We had a lively discussion in my two year 9 English classes today. We’re studying  ‘Taming of the Shrew’ and ‘10 Things I Hate About You’.  I’ve viewed both films with two classes this month. For the last couple of years this unit has been popular with year 9 English classes. The conversations and comparisons create so much discussion and response from the students - it’s right up their alley. This stuff is constantly on their mind at this age, so it really takes little prompting or convincing of the value. Hands shoot up to comment and give perspective. They listen carefully to each other.

I always aim to have time to view ‘Kiss Me Kate’, yet have never managed to squeeze it in.

Both classes had a pretty thorough appreciation of the differences between the films as well as the similarities and especially noticed the role of women had changed since the 1967 version of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. Students reveal their perspectives as girls and boys. In particular the scene where Patrick (played by the late Heath Ledger) creates a spectacle singing and dancing at the sports ground. The girls love that scene and would love to receive that attention. The boys say it would be incredibly risky to behave like that and they feel they would never do it. They explore the bravery and courage behind grand gestures of love, and perhaps the reality. It is so timely for year 9 students to look at relationships, romance and love from a bit of a distance from their daily angst.

Classes like those never feel like work. I was feeling pretty cranky and tired today, yet those 2 hours shine brightly in an overpacked day.

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