Summer and Hamlet

Well, the summer is passing right along, more quickly than I had anticipated. I realize, suddenly, that I need to more seriously get on top of my BFA prep. I've been looking over the syllabus given to me by Miss Young, my supervising teacher, and am really excited about what I'll be teaching. The class, 12th grade British literature, consists of a chronological study of the literature, prevailing ideologies, and cultures of Great Britain from its Anglo-Saxon beginnings to right before the modern period. Being a 2 semester class, I'll be teaching specifically the Renaissance, Restoration, and Enlightenment time periods.

My first 3 weeks (following my initial week (week 1) and the following week when the class will be on their senior trip to Rome (week 2), will be spent teaching Hamlet to the students. From there I will have them read an assortment of novels/short stories/poems/excerpts from the three periods. I'm glad to have the study on Hamlet first because it is a concrete something to teach with a concrete beginning and end date. This will help me to transition into teaching there, I hope. So, I've begun reading it in detail and have just finished the first Act this week (where were the days when I'd read 3 acts in one sitting for my Shakespeare class??? :) I've actually never read the play before and am really enjoying it! Methods of teaching and of assignments are already forming in my head as I read.

The plane tickets have been bought and I'm scheduled to fly out September 17th, returning December 11th. Currently, I am vainly trying to locate my passport. Somewhere in the move, I seem to have lost it. Discouraging, but better I discover this now rather than days before leaving!! More updates to follow!