Scott L. Newstok's How To Think Like Shakespeare

The article, How to Think Like Shakespeare by Scott L. Newstok, identifies the problems with the education system of the young generation from his perspective. In his eyes, teaching today is too focused on the testing aspect of the children. The curriculums are too focused on english and math and gloss over the other subjects, such as art or music. He believes that schooling should be an experience to gain as much knowledge and life lessons as possible in order for a person to live the most inventive and prosperous life they can. Newstok introduces the idea that students should think like Shakespeare, or more generally in the Renaissance era. In the 16th century, people were exposed to a multitude of topics in their teachings. Their curiosity fueled their thoughts and decisions of what to …show more content…
Reading into people’s emotions and their thoughts is turning into a rare talent. This stems from a lack of readers. Young children used to read, or be read to, as their source of entertainment. The article states that researchers, “have found evidence that literary fiction improves a reader’s capacity to understand what others are thinking and feeling (pg. 7).” Stories, especially omniscient ones, give a window into the minds of characters. As readers, the book gives the actions of the characters, but might reveal their actual thoughts behind what they did. Many people say one thing but feel another way. Reading fiction allows for an insight into how humans act versus what their emotions actually are.
Today’s young scholars are growing up in an environment which promotes strict thinking to make it to the end, whether that be testing or graduation. Shakespeare and the people of his time learned to grow their knowledge. They learned to be well-versed in the world. The knowledge came in the form of book smarts, along with emotional intelligence. School is the basis for the rest of life, so why not learn everything that the world has to