Almost any English or Literature teacher will tell you that teaching classic literature to a group of High School students is no simple task. Shakespeare in particular seems to cause much moaning and groaning even from the brightest students and the most avid readers. Their most common argument is that the bard is boring. Making the study of Shakespeare’s work interesting to the MP3 generation is a challenge. One that can be met with a little innovation. Here is one suggestion, for teaching the works of Shakespeare, that will not only stop the complaints of boredom, but will meet with your students enthusastic approval.

Start by taking a hint from Hollywood. For decades screen writers have used Shakespeare’s works as a source of inspiration. Taking complete plays like Romeo and Juliet and turning them into modern works like West Side Story. Others have simply used his ideas as a guidepost to create their works. Your class can do the same thing, showing both their understanding of his work and making it relevant to their own generation.

With that in mind, try a little Shakespearean Rap. Let a group of your best student rappers choose several sonnets by Shakespeare and put them to a rap beat. The results will be surprising and sometimes hilarious.

Let other students who have a gift for writing turn one of Shakespeares play into a modern comedy, drama or melodrama.

A student who might have a talent for mimicing famous voices might do a soliliqy using a well known voice be it bugs bunny, or Arnold Swartzenegger.

The researchers in your class could find phrases from Shakepearean works that we use as part of our common language today.

Bring all these activities together in a Shakespeare goes modern festival. Get the entire school involved. The drama club could perform the moderernize play the students wrote.

Opening the play could be the sonnet rappers and the voice mimics could entertain during the plays intermission.

Encourage everyone in the school from the superintendent on down to spend the day of the performance talking like shakepeare. If Mayor Koch of Chicago could do it so can you. Invite the public in to view the play and other performances.

With your encouragement, the students talent and imagination, and the support of your school, Shakespear will not only be interesting, but also fun.