Shakespeare and Poetry

Shakespeare

Shakespeare is not easy to understand. In high school I read Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. We were all assigned characters and we sat in class and read our parts out loud. More than half of the book we read at home. I learned absolutely nothing. I didn't understand a thing about what I was reading. I think the way we broke down the book in class was awesome. Being forced to use other resources like the movie and the internet to translate the language and make it modern. We got to take a classic story and make it current, relateable, and understandable! I definitely want to take this concept into the classroom and apply it not only to Shakespeare, but other lessons that may need some "breaking down".

Poetry

I never have been a huge fan of poetry because I don't like being forced to be expressive or creative. I've learned through this unit that I don't have to be expressive at all. Poetry can be about anything and doesn't have to be jam packed with emotion and feeling. As a matter of fact, it can be just as impactful if it lacks emotion and feeling. I think it is important for students to learn to be comfortable with writing poetry at a young age. And they should understand that it doesn't have to be sappy or rhyme.

After reading The Austere Academy, Stargirl, and Speak, I have to say, Speak was my favorite. I read it ten years ago when it first came out during my Freshman year of high school. It was the only book I read during my entire high school career. I really like the story, the way it was written, and the "oddness" of it. It is a very easy read and can be done in one sitting, even for anit-readers like myself. I REALLY did not like Stargirl. It just wasn't my type. I hated the way it was written and i did not like the story. The same goes for The Austere Academy, although it wasn't as bad as Stargirl. The Austere Academy was a little weird but at least it was more entertaining than Stargirl.

Despite how I feel about these books, all three of them would be perfect to use in my upper elementary or junior high classrooms. A lot of fun projects and activities can be done using these books.

I would like to teach older grade levels like, 5th and 6th grade (if not junior high). When we began the Fairy Tale unit, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to really use what we read with the older grade levels. What I liked most about the Fairy Tales we read is that it wasn't just the K-3 Fairy Tales that we grew up with. The Brothers Grimm tales and the Kissing The Witch tales we read would be perfect to incorporate into a 5th or 6th grade curriculum. I also like that not all of the stories we read were "happily ever after" which is a good thing for older students to realize. I think these books are definitely perfect for the grades that I hope to teach.

Introduction

Hey everyone!!! I'm Laura. I am 24 years old and a super senior at Chico State. I will be graduating in May with a degree in Liberal Studies. I am from a small city in Los Angeles county called Hacienda Heights and transferred to Chico State in 2007.

Like many of you in the Liberal Studies program, I have wanted to be a teacher since I was very little. I come from a family of teachers, principals and administrators. After becoming a teacher, my ultimate goal is to become a principal or administrator. After I graduate from Chico State, I plan on getting my Teaching Credential and Masters of Education from the University of Phoenix while I substitute teach, as I have just passed the CBEST.

To be completely honest, I am not a reader. Actually, the word "reading" makes me cringe. I have tried so hard to become a reader, but when I read, my mind wonders. Even while I was taking the CBEST, I couldn't concentrate on five sentences long enough to answer a couple of questions. I want to become a better reader. I want to enjoy reading. I want to become a good reader who comprehends what is being read. That is what I want to get out of this class.