Shakespeare and Steno Notes

Works4Me presents weekly practical classroom tips from real experts -- your colleagues!

1. Musical Shakespeare

From Patricia A Glogg, an English teacher at Reading High School in Reading, Pennsylvania:

"Teaching Shakespeare to all students is a given; however, there have been days when listening to my students read Julius Caesar has created a headache to end all headaches. I've begun what I call Musical Shakespeare. I have an audio tape of the entire play. I take a book and highlight the important parts that we will discuss. I also have a class roster. I allow the tape to play and stop it just before an important part. I call on a student to read the part aloud. The students receive credit for reading. If they choose not to read, they do not get credit that day, but will have opportunities later. Another student may volunteer to read for the points. We discuss the part, and I allow the tape to continue. The students hear the important parts twice. The second reading is after we've discussed its importance, but also after they've already heard it once. Musical Shakespeare gives the students the opportunity to read aloud and keeps them on their toes and reading. If I call on a student who is not at the right place, someone else can steal their opportunity for points. Once we've finished some of the shorter scenes or a scene with multiple characters, I also give the class the opportunity to do a reading, or act out one of these parts. Even my most reluctant readers are willing to read, because I choose parts that are shorter or easier for them to read, and they do not feel left out or overly anxious."
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2. Steno Notes

From D. Jane Boone, an ESL teacher at Graham Middle School in Graham, North Carolina:

"I acquired stenographer notebooks in which my students copy class notes, write grammar sentences, and write spelling tests. Most students have never used this type of notebook, and they try to write neater than usual. The notebooks are easier to carry home and take up less space on students' desks."
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3. Question of the Week: Teaching Portfolios

From the Works4Me Worker Bees:

"What do you include in your Teaching Portfolio? What makes yours stand out above the rest?"
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4. Team Building

Heard Last Week in the Works4Me Lounge from Joyce Waite:

"I am looking for ways to build teams in my classroom. I have never played nor coached a sport so I do not have that background from which to pull. To me, the largest problem in schools and classes is that no one knows how to work together. Any suggestions?"
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