Teaching Shakespeare in a Maximum Security Prison - NPR Interview
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Questions and Answers

What motivated Laura Bates to teach Shakespeare in a maximum security prison?

  • To gain recognition and accolades for her unique teaching methods.
  • To conduct research on the impact of Shakespeare's writings in unconventional settings.
  • To provide prisoners with an escape from their reality through literature.
  • To challenge societal expectations and stereotypes about prisoners' intellectual capacity. (correct)

    • What was the initial reaction towards Laura Bates offering to teach Shakespeare in a maximum security prison?

  • The prisoners were thrilled and embraced the opportunity.
  • Many people thought she was out of her mind. (correct)
  • She received overwhelming support from academic institutions.
  • The prison administration immediately approved of the idea.

    • Where did Laura Bates choose to teach English within the Indiana prison system?

  • In the maximum security wing. (correct)
  • In the women's section of the prison.
  • In the educational rehabilitation center.
  • In the minimum security area.

    • What is the title of Laura Bates' book where she shares her experience of teaching Shakespeare in a prison?

    <p>Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of facility did Laura Bates teach in where some of the most notorious prisoners were held?

    <p>Super max facility</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main point made about where Laura Bates chose to teach Shakespeare?

    <p>It was an unexpected place given the traditional view of Shakespearean studies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What inspired Laura Bates to start teaching Shakespeare to prisoners in a super max unit?

    <p>The lack of education available in the unit.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why did Laura Bates specifically choose to teach Shakespeare to prisoners in the super max unit?

    <p>Shakespeare was her specialty.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the initial response from the administration when Laura Bates requested permission to start a voluntary program in the super max unit?

    <p>They were supportive due to her experience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Laura Bates perceive the educational needs of the inmates in the super max unit?

    <p>As critical and deserving of more attention.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What misconception did many of the prisoners in the super max unit hold about their own capabilities?

    <p>They underestimated their ability to take on intellectual challenges.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What made Laura Bates particularly interested in teaching Shakespeare to inmates who were considered violent offenders?

    <p>'The Bard's' themes often resonated with inmates' experiences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Teaching Shakespeare in a Maximum Security Prison

    • Laura Bates, a professor, taught Shakespeare in a maximum security prison in Indiana, despite people thinking she was "out of her mind".
    • The prisoners found a deep connection with Shakespeare's words.

    Laura Bates' Motivation

    • Bates was motivated to teach Shakespeare in the prison after discovering that one of her students, Don, was taken away and sent to the super max unit.
    • She asked for permission from the administration and the warden, who knew her as a good college professor, and was granted access to the unit.

    The Super Max Unit

    • The super max unit housed some of the most notorious prisoners, considered the "worst of the worst", in the state of Indiana.
    • The unit had a highly restrictive environment with no education available to the prisoners.

    The Shakespeare Program

    • Bates started a voluntary program based on Shakespeare, her specialty, for the inmates in the super max unit.
    • The program was aimed at providing education to the prisoners who had the greatest need for it, but had the least available to them.

    Impact of the Program

    • The prisoners in the program were able to relate to Shakespeare's words and found a connection with the playwright's writings.
    • The program, as described in Bates' book "Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard", had a profound impact on the prisoners and Bates herself.

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    Description

    Explore the NPR interview where Professor Laura Bates shares her experience of teaching Shakespeare in a maximum security prison. Learn about the impact of studying Shakespeare on the inmates and what motivated Bates to undertake this unconventional initiative.

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