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$25

weekly
or $200 for 8 classes
Class

Shakespeare's The Tempest: "O, Brave New World/That Has Such People in ’t!”

Completed by 17 learners
Ages 13-18
Live Group Class
In this 8-week class, we will do a full reading and discussion of this wild and wizardy play.
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(184 reviews)

Live video meetings
1x per week, 8 weeks
3-9 learners per class
75 min

What's included

8 live meetings
10 in-class hours
Assessment
There are no formal assessments, but a grade can be provided on request. The final project will be chosen by each individual student (in consultation with the teacher) and might include writing, performance, artwork, parody, music, etc.
Grading
included

Class Experience

US Grade 8 - 11
Shakespeare's famous play of magic, treachery, romance, and bad weather has many fans. Some of those fans simply love a love story.  Some of them are fascinated by Prospero, master of the arcane and alchemical. And others are drawn to the characters of Caliban and Ariel, the monster and the spirit who serve Prospero, however reluctantly. 

Students will be expected to participate in discussion and to read aloud, though there are usually small parts for those who are shy about it. Students will NOT be expected to know anything about Shakespeare prior to this class.

While I feel it's important to create an academic experience for my students, I believe it's equally important to have fun while doing it. Students will gain confidence in their knowledge of Shakespeare as we read the play together, and it is my hope that they enjoy this highly interactive class as much as I do.

Important scheduling note for Autumn of 2023: There will be no class on October 17th because I will be in London celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare's First Folio--and seeing a couple of plays, of course.

This 8-week course will examine The Tempest through several critical lenses. Among other topics, we will explore these questions:

Why was The Tempest, with its treachery, slavery, and obsession with revenge, considered a comedy?
And do we agree that it is a comedy?
Is Shakespeare expressing ideas about colonialism and race? Or is this simply a modern interpretation?
What were some of the historical, mythological, and contemporary sources for The Tempest?
Does this play tell us anything about gender roles in Shakespeare's day?
Why does literary critic Harold Bloom say that this play has no plot? Do we agree?

At the beginning of each class, we will explore elements of Shakespeare studies, usually starting with a presentation and discussion. Then the day's parts will be posted in the classroom chat and students volunteer via chat for the part (or parts) they want to read. “Dibs” expire at the end of each session; that means nobody owns any particular part for the duration of the class, and everyone gets a chance at reading their favorite character. After we reach the day's goal, if time permits, we will watch various versions of the scenes we just completed. 

My teaching style is Socratic, and students are encouraged to defend their opinions by using the text. In my class,100% agreement 100% of the time is not the goal. Students will practice respectfully disagreeing as I model open-minded discussion. That last part is easy because I have rarely taught a class where I didn't end up gaining new insights from my students.

I work hard to create a safe, respectful environment so that all students build confidence in their skills. I ask that students not correct each other as we read; because we are all reading the same text, I will correct only when the word or concept is especially important or difficult.




Photo by GEORGE DESIPRIS from Pexels

Learning Goals

Students will grow their knowledge and understanding of Shakespeare's The Tempest, gaining skills that will carry over to all of Shakespeare's plays.
Students will discuss the differences between a comedy and tragedy and why most of Shakespeare's comedies have at least a little darkness lurking.
Students will also gain confidence in reading aloud. While this is not an acting class, students will be encouraged to convey character as they become more comfortable with the language.
Students will demonstrate learning through classroom participation (reading and discussion) and in the completion of a final project.

Other Details

Parental Guidance
While there are some scary moments for some of the characters, we are always in on it and know that they are not really in danger. There is some drinking by two "fool" characters, but it in no way looks cool. We will be discussing some sensitive issues around race regarding the slave characters, one of whom is described as a man, but more often called a monster. Here is a synopsis, courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Library: Putting romance onstage, The Tempest gives us a magician, Prospero, a former duke of Milan who was displaced by his treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero is exiled on an island, where his only companions are his daughter, Miranda, the spirit Ariel, and the monster Caliban. When his enemies are among those caught in a storm near the island, Prospero turns his power upon them through Ariel and other spirits. The characters exceed the roles of villains and heroes. Prospero seems heroic, yet he enslaves Caliban and has an appetite for revenge. Caliban seems to be a monster for attacking Miranda, but appears heroic in resisting Prospero, evoking the period of colonialism during which the play was written. Miranda’s engagement to Ferdinand, the Prince of Naples and a member of the shipwrecked party, helps resolve the drama.
Supply List
It is not necessary to buy (or even download) anything, but a notebook is a good idea. We will be reading the Folger Shakespeare Library text in class.  

