The Hobart Shakespeareans. A Case Study in Exceptional Teaching

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"There are no shortcuts," says the banner at the front of Rafe Esquith's fifth-grade classroom. Most of Esquith's students come from low-income Mexican and Korean households in the neighborhood surrounding Hobart Boulevard Elementary, in Central Los Angeles - and his warning about shortcuts applies not just to young learners but to lazy teachers who can't see a future for marginalized children. Esquith is so committed to his mission that he transforms his class into a yearlong adventure - empowering the kids to perform Hamlet and undergo countless other out-of-the-box experiences while still excelling on standardized tests. Filmed over several months among the Hobart Shakespeareans, as Esquith's pupils have come to be known, this documentary explores their learning process and Esquith's award-winning teaching methods. Disciplinary and security incidents, an extended field trip to Washington, DC, and visits from actors Michael York and Ian McKellan are only a few of the unforgettable passages on this grand educational voyage.