a week. That's where we all eat lunch together, and we have a speaker talking to us while we're eating. Those are optional, and as I mentioned, I rebelled at that today as well. I wasn't alone, however, there were about ten of us enjoying the warm sunny day DC finally offered instead of sitting inside. We were marginally guilty, but hey, the colloquium is optional.
My new friend had to bolt right after dinner because there was an issue with the person she is staying with, so I hung out the other person (there were three of us for dinner) at a bar not far away. We were joined by yet another memeber of TSI. (Teaching Shakespeare Institute). Why was I telling you all this? Oh, because it was NOT alcohol free Thursday. We were supposed to be celebrating a birthday, we wound up celebrating Thursday. The funny thing is, despite all the debauchery, we're still sharing ideas about the Institute and how we can apply things to our own classes... at all hours, in all places. And of course - how best to make the Bard more approachable to our students.
It's all exactly what I came down here for. It's late. Fare thee well.
Mahalo
14 July 2008
To blog or not to blog...
"What seest thou else in the dark backward and abysm of time?" -- William Shakespeare
It's late and I'm tired, and I still have some work to prepare for the seminar session tomorrow. But, being a blogger of old, I know that I'm building readership, and the obligation to my throng of fans is overwhelming. Even if there are only three of you, I'm here for you!
The days go quickly, with the workload we are given, one thing leads right into another. It seems that the forty-two minutes I have for lunch during the year last longer than the hour I have here. Although the days move swiftly, there are periods when things move in slow motion. That period was today.
Part of the work we are doing here is "putting the words on their feet." A phrase I will use for the rest of my life. Performance is a major element of the Institute. I'm fine with this, and wish to incorporate much more of it in the class. We've done many fun things, including hitting each other with bandanas, 'physicalizing' words, blocking dumb shows, etc, all kinds of things we can do with kids to get them up out of their seats to bring Shakespeare to life for them. The ideas are wonderful, and I can't wait to use them. At times, (today) it can be tedious.
We have two professors who are our acting coaches. We have been divided into two groups and after a week and a half, we switch acting coaches. My current acting coach likes to act and does it professionally, and he explains how we can use the ideas in class. Ad nauseum. We've been working on the same scene from Richard III for two full sessions, and I don't think we've gotten through the whole thing more than twice. The professor gives the set up, some ideas, and tells us to run it. Great! So we do, then we read a few lines... then we get stopped, a suggestion is made, we argue the merits of the suggestion, then five more suggestions are made.... you get the idea. I usually remain quiet. Today I took a small role (yes, there are small roles, though it matters what you do with it!) and we never even got to my line. I contributed to the discussion and made some suggestions, because at times that's what I think these sessions are all about, contribution - and EVERYONE should have a say, and it should mean something. It gets frustrating, and there are many people here who are not shy about expressing it. I sort of let things go, take what I can from the session, and then worry about dinner. Some others really let it bother them, and that sucks, I don't want anyone to come away from this wonderful experience and feel like crap, or feel like they weren't considered for an opinion or contribution. Or hell, leaving with a sense of incompleteness because we never finished the damn scene. One of the many ironies floating around is a tee shirt -"I made a scene at the Folger Library." At the moment I'm hoping everyone does.
On a lighter note, tonight, usually we hang out in bunches, but this evening I hung out with my roommate. He's a great guy, from Maryland. Yeah, I pronounce it that way just to bug him, but he's awesome. Young, 28 or so, but he's got a lot of great insight to the plays, and a lot of great ideas about teaching. That's the collateral damage about being here, I'm not only learning from the Institute, but the other 24 people here, from whom I'm stealing as much as I can.
And now it seems my life is about to be rounded with sleep.
Mahalo
It's late and I'm tired, and I still have some work to prepare for the seminar session tomorrow. But, being a blogger of old, I know that I'm building readership, and the obligation to my throng of fans is overwhelming. Even if there are only three of you, I'm here for you!
The days go quickly, with the workload we are given, one thing leads right into another. It seems that the forty-two minutes I have for lunch during the year last longer than the hour I have here. Although the days move swiftly, there are periods when things move in slow motion. That period was today.
