Open Forum

Thank you for posting this!  I completely agree. Children will respond according to the way they are treated and in my experience, almost always step up!

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Tess Pasieka
Admin Asst, Student Services/Spec Ed, Drama Advisor
Mascenic Regional School District
Greenville NH
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-31-2017 13:12
From: Billy Houck
Subject: Dumbing Down

This article sums up my feelings about our treatment of Shakespeare, and most other writers, too.

Instead of Dumbing Down Shakespeare, Smarten Up the Kids

f8914e56-bfbe-c71e-20e9-094b5d4614e4@yahoo.com>" height="36"> Instead of Dumbing Down Shakespeare, Smarten Up the Kids Perri Klass, M.D. Children can appreciate adults' plays and movies if you explain the references, the complex ironies, the double ...

What a delightful article. As I read it, I recalled sitting on my daughter's bed with her, then age 6, and reading all seven books of The Chronicles of Narnia over the course of the summer break (like the father in the article, I did all the voices). We teared up together at the final scene, and basked in the joy of reading great literature. 

She went on to delight in good books, choosing  Jane Eyre for her 6th grade summer reading while other children opted for far more easily-digested material. Today, she is a deep thinker and an eloquent writer, and the only one among her peers who has an extensive  knowledge of classic filmdom, for which she often says, "Thanks, Mom."



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Vicky Ryden
Assoc. Drama Director
John's Creek GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-31-2017 13:12
From: Billy Houck
Subject: Dumbing Down

This article sums up my feelings about our treatment of Shakespeare, and most other writers, too.

Instead of Dumbing Down Shakespeare, Smarten Up the Kids

f8914e56-bfbe-c71e-20e9-094b5d4614e4@yahoo.com>" height="36"> Instead of Dumbing Down Shakespeare, Smarten Up the Kids Perri Klass, M.D. Children can appreciate adults' plays and movies if you explain the references, the complex ironies, the double ...

Thank you for sharing!  I agree that we need to explain, explain, explain and then let our audiences enjoy.  I tell my students regularly that the more fully they understand what they're saying (especially the double entendre), the better the audience will understand it.  We had a wonderful production of Hamlet in the spring that was the most work any of us have put in, ever, but it was incredibly well received because of all that hard work - including 6 weeks of text analysis.

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Laura Steenson
Theatre Director
Reynolds High School
Troutdale OR
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-01-2017 08:49
From: Vicky Ryden
Subject: Dumbing Down

What a delightful article. As I read it, I recalled sitting on my daughter's bed with her, then age 6, and reading all seven books of The Chronicles of Narnia over the course of the summer break (like the father in the article, I did all the voices). We teared up together at the final scene, and basked in the joy of reading great literature.

She went on to delight in good books, choosing  Jane Eyre for her 6th grade summer reading while other children opted for far more easily-digested material. Today, she is a deep thinker and an eloquent writer, and the only one among her peers who has an extensive  knowledge of classic filmdom, for which she often says, "Thanks, Mom."

As my 4th-8th grade students are gearing up for their first foray into the fantastic fun and rapier wit of Gilbert and Sullivan (The Pirates of Penzance Jr.), I happily applaud this wonderful article. Thank you for posting it!

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Vicky Ryden
Assoc. Drama Director
John's Creek GA

Original Message:
Sent: 07-31-2017 13:12
From: Billy Houck
Subject: Dumbing Down

This article sums up my feelings about our treatment of Shakespeare, and most other writers, too.

Instead of Dumbing Down Shakespeare, Smarten Up the Kids

f8914e56-bfbe-c71e-20e9-094b5d4614e4@yahoo.com>" height="36"> Instead of Dumbing Down Shakespeare, Smarten Up the Kids Perri Klass, M.D. Children can appreciate adults' plays and movies if you explain the references, the complex ironies, the double ...