However, there are many formats available for free download. This is the one we will be working from in class:
https://shakespeare.folger.edu/shakespeares-works/the-tempest/

If your student is a really avid Shakespeare lover, I recommend the Folger Shakespeare Library text. It costs around $7 new, but is loaded with helpful footnotes. Again, this purchase is not required.
To support independent bookstores: https://bookshop.org/books/the-tempest-9780451527127/9780743482837
or
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tempest-shakespeare-william/1117229423?ean=9780743482837
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
We will be reading the Folger Library text of the play. A free download is available here: https://shakespeare.folger.edu/shakespeares-works/the-tempest/download/ It's not required, some students like to have a hard copy of the play. Again, I recommend the Folger edition because of its excellent footnotes and format, available here: https://bookshop.org/books/the-tempest-9798673718506/9780743482837

Meet the teacher

Joined August, 2017
5.0
184reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Nebraska Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from University of Nebraska
A retired English teacher, I hold an MFA in Creative Writing and a bachelor's degree in Language Arts Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  I currently work as a reading and writing coach for students of all ages. (Continued below the class list.)

Teaching allows me to share my passion for the written word. For example, inspiring a love of Shakespeare in formerly fearful young readers is one of my proudest accomplishments. I also believe writing is an essential tool for communication with the world and with the self.  Art is for everyone! 

For what it's worth, whenever I get a chance to travel to see a Shakespeare play, I do it. I've been fortunate to go to England a few times recently and have seen wonderful plays at both the Globe Theatre (The Tempest, As You Like It) and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (Macbeth, Richard III). Sometimes when I think about that "then I scorn to change my state with kings." (Sonnet 29.)

SCHEDULING NOTE: I understand sometimes it is necessary to miss a class. Just let me know and I can send a link to the video of the class missed.

A little bit about my teaching methods:

For all classes, students are encouraged to interrupt with questions, comments, etc. whenever they arise.

--My one-hour concept courses ("Irony" and "Connotation/Denotation") are more lecture-heavy, though questions and discussion are encouraged. I do pretty frequent checks for understanding because we are covering a lot of information in a short amount of time. These are the only courses where students are not expected to produce a final project.

--For the literature courses, I try to keep the lecturing to a minimum. I begin class by presenting background information and use guiding questions for discussion. The amount of reading done in class varies depending on the material and the students.

For the Shakespeare courses, there is no outside reading beyond what the student chooses for their final project. We use the Reader's Theatre method, with all willing students reading a part and fairly frequent checks for understanding. The reading is usually followed by video clips from different film versions of the scenes we have read.

For novels such as The Great Gatsby, The Haunting of Hill House, and The Hobbit, most of the reading is done outside of class, though I do like to read together occasionally when there's something particularly challenging in the material.

High-interest short stories like "The Cask of Amontillado", the 19th-century horror survey, and the novel Ready Player One are especially good for students who might be a little fearful or uninterested in reading, although in any given class only a third or a half of the students fit that description. Every now and then I'll have a group where every student is passionate about reading. 

For these high-interest courses, we read a higher percentage of the work in class. I spend a good amount of that time modeling good reading skills; for example,  "interrogating the text" by asking questions, replicating aloud what goes on in the mind of a good reader. This is especially good for students who need to work on reading comprehension.

Reviews

4 total ratings, 3 with reviews

Review summary for this class
The reviews overwhelmingly praise the teacher, Ms. Tobin, for her enthusiasm, knowledge, and ability to bring Shakespeare alive for students. The interactive and engaging nature of the class, where students get to read, perform, and discuss the play, is highly commended. Parents highlight how their children developed a love and passion for Shakespeare through this immersive learning experience. If you want to introduce your child to the world of Shakespeare in an enjoyable and insightful way, this class is highly recommended.
This summary was AI-generated from parent reviews
This was my daughter's first time studying Shakespeare. We thought that... 
Katie K.on Apr 22, 2024
Maureen's enthusiasm and ability to bring Shakespeare alive for teens of... 
Kathy J.on Mar 21, 2022
This class was super fun for my teen daughter who loves Shakespeare!  It... 
Ava’s M.on Aug 20, 2021
Maureen Tobin (BS, MFA) suggests this class next...
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