James Mainard-O'Connell and Laura Sheridan
What makes a 'great' teacher? Are there certain qualities that teaching requires? And how are you meant to engage your students in Shakespearean prose that you're not sure you understand yourself?
To celebrate Shakespeare's Birthday, we sat down with high school educators (and self-proclaimed 'Shakespeare nerds') Laura Sheridan and James Mainard-O'Connell for our new professional development course, Shakespeare Isn't Scary.
During this conversation, the pair discussed mindset shifts that they've used to build their confidence with Shakespeare, and how their approaches differ for teaching English or Theatre.
Here are three mindset shifts to help you engage your students for Shakespeare's Birthday...
Did Shakespeare really speak like that?
From the sheer volume of contemporary references, to the complex linguistic devices in play, understanding Shakespeare's language can be as daunting for teachers as it is for students.
And sometimes, it is even more daunting for teachers, who feel the additional pressure of being expected to know the answer to any (and every!) question their students might have.
With over 22 years of teaching theatre under his belt, James Mainard-O'Connell shared a simple but effective reminder that he uses to flip this narrative:
"I try to remember that Shakespeare was not writing dialogue the way people spoke during the English Renaissance. A lot of people think, 'that's how people spoke back then, and that's not how we speak now', and then they struggle to connect with the language.
It's an important shift, to recognize that Shakespeare wasn't trying to represent natural dialogue. He was essentially writing poetry. Today, his writing is closer to song lyrics. Think of Kendrick Lamar's 2025 Super Bowl performance: like Shakespeare, he used clever language to tell a story that elevates themes and reveals the characters in his work."
James went on to say that the most important thing to do when engaging with Shakespeare's language is to ask yourself how the words make you feel. What did they make you feel? Why?
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| Our Spotlight On: Shakespeare series is a great way to introduce students to Elizabethan England. Watch a preview of these e-learning videos here! |
Transform your 'limitations' into opportunities
Following on from James, English teacher Laura Sheridan suggested choosing one approach to Shakespeare - for example, in her first years of teaching, she relied on the Folger Method, which suggests nine essential activities to engage students with the text they are studying.
No matter which play you choose, there will always be too much material for you to handle in one semester. By focusing on a single teaching approach, you can begin to prioritize the objectives and teaching points you want to get across to your students.
"Understand that you're going to have to toss some things!", Laura added. "You're not going to have time to read the entire play, act by act, word for word."
You can then use these constraints to speed up lesson planning:
- What moments in the play are essential for students to read on the page?
- Are there certain scenes that might be more accessible through production clips?
- Would acting out key scenes help students to understand character arcs or decisions?
In certain cases, Laura even stages elaborate murder-mysteries, where her students interact with characters from the play, and try to figure out the 'motive' behind their actions.
Laura Sheridan also shared her insights in our Teaching Tragic Heroes PD course!
Allow yourself to say 'I don't know'...
Finally, both Laura and James made it clear that, when it comes to teaching Shakespeare, you need to find the balance between feeling prepared and accepting that you can't know everything.
As James explained:
"Setting the groundwork for a collaborative process is what gives me confidence. If the students know that I'm ok with there being things that neither of us know, and that I'm not looking for a 'gotcha' moment', it makes the whole process a lot easier."
Laura echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of staying creative and open-minded:
"I always remind my students that they're allowed to disagree with anything I say. But I also expect them to back up their point with reasoning."
The pair agreed that when it comes to being a 'great' Shakespeare teacher, it's less about knowing the answers, and more about having the resources, and feeling comfortable enough to say 'I don't know. Let's find out together'.
Unlock more Shakespeare tips from Laura and James...
This conversation was part of our new professional development course, Shakespeare Isn't Scary, which shares fresh tips and engagement strategies to help get your students 'hooked' on Shakespeare.
Click below to watch the full version of this on-demand course!