Part of the work we are doing here is "putting the words on their feet." A phrase I will use for the rest of my life. Performance is a major element of the Institute. I'm fine with this, and wish to incorporate much more of it in the class. We've done many fun things, including hitting each other with bandanas, 'physicalizing' words, blocking dumb shows, etc, all kinds of things we can do with kids to get them up out of their seats to bring Shakespeare to life for them. The ideas are wonderful, and I can't wait to use them. At times, (today) it can be tedious.
We have two professors who are our acting coaches. We have been divided into two groups and after a week and a half, we switch acting coaches. My current acting coach likes to act and does it professionally, and he explains how we can use the ideas in class. Ad nauseum. We've been working on the same scene from Richard III for two full sessions, and I don't think we've gotten through the whole thing more than twice. The professor gives the set up, some ideas, and tells us to run it. Great! So we do, then we read a few lines... then we get stopped, a suggestion is made, we argue the merits of the suggestion, then five more suggestions are made.... you get the idea. I usually remain quiet. Today I took a small role (yes, there are small roles, though it matters what you do with it!) and we never even got to my line. I contributed to the discussion and made some suggestions, because at times that's what I think these sessions are all about, contribution - and EVERYONE should have a say, and it should mean something. It gets frustrating, and there are many people here who are not shy about expressing it. I sort of let things go, take what I can from the session, and then worry about dinner. Some others really let it bother them, and that sucks, I don't want anyone to come away from this wonderful experience and feel like crap, or feel like they weren't considered for an opinion or contribution. Or hell, leaving with a sense of incompleteness because we never finished the damn scene. One of the many ironies floating around is a tee shirt -"I made a scene at the Folger Library." At the moment I'm hoping everyone does.
On a lighter note, tonight, usually we hang out in bunches, but this evening I hung out with my roommate. He's a great guy, from Maryland. Yeah, I pronounce it that way just to bug him, but he's awesome. Young, 28 or so, but he's got a lot of great insight to the plays, and a lot of great ideas about teaching. That's the collateral damage about being here, I'm not only learning from the Institute, but the other 24 people here, from whom I'm stealing as much as I can.
And now it seems my life is about to be rounded with sleep.
Mahalo
13 July 2008
Round Two
“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” – William Shakespeare
Well, the weekend has come and gone and I feel moderately as if I’ve accomplished a wee little bit. We have much on our plates, including curriculum development, where I have to design a lesson plan for the Institute and a research project, which is really cool because I have to use primary sources, which means books prior to 1620. I’ve already seen some First Folios, and Quartos (the oldest published Shakespeare stuff), which is nice because I may not actually get to touch them. The project I’m working on (or, really, about to start) won’t require me to get one. The Folger doesn’t really buy into the “Gee Whiz” factor of holding a Folio for the sake of holding a Folio, not to mention they are guarded rather closely.
An aside – We learned over the weekend that a First Folio stolen ten years ago from a university in England found its way back to the Folger about a month before we arrived. Check out the story here - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4316464.ece
In addition to those projects, we have homework assignments. That’s what I accomplished over the weekend, as well as laundry and some grocery shopping. For one of the projects, check out this website - http://www.chinswing.com/pages/discussion.aspx?id=f9c7bd1f-5bca-442d-9dcd-8764fc17aa31
We had to record a passage, any passage, from Shakespeare. I’m on there doing the opening lines from Twelfth Night. The other folks on there are mostly the members of the Institute like me, teachers from all over the country. 17 states, in fact. Other folks are the scholars with whom we are working. My other accomplishments this weekend were some other homework assignments. I’m working with three other people on a performance piece. It’s called a “dumb- show.” If you know Hamlet, it’s acted out right before the play Hamlet puts on for Claudius and Gertrude. (“The play’s the thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscious of the King!”) A dumb-show isn’t the obvious. It’s not, stop thinking that. It’s a short play acted without words, but it has narration. So my group is going to perform a scene from King Lear. It’s the scene where Gloucester gets his eyes pulled out by Cornwall. I’m Cornwall, and I’m going to use strawberries for effect. I’m very excited to squish them. Our acting coach will get a kick out of too.
