Morgan Coleman

Education

• Northern Kentucky University, Bachelor of Arts, English Composition
• Northern Kentucky University, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Acting Performance
• Ohio University, Master of Fine Arts, Playwriting

Teaching Philosophy

Important skills I want to teach my students

To effectively convey any information, you must first intrinsically understand your subject matter. Learning Shakespearean oratory is a great way to internalize this—though many find his words difficult to comprehend, if you really get to know the context of the period, the intentions of his characters, and the imagery within his words, your delivery can make a dead text come to life! This thorough approach can help students more confidently express themselves in other areas as well.

Teaching methods to reach these goals

Early in his career, Shakespeare was derisively referred to as a “Johannes Factotum,”or a Jack of all trades but master of none, yet today, he is widely regarded as one of history’s greatest dramatists—the very definition of a master of his craft. I believe that in order to truly master anything, you must first learn and try a bit of everything. To accomplish this, I like to incorporate different areas of study, especially history and the arts, into any curriculum. Just as Shakespeare’s experience as an actor and a poet undoubtedly made him a better playwright, a multi-faceted learning experience can make students better performers of Shakespeare.

My Favorite Projects

Shakespeare’s language is rich with imagery, and visualizing it is vital to comprehending his works. In the first semester, students will break down a sonnet to decipher each image, then will then be offered various art supplies so they can literally illustrate his words as they envision them. Having a vivid mental picture will help them to convey the meaning behind the text more clearly.

Why I love teaching

At its simplest, I love to learn and I love to share what I’ve learned—especially with young minds that are still so absorbent and flexible. They’re internalizing new things every day, while still figuring out what interests and energizes them, and I love when I can build upon their enthusiasm to create a greater breadth and depth of knowledge. In doing so, hopefully, I can help instill a lifelong passion for learning and growing.