For Teachers

Bard Core

For CPS high school and middle school English, Diverse Learning, and ELL teachers

For over 20 years, Bard Core has impacted the classrooms of more than 400 teachers in 100 schools across Chicago. This professional learning seminar introduces drama-⁠based, literacy-⁠focused strategies for actively engaging students with challenging texts, such as Shakespeare, poetry, and contemporary plays.

Bard Core 2026/2027 applications are now open! Learn More >>

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Teacher Workshops & Resources

A variety of classroom activities & other resources

From videos that model teaching the activity to printable, ready-to-use text excerpts to share with students, we offer these resources to help your students dive into reading complex text in new, active ways. We also offer free one-day workshops that will immerse you in Shakespeare scholarship, interpretation, and pedagogy.

Student Matinees

Full-length & abridged productions for grades 6–12

Morning and midday matinee performances reserved entirely for student audiences are made available throughout the academic year at a deeply subsidized ticket price, thanks to the support of charitable community sponsorships and individual donations.

Chicago Shakespeare SLAM

Exploring Shakespeare’s language and celebrating students’ voices

Every year, more than 150 high school students and teachers from across the region unite to learn skills in text work, character building, staging, and—most importantly—come together as a SLAM community.