It’s interesting to watch our scholars interact with one another. At lunch they sit and eat together, probably because they are friends, and/or have known each other for decades, and during lectures and seminars, they are always professional and very courteous, particularly to the attendees; however, during discussions, curriculum sessions, or performance sessions, times when the atmosphere is more open and less structured, they often vie for, either control or the last word. They interrupt each other, dispute a variety of things, and when one doesn’t get his/her way, we can see a reaction, perhaps it’s slight resentment, but not anything harsh, it’s never angry or insulting, it’s more like academic Titans and Gorgons going at it; they are two intellectual giants measuring each other up. It all happens so quickly too. These people have such vast knowledge in this subject, and stand firm to their opinions and at times we, the spectators, know it’s personal when there is disagreement, but they are too magnanimous to let it get petty. Some hide the frustration better than others, masking it with a gentle chuckle, but probably thinking “Okay, have it your way… this time.” They certainly pick their battles.
I’m really looking forward to this coming week. We’re doing Much Ado About Nothing. I taught it this year to my seniors. The kids really liked it, as do I, so, I’m anxious to build on what I think I already know.
Mahalo
Well, the weekend has come and gone and I feel moderately as if I’ve accomplished a wee little bit. We have much on our plates, including curriculum development, where I have to design a lesson plan for the Institute and a research project, which is really cool because I have to use primary sources, which means books prior to 1620. I’ve already seen some First Folios, and Quartos (the oldest published Shakespeare stuff), which is nice because I may not actually get to touch them. The project I’m working on (or, really, about to start) won’t require me to get one. The Folger doesn’t really buy into the “Gee Whiz” factor of holding a Folio for the sake of holding a Folio, not to mention they are guarded rather closely.
An aside – We learned over the weekend that a First Folio stolen ten years ago from a university in England found its way back to the Folger about a month before we arrived. Check out the story here - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4316464.ece
In addition to those projects, we have homework assignments. That’s what I accomplished over the weekend, as well as laundry and some grocery shopping. For one of the projects, check out this website - http://www.chinswing.com/pages/discussion.aspx?id=f9c7bd1f-5bca-442d-9dcd-8764fc17aa31
We had to record a passage, any passage, from Shakespeare. I’m on there doing the opening lines from Twelfth Night. The other folks on there are mostly the members of the Institute like me, teachers from all over the country. 17 states, in fact. Other folks are the scholars with whom we are working. My other accomplishments this weekend were some other homework assignments. I’m working with three other people on a performance piece. It’s called a “dumb- show.” If you know Hamlet, it’s acted out right before the play Hamlet puts on for Claudius and Gertrude. (“The play’s the thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscious of the King!”) A dumb-show isn’t the obvious. It’s not, stop thinking that. It’s a short play acted without words, but it has narration. So my group is going to perform a scene from King Lear. It’s the scene where Gloucester gets his eyes pulled out by Cornwall. I’m Cornwall, and I’m going to use strawberries for effect. I’m very excited to squish them. Our acting coach will get a kick out of too.
It’s interesting to watch our scholars interact with one another. At lunch they sit and eat together, probably because they are friends, and/or have known each other for decades, and during lectures and seminars, they are always professional and very courteous, particularly to the attendees; however, during discussions, curriculum sessions, or performance sessions, times when the atmosphere is more open and less structured, they often vie for, either control or the last word. They interrupt each other, dispute a variety of things, and when one doesn’t get his/her way, we can see a reaction, perhaps it’s slight resentment, but not anything harsh, it’s never angry or insulting, it’s more like academic Titans and Gorgons going at it; they are two intellectual giants measuring each other up. It all happens so quickly too. These people have such vast knowledge in this subject, and stand firm to their opinions and at times we, the spectators, know it’s personal when there is disagreement, but they are too magnanimous to let it get petty. Some hide the frustration better than others, masking it with a gentle chuckle, but probably thinking “Okay, have it your way… this time.” They certainly pick their battles.
I’m really looking forward to this coming week. We’re doing Much Ado About Nothing. I taught it this year to my seniors. The kids really liked it, as do I, so, I’m anxious to build on what I think I already know.
Mahalo
12 July 2008
Week One - Check
“We are such stuff As dreams are made on; and our little life Is rounded with a sleep.” -- William Shakespeare
Here it is, the end of the first week. If the Institute were finished now and I was heading back to Long Island, I'd be ready to introduce new ways to present the material, not even just Shakespeare - all of what I, and you, if you're a teacher, teach. The people running this program are educators from all levels, from universities across the country, with resumes a country mile, who have taken time out of their busy schedule (our lead scholar is a professor from the University of Delaware and an editor for Cambridge UP) to be here with us, helping us perfect what we do, that is - teach. I don't seem to remember the course in my Master's program called "How to teach... (insert author here)." Sadly, there aren't many, and certainly not where I went. But here, that's what we're doing, learning how to look at materials, specifically Shakespeare, differently. If I were to head back tomorrow, I'd be a better teacher. But I'm not going back, I'm here for three more weeks.
