Shakespeare Knew Unrest
Peggy O’Brian, director of education, of the Folger, queries how former Folgerians are doing from time to time. Seeing the Folger is neighbors with many prominent Washington DC power sources, such as the Supreme Court, her question holds some resonance of consideration.
I paused and thought. How are we doing? The “we” for me being the school environment because school is a large part of my life and serves as a reflection of how the world out there is affecting the lives of present and future citizens: students. I will say this: there is unrest and concern.
Here is my partial response to Peggy’s question:
We are feeling the bite of unrest. Students are forming clubs that reflect their need to express their views. We have a club that celebrates the 50.5%, formed by young women (and young men). Another club is the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, young men who want to explore what it means to be a male in today’s society. We also have Interact and Key Club, which reaches out with fundraisers to meet the needs of the community. The administration has a mentor class of student peers who lead discussion groups.
Class discussion topics for my AP Language class bring forth interests such as “fake news,” and how women are portrayed in the media. Students exchange ideas and debate views. We share. I remind them their voices can be heard. They march. They write letters and articles for the school paper. They are involved. I am fortunate to be part of their conscious desire to be the change they want to see in the world.
And in all this, I keep teaching Shakespeare. He saw injustice, corruption, love, hate, death, prejudice and he put pen to paper, and words became actions upon the stage. Students see that 400 years later we still have the same issues, even if they are expressed in a different manner at times. My students see that one man continues to have a large influence upon the world. Shakespeare truly is a man for all time.
Shakespeare is one way I illustrate how times of unrest are reflected through the arts. And it’s frightening to learn that funding for the arts is being threatened.
I’m hoping our voices will be heard up on the Capitol’s hill that the arts are important and the people want them to remain a vibrant voice.
We especially need our voices to be heard in times of unrest.
Pam Webb 
Your work aspirations sound deeply nourishing and cultivating of young people’s outlook and thinking. One key problem I see today is the great lack of depth in any argument – there’s a tendency to too much ‘me, me’ and ‘now, now’ and not enough perspective and reflection, or indeed discretion when it comes to evaluating media ‘spill’. So well done you, and I do hope you don’t suffer the feared funding cuts. Though this is happening in the UK too. We seem to have governments that value all the wrong things, and apparently have little interest in facilitating ways that bring the best out of everyone.
That’s one reason I so appreciate teaching Advanced Placement passes
Oh dear–auto correct gnomes highjacked my answer: classes, not passes.
AP classes promotes more global thinking-the “me” develops into the “why” and discussion takes the “me” into a “team” mode. AP provides hope for creating future citizens of merit.
It’s what we all need. There is so much divisive, short-term thinking, and too much of it ill-informed. Keep up the good work!
Thanks–I shall endeavor…
🙂 good on you.
I cannot begin to express how happy I am that our schools are tackling fake news. You’re doing very important work, Cricket. I’m proud I know you.
Okay–I’ll accept that comp. it’s not fake is it?
You’re the expert. You tell me!
Haha–I sincerely believe your sincerity.
And I sincerely believe you to be sagatious.
Is that better than being sagacious?
I never said I could spell.
And this comes from an editor *gasp*
I never said I was a good editor.
Although your resume probably indicates this truth. Hmmm?
It’s right there in black and white: “Bad Editor.” I don’t get many interviews.
“Bad” has some ambiguity–perhaps referring to your behavior as an editor. Your reputation no doubt precedes itself. At any rate, you must have interviewed well for the new post (only good editors need apply–fine print)
nice