Leszek H. Ward
Such a course of study aligns itself with existing objectives of the school in which I teach and the goals of my literature class. New Haven Academy is a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools, a network of schools committed to a common philosophy of education. This philosophy includes emphasizing depth over breadth in curricular design and highlights the primary purpose of school as "learning to use one's mind well." To this end, New Haven Academy strives to develop in students five "Habits of Mind" that they will carry with them after they leave high school. These include:
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1)
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Considering multiple perspectives
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Using evidence
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3)
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Finding connections and patterns
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4)
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Considering how things might be different
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5)
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Evaluating why it matters
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These habits of mind provide a tangible definition of what it means to think well, and they are purposefully highlighted in the activities and assignments students are asked to complete in Literature class. Although students in my class are used to the challenge of considering multiple perspectives, this habit will readily move to the forefront as we study what the various characters (and the members of the audience) see as the play unfolds.
A study of sight and knowledge in The Tempest also aligns with my overarching goals as a teacher of literature and with previous topics of study in my junior literature class. A key objective of my course is the understanding that ideas - concepts such as freedom, fear, justice - require some form of representation in order to exist, leaving the artists and authors that give them shape with vast amounts of influence on the minds of their readers. Throughout the year my students and I have discussed the idea that representation creates reality by studying images of women in advertising, fairy tales, and literature. My students and I have also examined the intersection of visual and literary representation by studying the art of comics, using Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics as our guide. In this unit we moved from the study of purely visual texts (such as the paintings of Edward Hopper) to the mixed medium of comics and finally to purely literary texts, including poems by Ted Kooser. The intersection of visual and literary texts will be continued in this unit. More importantly, this unit aligns itself with the study of representation and reality. Shakespeare's final play is a powerful commentary on the power of authorship to control perception. Just as Prospero is able to control what other characters know by creating illusions, Shakespeare himself is able to draw his audience into an alternate reality through his use of the stage. A unit that explores the ability of kings and playwrights to control knowledge through illusion will easily fit into a larger discussion of art and reality in my literature classes.
