Hobart Shakespearean vs. Spellbound

Both of theses documentaries were incredibly interesting even out of the context of literary practices. But, including literary practices, I was somewhat bothered. With Hobart Shakespearean, I was incredibly excited that these younger students were interested in Shakespeare (it’s hard to find a college student ACTUALLY interested in Shakespeare, let alone someone younger who doesn’t HAVE to understand at that age). The only problem I had with that video/literacy practices is, what happens when they leave that classroom and expect their next educational experience to be just as intimate. Chances are that it won’t be, especially in their socio-economic community. So then what happens to the thrive to learn when their teachers for the years to come are only expecting and willing to deal with the bare minimum. What happens when those teachers call them ‘over-achievers’, or when they write a paper that ‘is good but too long.’ People don’t believe that it happens, but I’ve seen and heard about it. A student who is penalized for being to detailed in a paper.Obnoxious. So it worries me that while their literacy practices are so strong in that classroom enviornment and while they have amazing literacy sponsors what will happen when that enviornment and those sponsors ‘disappear’. Where will they use the information that they learned if they are being told that the bare minimum is good enough?

As far as Spellbound…it shook me in two ways. Ted. Wasn’t sponsored enough. He felt out of place and undervalued, and I think that is probably part of what led to his demise. As far as everyone else, as much as they claim they were’t ‘coerced’ into studying and it was something they sincerely wanted to do, part of me doesn’t believe that. It can definitely be implanted that spelling, reading, anything really should hold a high place in ones education. I don’t really know what that means as far as literacy though. Things that are forced, especially on children, are not received well. So I’m not sure where those kids stand as far as knowing how important it is to their parents vs. being important to them personally.