About Us

Youth Experiencing Shakespeare Class 2009

Youth Experiencing Shakespeare grew out of one mom's love of Shakespeare. As I had opportunities to teach my own children, as well as homeschoolers in my community about the Bard, his works, and the lessons that can be learned from studying them, I came to find my own style of teaching and put together my favorite resources on the subject. These resources grew to become the Teaching Shakespeare Manuals I offer here.

As an experienced actress and director, luckily I found that I could apply what I had learned through my childhood and college years to producing Shakespeare plays. There are not many resources out there for helping inexperienced moms to produce a show, so I felt this was the area in which I could REALLY contribute! Many hours of blood, sweat and tears have gone into the YES Director's Guide-- I am thrilled to make the process of directing a show easier for families and communities everywhere!

Teaching Tip: When a parent or mentor reviews a student's Shakespeare paper, I highly recommend that the rules of grammar, punctuation, and spelling be set aside in favor of finding the value in the student's thoughts and ideas on the socratic questions that are given for the writing assignments. We want to ENCOURAGE the student to share their thoughts and ideas without getting bogged down in editing details-- mentors should be looking for the student to stretch their minds with great thoughts on deep subjects and find the ability to put themselves in each character's place and ask themselves "What would I do?"

(The YES Play Study Guides are included with the Teaching Shakespeare Manuals.)

Being part of a Y.E.S. class has an amazing effect on youth!!! Because of what I saw that Shakespeare can do to stretch, challenge, and motivate young people to improve, I knew that I had to share what I had learned with other mothers and teachers, wherever they reside. (To see pictures of some YES groups over the years, see our Gallery!)

Our products work for all kinds of youth groups who want to get to know and love Shakespeare. I do suggest that YES students be over 12 years of age-- this program was created with teens in mind. But each teacher or parent should decide for themselves how to use and implement YES manuals and guides.

Are YOU and your students ready for Shakespeare??? 

I sincerely hope you can say YES!!!

Love,
Mrs. K.