PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

At a time when America was being divided by hate, Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (SCLA) began designing the Shakespeare and Social Justice Arts and Education program (SSJ) in the Fall of 2021. This youth enrichment and literacy program incorporates SCLA's nationally recognized and the well established Will Power to Youth Program's theatre arts based strategies that develop youth leaders in their own arts education. It is funded by the Department of Education and Shakespeare & Social Justice partners with several national arts organizations and universities around the country. 

Reaching a broad audience could not be accomplished alone. Shakespeare & Social Justice has partnered with Houston Shakespeare Festival at UH, Learning for Justice: a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC, Theatre for A New Audience, The Old Globe in San Diego, and Arizona State University Medieval and Renaissance studies to expand learning opportunities. These partners support training teachers and the dissemination of social justice arts materials to all participants no matter their gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. 

Using Shakespeare's texts, the program offers educational resources and professional development opportunities to ELA teachers, social science teachers, and teaching artists for grades 6-12, interested in providing a positive learning culture and climate for students. The modules use Shakespeare's sonnets and plays and the Learning for Justice framework of Identity, Community, Justice and Action. Essential questions provide prompts to student generated conversations and projects.

This year, Shakespeare & Social Justice is providing two professional development opportunities:

• Unpacking Social Justice Standards

• Illuminating Youth Voices