Journal Five- Carlye Mannasmith

Initially when I watched the documentary on The Hobart Shakespearian I thought there was such a diverse amount of students in this school. These kids are attending the Hobart Elementary School. Where this ambitious teacher is changing the lives of these at risk kids through the power of literature. Rafe Esquith teaching style is very different from most. In the classroom these kids are reading high school level novels. They are reading the Shakespearean play, Hamlet. His idea is if he shows these kids these powerful novels at such a young age the kids will grow up to set goals and have a better open mind of this world. He's hoping that these powerful life lessons in these novels and plays will give these kids better goals to set and teach them these cultured ways of America. Rafe says in the documentary that he wants these kids to be "Americans". The major theme in this documentary is Pedagogy, different teaching styles. i also thought Rafe money system for the kids was a wonderful idea. how it works is they start out with a certain amount of money and you get money taken away if homework isn't done. You earn money if you're homework is done. You can buy the best seat in the classroom. They even sold an electric guitar for $24,000. Now I don't know how much homework she had to do to make that kind of "money" but I was shocked. Having this system really gets the kids ready for the real world and shows them the value of a dollar since they are earning and losing their own money. My school system I feel wasn't as productive as Rafe is. Ive read almost every book he mentioned but not near at the age these kids are reading them. "Everbodys part means something. The main character might have the most amount of lines but minor characters set scenes as well" -Ian Mckellan. I thought what Ian had said was completely true.  Its like being friends with the kid in school who has the most money and snubbing the kid who doesn't have the nicest clothes or richest family. Don't discourage or have doubt in the character that has the least amount of lines. There position is just as powerful as the main character. One goal I have set for next year is to not be such a procrastinator. I always have rushing to get my work done. Yet I keep doing it and having the same regrets. I will have to give up a better portion of my social life to succeed in this goal. I feel part of the reason I procrastinate to much is because I'm putting more fun and social things in the way of doing my school work.