Honestly, it's overwhelming. As I mentioned in my last blog, our schedule is jam-packed with activities. We have homework, we have a research project, we have curriculum development projects due, we are not on vacation. But of course, that's why we're here, and why we signed up. I'm not lamenting, or complaining, just explaining. The day moves along, but it's tiring. They've given us so much material, it's going to be disappointing when I realize that I won't be able to use it all next year. But if I get to use some of it, I know my students will benefit. It's really just a matter of remembering to apply it at the right moment. I'll convey some of the great things we've done in later blogs, things I can show you, even here, that you'll be able to use, improve, improvise, or use to spark other ideas. I've already learned tons of things just by hanging out with the other participants. Which leads me, of course, to briefly mention some of the people with whom I'm sharing this experience. We haven't come up with a collective nickname for ourselves just yet, but, knowing the group the way I do, I'm sure it's not too far off.
THE BUS
Here it is, the end of the first week. If the Institute were finished now and I was heading back to Long Island, I'd be ready to introduce new ways to present the material, not even just Shakespeare - all of what I, and you, if you're a teacher, teach. The people running this program are educators from all levels, from universities across the country, with resumes a country mile, who have taken time out of their busy schedule (our lead scholar is a professor from the University of Delaware and an editor for Cambridge UP) to be here with us, helping us perfect what we do, that is - teach. I don't seem to remember the course in my Master's program called "How to teach... (insert author here)." Sadly, there aren't many, and certainly not where I went. But here, that's what we're doing, learning how to look at materials, specifically Shakespeare, differently. If I were to head back tomorrow, I'd be a better teacher. But I'm not going back, I'm here for three more weeks.
Honestly, it's overwhelming. As I mentioned in my last blog, our schedule is jam-packed with activities. We have homework, we have a research project, we have curriculum development projects due, we are not on vacation. But of course, that's why we're here, and why we signed up. I'm not lamenting, or complaining, just explaining. The day moves along, but it's tiring. They've given us so much material, it's going to be disappointing when I realize that I won't be able to use it all next year. But if I get to use some of it, I know my students will benefit. It's really just a matter of remembering to apply it at the right moment. I'll convey some of the great things we've done in later blogs, things I can show you, even here, that you'll be able to use, improve, improvise, or use to spark other ideas. I've already learned tons of things just by hanging out with the other participants. Which leads me, of course, to briefly mention some of the people with whom I'm sharing this experience. We haven't come up with a collective nickname for ourselves just yet, but, knowing the group the way I do, I'm sure it's not too far off.
THE BUS
The bus rides are perhaps the most ridiculous times of the day. Crammed with immature antics, foul language, and unbridled raucousness, the commute is becoming our release/decompression. It's also a bitch session, gossip sharing session, and quite honestly, a bonding session. We learn about each other, personalities emerge, or in some cases, they leap right out of the seats. There's been professional ice hockey style chanting (and really the chanting is getting out of hand). There's been the ritualistic ridicule of a young man, seemingly out for a workout, who stopped in the wrong place to do some push-ups. Our bus was stopped at traffic light and the young man happened to be at that corner, when we decided to "count off" for him. Now, he was obviously not smart enough to move to the confines of the beautiful park not 50 feet to his immediate left, but he probably didn't deserve having a busload of teachers holler "One! Two! Three! Four! ..." at him. After all, he had done at least 10 as we were approaching the light. I'm pretty sure he's been damaged for life. But, on the other hand, it was funny as hell.
The bus is divided. It's simple really: those that sit in the front and those (of us) that sit in the back. Now, anyone who has EVER ridden the bus to school knows who sits in the back (me). And it's we that start the chants, it's we who counted off for the young man, it's now we who paraphrase Chevy Chase from National Lampoon's European Vacation - "Look kids, there's the Washington Monument, Capitol Building." It's also we that have a great freakin' time on the bus. This is not tosay that those who sit in the front do not have a good time, but have seen some of the looks tossed from the front to the back to where we sit. Sometimes it's annoyance, sometimes its confusion, sometimes it's disgust. I've also seen curiosity, interest, and want. By the end of these weeks I'm sure the whole bus will be "the back."
