A Teaching Portfolio
Bringing the Bard to the Modern Classroom
My Philosophy
My love for English was ignited by Shakespeare. As a student, his works were the gateway to my deeper appreciation of literature. His texts were both timeless and endlessly interpretable. I sought out Shakespearean coursework throughout high school and university, drawn to the way his words could be reimagined a million different ways while still resonating across centuries.
Now, as an educator, I see that same spark in my students. After reading The Crucible, I watched my classroom come alive through performance with students eagerly signing up for roles, advocating for understudies, and immersing themselves in the rhythms of dialogue and dramatic tension. When we transitioned back to a traditional novel, they voiced a desire for more: another play, another chance to step into a story rather than simply read it. That was the moment I knew I needed to teach them Shakespeare.
Despite Shakespeare’s enduring influence, his works are no longer taught at any grade level in my district. This absence presents a missed opportunity, as Shakespeare remains one of the most foundational voices in literature, history, and culture. His themes of power, ambition, justice, love are as relevant today as they were in his time. By incorporating his works into my Honors English 10 curriculum, I aim to bridge the gap between analytical rigor and creative expression. Performance fosters engagement, interpretation builds critical thinking, and Shakespeare offers students a way to see themselves in literature. Through this approach, I hope to make Shakespeare not just accessible, but essential—restoring his voice in a curriculum where it has gone silent.
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This Webpage
Here, you will find a collection of student work, activities, the full unit plan, and a timeline of the teaching process.
Featured Texts
The Book of the Courtier
Much Ado About Nothing
A Room of One’s Own