So a bit of a rant
Remember plays? Those fun things we pay lots of money, or no money at all, to see? When we were kids we would make up characters and voices with fun costumes? Or in elementary school – our teachers would make us do at least some form of Readers’ Theatre.
So, why, oh why, do we have High Schoolers read Shakespeare in English class? Why do they sit in their desks and read plays aloud with no enthusiasm or excitement? It makes me crazy- seriously flames out of the side of my head crazy – when a student comes to me and tells me that they are ‘reading’ NOT acting out a play! It’s a play people. It’s called ‘PLAY’ for a reason. It’s not called, sit in your seats and read. It’s NOT a book. There are characters, locations, costumes, props, SO SO SO many wonderfully glorious things can be done with a play.
Currently, I have two students who are ‘reading’ plays in their high schools. One is reading, Inherit the Wind; the other Hamlet. It just about breaks my heart when they tell me that they aren’t acting it out or doing anything creative and fun with it. Which, by the way, is another frustration I feel we impose on our teachers and students – but that is for another time.
I just wish that there were more educators out there who made plays what they were supposed to be – verbs. Plays are verbs folks – actions; works of words that were meant for performing.
I know that there are good educators out there, ones who get students up and out of their seats. Yet, they are getting harder to find.
Ugh. Maybe I need to go back into the classroom. Now I’m mildly depressed (it’s the actor in me).
