Last week’s Harvest Moon reminded us all that autumn is the season of transition and, indeed, of reaping all that we have planted — literally and figuratively! — over the spring and summer.
The idea of the harvest is a perfect metaphor to help students think through the hard work that they are bound to do.
This is especially important midway through the semester — when the first flurry of back-to-school activities has passed, and you are not yet working towards a big festive production. Learning about Shakespeare’s complex plays and characters, as well as his own life and times, is no small endeavour. But when the lines seem too challenging the memorize, or the historical context too difficult to grasp, remind your students of the rewards that they will glean from these efforts.
To that end, it is also worth talking through the concept of a “reward” more broadly: The benefits of studying lines do not just emerge in a standing ovation, nor is a good grade on a test the only measure of understanding. Being diligent and taking care with the material — whether Shakespeare’s words or any scholastic endeavour — is a reward in itself. In so valuing their studies, students learn how to value themselves; how, that is, sowing effort leads to a harvest of self-confidence and self-respect.
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