REPTON SCHOOL'S HEAD OF ENGLISH DISCUSSES INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO TEACHING OTHELLO

Repton School’s Head of English, Ben Miller, recently featured on Dr Wendy Lennon's podcast, 'Shakespeare, Race and Pedagogy'. In this episode, Ben discussed innovative and sensitive strategies for teaching Shakespeare’s Othello.

Currently pursuing a Master’s degree with Birmingham University and the Shakespeare Institute, Ben’s appearance on the podcast highlighted key themes around engaging pupils with Shakespeare in meaningful ways while managing the sensitive themes within Othello.

Ben advocates for building trust within a safe and supportive environment where openness and honesty allow pupils to explore difficult texts together. He believes that avoiding challenging works does a disservice to pupils and instead champions thoughtful, guided exploration.

Looking ahead, Ben aspires to see more pupils appreciate the virtues of English at A Level and beyond. He calls for reform in the curriculum, advocating for a broader text choice and assessments that truly test deep literary engagement rather than rote memorisation.

When asked about his favourite aspect of teaching, Ben reflected on the unique opportunities that teaching provides: “Very few professions offer the gift of time to engage and inspire young people,” he remarked. His passion for teaching extends to his love of works by Christopher Marlowe and John Ford, viewing education as a way to open windows and offer new perspectives.

Ben’s insights on the podcast serve as a testament to Repton School’s commitment to innovative and thoughtful teaching. We look forward to seeing his influence continue to shape the future of education at Repton.