There's more. There's always more. Especially Albert, our bus diver. More on him later. Now, sleep, perchance to dream.
Mahalo
10 July 2008
It's not just reading the plays!
"O this learning. What a thing it is!" -- William Shakespeare - The Taming of the Shrew I.ii.159
It's very late. Every day starts at 7am and ends anywhere between 5 and 9. Today was 9. It's not bad. And by that I mean it's not a bad experience. I mean, I signed up to work, really. It's just a lot of work. Here's the typical day:
8.45-9.00 - Homeroom. Yes. I'm not kidding. Announcements, schedule, etc.
9.00-10.00 - Lecture. It's always a Shakespearean scholar. It's usually a wonderful lecture and discussion. We, the students, usually end up talking about them all day.
10.15 - 11.30 - Seminar. We sit in smaller groups with one of the scholars to discuss the lecture, and a variety of other topics dealing with the play, this week it's The Taming of the Shrew. Always interesting, even if the scholar does not have much to add. The conversations usually end up spurring some sort of talk, ie. gossip, for the rest of us throughout the day.
11.30 - 12.30 - Lunch. Usually more gossip.
12.30 - 3.00 - This period varies between performance, curriculum development, and earlier in the week, a tour of the library. That was fun. We got to look at quartos and folios from the 17th century. And a few books from the 15th c.
3.00 - 3.30 - Tea. Yes tea. We actually have tea. There are no scones, but there are cookies. Again, much gossip, and some discussion of the activities.
3.30 - 5.00 - If there wasn't curriculum, or performance for the group there is now.
After 5.00 - Movies, baseball games, theatre. There are a variety of events that take place after hours. Most are required, others are not. These are fun, for the most part, so far. Today was a film of Taming. I've seen it, but now, having experienced the lectures and the close readings of the play, I was able to get more out of the movie.
I'm loving it so far. Sounds cliche, or nerdy or whatever you want to call it, but it's what I wanted. It's 25 people sitting around talking about Shakespeare, and teaching it as well as our own experiences, besides Shakespeare, in the classroom. It's really what I wanted it to be. I've developed a circle of friends already, but the door is open for others to come, but if no one else does, I'll really be happy with the ones I've made.
More later. It's freakin' late.
Mahalo
It's very late. Every day starts at 7am and ends anywhere between 5 and 9. Today was 9. It's not bad. And by that I mean it's not a bad experience. I mean, I signed up to work, really. It's just a lot of work. Here's the typical day:
8.45-9.00 - Homeroom. Yes. I'm not kidding. Announcements, schedule, etc.
9.00-10.00 - Lecture. It's always a Shakespearean scholar. It's usually a wonderful lecture and discussion. We, the students, usually end up talking about them all day.
10.15 - 11.30 - Seminar. We sit in smaller groups with one of the scholars to discuss the lecture, and a variety of other topics dealing with the play, this week it's The Taming of the Shrew. Always interesting, even if the scholar does not have much to add. The conversations usually end up spurring some sort of talk, ie. gossip, for the rest of us throughout the day.
11.30 - 12.30 - Lunch. Usually more gossip.
12.30 - 3.00 - This period varies between performance, curriculum development, and earlier in the week, a tour of the library. That was fun. We got to look at quartos and folios from the 17th century. And a few books from the 15th c.
3.00 - 3.30 - Tea. Yes tea. We actually have tea. There are no scones, but there are cookies. Again, much gossip, and some discussion of the activities.
3.30 - 5.00 - If there wasn't curriculum, or performance for the group there is now.
After 5.00 - Movies, baseball games, theatre. There are a variety of events that take place after hours. Most are required, others are not. These are fun, for the most part, so far. Today was a film of Taming. I've seen it, but now, having experienced the lectures and the close readings of the play, I was able to get more out of the movie.
I'm loving it so far. Sounds cliche, or nerdy or whatever you want to call it, but it's what I wanted. It's 25 people sitting around talking about Shakespeare, and teaching it as well as our own experiences, besides Shakespeare, in the classroom. It's really what I wanted it to be. I've developed a circle of friends already, but the door is open for others to come, but if no one else does, I'll really be happy with the ones I've made.
More later. It's freakin' late.
Mahalo
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