Statement of Principles

OCEAN course: Shakespeare and Performance

 

Oberlin college Educational Alliance Network sponsors a course, Shakespeare and Performance, to be taught at a high school by an instructor approved by Oberlin College, with support from the College staff. The course should be one unit, either extending over the year or for a half-year with double periods. Oberlin will award OCEAN credit for three hours on recommendation from the course teacher, approved by the OCEAN supervisor. Students may receive grades and credit for the high school course, but will independently be awarded either credit or no entry, pass or no pass, by OCEAN. This course is equivalent to a colloquium on the same topic for first-year students at Oberlin College. Participants have agreed to the following principles.

 

  1. Students will be admitted by application to the secondary school instructor, approved by OCEAN on recommendation of the instructor and College supervisor.
  2. The course will study in depth at least four Shakespeare plays, and students will use a good, up to date text such as the Signet or Golfer Edition for each play.
  3. Students will read some criticism or scholarly writing for each play.
  4. Classes will emphasize discussion and performance workshop techniques aimed at deepening studentsŐ critical understanding of the plays and of Shakespearean drama as theater.
  5. Students will view and discuss live performances of the plays or multimedia versions such as films and television productions.
  6. The course will provide progressive training and practice in a variety of forms of writing building to at least one substantial paper of critical analysis, making use of critical reading and documenting appropriately in an accepted form of documentation. One paper by each student will be submitted to OCEAN for evaluation by English Department faculty members.
  7. The instructor will provide a syllabus at the beginning of the course including the major course requirements, the syllabus to be made available on the OCEAN web page.
  8. Oberlin college faculty in English or Theatre will visit the OCEAN secondary school faculty at their home schools at least once a semester. This visit may include a class presentation by the Oberlin faculty member or participation in a class workshop or other activity.
  9. The class will come to Oberlin campus at least once a year for a variety of educational activities, such as attending a class, attending a dramatic performance, and receiving instruction in using the college library and applying electronic research skills to the internet.