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knowloveserve
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| Posted: Aug 07 2013 at 2:29pm | IP Logged
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Has anyone heard of this or read it? I am intrigued...
I find it especially appealing that parts are memorized and not necessarily whole plays. (I desperately want to teach Shakespeare but find it all a bit overwhelming...)
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare
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Ellie
The Bleeding Pelican
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Aug 07 2013 at 3:18pm | IP Logged
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knowloveserve wrote:
Has anyone heard of this or read it? I am intrigued...
I find it especially appealing that parts are memorized and not necessarily whole plays. (I desperately want to teach Shakespeare but find it all a bit overwhelming...) |
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Two things:
(1) Edited to say: I don't like memorizing Shakespeare. I just don't. BUT...I'm coming around to the idea of it. 
(2) I have NEVER taught Shakespeare! EVER! Yet, we've been enjoying Shakespeare since my kids were little. We read Shakespeare, starting with Nesbit and Lamb, and by 6th or 7th grade move into the real deal. We enjoy great Shakespearean movies and plays. And that's it!
If I tried to "teach" Shakespeare I think that would take all the fun and enjoyment out of it for us. It really doesn't have to be hard or complicated! As we approach Shakespeare, it's very laid back.
Little kids: Read aloud from Nesbit or Lamb's adaptations. Narrate. Done
Bigger kids: Read independently, a little at a time, one play over an entire year. Narrate. Done.
If interested and available: watch a movie with older kids of a good Shakespeare adapted for film.
(Note: There are many available, but most have some mature themes and may require slight editing.)
If available: watch a play!
And that's it! But do that every year and in the end, your child will have quite a repertoire of knowledge and understanding of Shakespeare - and all you will have done is read!
The only thing extra I do that all my kids enjoy is a silly little character sketch on the board as we read. A silly little chalk drawing connecting the many twists and characters has been super helpful to us!
So...I don't have this book and haven't read it - just proposing that it isn't necessary to "teach" Shakespeare at all.
If I were going to suggest one book besides just reading Nesbit or Lamb aloud, it would be Marchette Chute's book Stories From Shakespeare: The Complete Plays of William Shakespeare Retold by Marchette Chute. Each play is summarized into story form by Ms. Chute in a way that gives a great overview of the play and is really helpful. You can either read that as background reading (very helpful!) or read it aloud if you have older kids that could benefit.
Just in case it's helpful, a couple of years ago I got tired of my handwritten Shakespeare notes and I came up with a table that lists all of Shakespeare's plays and some notes and if there is a movie that corresponds or not. I tried to keep up with notes on the play, too - like whether it covered mature themes. I list the modern classification of the play, the historical/geographical setting (if there is one), and some other considerations, themes, notes. The age recommendations are my own - not necessarily universal!! Use your own judgement there!!!!!
2013-08-07_151321_Shakespeare_37_Plays--Reference.pdf
I'll get out of the way in case someone has a review of your book. 
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Jen Mackintosh
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MichelleW
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I teach Shakespeare, but I always look for other families to join us. We put on the play and we have a BLAST!! This year we had 12 kids and we put on Romeo and Juliet in 6 weeks meeting just once a week. Every time I run into a family that has joined us they remind me to keep them on the "list" for next year. It is just so much FUN!
Edited to say: I just eyeballed the book, but I encourage you to read Shakespeare on your feet instead. It was meant to be performed, not just read or memorized. The kids in our group learn their lines quickly because attempting to act the lines clarifies the meaning. The words become intuitive when you are moving in relation to another actor on stage. IMO.
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Michelle
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Kristie 4
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I haven't read the book but we are avid Shakespeare lovers here (more the kids than me!).
My kids memorise heaps of Shakespeare- but they are in two troupes so are very motivated! Just to say though, that memorising passages of Shakespeare, even out of the theatre world, has been very exciting to all of my children...
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Kristie in Canada
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Mary K
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bruce coville has written some shakespeare plays as children's books. they're excellent!
mary-ny
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 08 2013 at 3:00am | IP Logged
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Our library has it on order, so I just reserved a copy. Am interested to read it.
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Mary M. in Denver
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knowloveserve
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| Posted: Aug 08 2013 at 11:46am | IP Logged
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Mary K wrote:
bruce coville has written some shakespeare plays as children's books. they're excellent!
mary-ny |
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How have I never seen these?! Wow, thanks for the tip!
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Ellie
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pmeilaen
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knowloveserve wrote:
Mary K wrote:
bruce coville has written some shakespeare plays as children's books. they're excellent!
mary-ny |
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How have I never seen these?! Wow, thanks for the tip! |
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Even my seven-year-old really likes these.
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knowloveserve
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| Posted: Aug 19 2013 at 10:24pm | IP Logged
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Got it from the library:
The book is actually really good, in my humble opinion! He starts out giving reasons why memorizing Shakespeare is a good idea, then gives his easy method for doing it, offers tips along the way... and explains exactly what is happening in the sometimes archaic, difficult language. I think there is a lot of merit to what he says and "teaching" Shakespeare isn't so heavy-handed or anti-CM methodology as it sounds. He also doesn't pretend that learning lines in a vacuum are ideal, but encourages you to hear the plays, see or act in the shows.
The methods in this book break down the mystery while leaving the magic intact. We are going to use it in conjunction with regular readings of Shakespeare for pleasure. 
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Ellie
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JennGM
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Our library's copy finally came in, and although I'm only at the beginning, I love this!
My son is desiring to be able to quote a few favorite lines. The witches' scene in MacBeth he was trying to memorize, just because he loved the ways the lines sounded. So, his desire matches so closely to this book!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Sept 16 2013 at 11:37am | IP Logged
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I just put a copy on hold... really anxious to see this one 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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MaryM
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| Posted: Sept 16 2013 at 11:44am | IP Logged
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I checked it out a few weeks ago as well and though I haven't had much chance to dive into it, I liked what I saw when I leafed through. I think it could be very helpful as a guide.
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Mary M. in Denver
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: new book on teaching Shakespeare
