Originally published in TEACH Magazine, July/August 2022 Issue
By Deanna Gerjol
Unless you have an affinity for Shakespeare, there’s a good chance that you wouldn’t consider studying the Bard a highlight of your education. In the intermediate and senior classroom, there are always students who groan at even the mention of his name. Many of them dread reading Shakespeare out of fear of not understanding the words, or because they think his works have nothing to do with their 21st century interests.
It’s easy to perpetuate such beliefs if you, too, dreaded studying this subject as a student, like I did, and now also dread teaching it. In both high school and university I avoided Shakespeare’s works like the plague! Fortunately, in my case all it took was one BEd instructor who made it her goal to change my mind, and all of a sudden Shakespeare was transformed for me.
Deanna Gerjol is a high school English teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Toronto Metropolitan University, and her Bachelor of Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. In her spare time, Deanna enjoys blending her passions for technology and writing through posting poetry online.
