Teacher Champions: Benefits and Expectations

Benefits to Teachers

Teachers successful in joining the programme will receive:

• The chance to join a launch day in Stratford-upon-Avon, meeting the rest of the cohort and partaking in behind the scenes tours of our historic properties.
• 1:1 subject knowledge mentoring with Dr. Nick Walton of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust through the school year.
• Access to a dedicated digital space, FREE to use, to engage in peer-to-peer learning and mentoring with the other Teacher Champions.
• FREE access to one of our successful self-led learning courses, on either Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet, to deepen your knowledge of the play.
• A FREE copy of SBT’s new ‘Shakespeare and Diversity Toolkit’- an inspirational new CPD resource authored by Hugh Blackwood, teacher at Four Dwellings Academy and Vice-Chair of the Drama and Teaching Education Alliance, and the SBT Learning team.
• A FREE copy of‘Shakespeare’s First Folio: All the Plays- A Children’s Edition’; a beautiful hardback shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Book of the Year award in 2024.
• A free family visit to Shakespeare’s Birthplace and New Place.
• Exclusive discounts for any SBT adult education course throughout the year such as our Spotlight sessions.

Commitments required from teachers joining the programme:

• Contribute to the peer education dedicated digital space - a vital platform to question, guide, support, and share with other teachers teaching Shakespeare.
• Agree to your name and a short bio appearing on a Teacher Champions page on the SBT website, and occasionally featuring in other SBT communications channels as appropriate.
• Seek opportunities to share your learning and pedagogical development, perhaps via articles or case studies, to help promote inspirational Shakespeare teaching at KS3, 4, and 5.

Commitments required from the schools of teachers joining the programme:

While the Champion status rests with the teacher rather than their school, we would expect successful candidates to indicate the support of their employer. Schools will:

• Agree to SBT Teacher Champion status, and logo as appropriate, being included on school websites and channels.
• Ensure release, if possible, for the initial launch day on 14/07/25,
• Agree to feature in, and support as necessary, any case study, conference presentation, or similar activity for their staff resulting from participation in the programme.

We hope the Teacher Champion programme will create a network of passionate and confident teachers of Shakespeare, using the online forum as a place for reflection and peer-to-peer learning and mentoring, and building lasting professional relationships.

Of course, the ultimate goal is to increase engagement in and appreciation of Shakespeare in current and future students.

Submit your application form to apply to become a Teacher Champion.

For a more in-depth briefing, you can visit our FAQs page, attend our Zoom Q&A at 4pm on 31/03/25 (email Claire Fenlon for joining details), or, alternatively, email your questions to Claire Fenlon at [email protected].