This week’s national report confirmed Fort Worth ISD’s claim to NBC 5 that many students struggle with reading. Two years ago, the district adopted a new teaching method to improve reading, inspired by successes in nearby districts. Reporter Wayne Carter is in the classroom to show how elementary students are enhancing their reading skills by studying Shakespeare.
At Alice Contreras Elementary, Olivia Olalde's classroom is "lit" as the kids say.
They're always up, and around interacting, moving, and doing. And what better environment for these fifth graders to study the classics?
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WATCH HERE"We're going to start a new unit. Shakespeare!" Olalde announced.
They draw, do research and talk about the man whose work has inspired us for centuries.
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SIGN UP "I only knew, like, like his name was William Shakespeare, that's the only thing I know about him," said Josue Jimenez, a student in the class.
A little research and their curiosity was sparked.
"He was an actor before, and that he used to write poems," added Alina Velasquez, a student.
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"He was born on April 23, 1564, and died on the same day, April and same month, April 23," said Jimenez.
It's all part of Amplify, a reading curriculum Fort Worth ISD doubled down on a few years ago, they do the same thing in Dallas ISD, where second graders are studying the War of 1812.
It starts with basic research but then the kids dig deeper, read the poems of the man they learned about and talk about what his words might mean.
"Including Shakespeare in elementary, the kids get exposed to it. Why wait till high school? Let's give them an elementary school, expose them to it so that when they hear it in high school, they already know that," said Olalde.
Tests show students in Fort Worth ISD are behind in reading. Some of these kids struggled to spell their names, but their teacher says it's no excuse to keep from pushing them for more.
"Do they have gaps? Yes, part of my job is to figure out where those gaps are and meet them in the middle so that I can make sure that they get to where they need to be," said Olalde.
They're finding the path, cheering each other on, and getting excited about learning things many of us didn't tackle until high school.
