--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having ground my teeth at educational…" description: "\"Having ground my teeth at educational theorists who say Shakespeare is irrelevant to inner-city children, I was overjoyed to be there when a class of 1..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/damian-green-4883_children_having-ground-my-teeth-at-educational-th_244087.jpg" --- # Having ground my teeth at educational theorists who say… ![“Having ground my teeth at educational theorists who say Shakespeare is irrelevant to inner-city children, I was overjoyed to be there when a class of 12-year-olds who had studied Twelfth Night were asked if they wanted to see it performed. A forest of hands shot up.” quote by Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/damian-green-4883_children_having-ground-my-teeth-at-educational-th_244087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/damian-green-4883_children_having-ground-my-teeth-at-educational-th_244087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/864/damian-green-4883_children_having-ground-my-teeth-at-educational-th_244087.jpg) > “Having ground my teeth at educational theorists who say Shakespeare is irrelevant to inner-city children, I was overjoyed to be there when a class of 12-year-olds who had studied Twelfth Night were asked if they wanted to see it performed. A forest of hands shot up.” [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He defends Shakespeare's relevance, noting that inner‑city youth eagerly engage with classic drama when given the chance. **In simple terms:** Shakespeare still matters to city kids. Key Takeaway Teach classics to all students. Themes education literature accessibility Mood enthusiastic hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - high school English class - after‑school theater - community workshops - library programs Key Concepts cultural relevance curriculum design student engagement Questions to Reflect On - Why do students respond positively to live performance? - How can curricula integrate classics modernly? A Different Perspective Some may find Shakespeare outdated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Overjoyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-overjoyed-2441837/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forest/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Overjoyed Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overjoyed-class-2441839/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Studied Twelfth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studied-twelfth-2441838/) [Twelfth Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twelfth-night/) ## Related quotes > [“They keep an eye on forgery, illegal dealing and overtly free thespian interpretations. The actor in with them was Graham Huxtable. He was putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/they-keep-an-eye-on-forgery-illegal-dealing-and-overtly-free-thespian/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“No one mentioned the sad piece of tinsel, naked in places, hanging across the chimneybreast, nor that Twelfth Night was a week ago. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-barrett/no-one-mentioned-the-sad-piece-of-tinsel-naked-in-places-hanging/) [Andrew Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-barrett/) > [In actual fact, I doubled 'Twelfth Night' and 'The Avengers'. I was going backwards and forwards to Stratford. I played matinees Wednesday, matinee and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-rigg/in-actual-fact-i-doubled-twelfth-night-and-the-avengers-i-was-going/) [Diana Rigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-rigg/) > [“I was thrown together with Florence, or 'Florawns' as she was called, a pert girl of nineteen who worked in our kitchen and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martine-bailey/i-was-thrown-together-with-florence-or-florawns-as-she-was-called-a/) [Martine Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martine-bailey/) > [After making my stage debut aged nine as Macduff's small son in 'Macbeth,' I had played a number of parts, from 'Twelfth Night's Viola…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-kendal/after-making-my-stage-debut-aged-nine-as-macduff-s-small-son-in/) [Felicity Kendal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-kendal/) > [I loved doing Shakespeare. My two favorite roles, in fact, have been Viola in Twelfth Night and Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blythe-danner/i-loved-doing-shakespeare-my-two-favorite-roles-in-fact-have-been/) [Blythe Danner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blythe-danner/) > [Do what you do. This Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve, Twelfth Night, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, St. Paddy's Day, and every day henceforth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rose/do-what-you-do-this-christmas-hanukkah-kwanzaa-new-year-s-eve-twelfth/) [Chris Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rose/) > [“I am all the daughters of my father’s house, And all the brothers too. —WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, Twelfth Night, ACT 2, SCENE 4”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-scottoline/i-am-all-the-daughters-of-my-father-s-house-and-all-the-brothers-too/) [Lisa Scottoline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-scottoline/) > [Some are born great, others achieve greatness. William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespear/some-are-born-great-others-achieve-greatness-william-shakespeare/) [William Shakespear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespear/) > [For me, the two weeks between Christmas and Twelfth Night have come to be reserved for desultory reading. The pressure of the holiday is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/for-me-the-two-weeks-between-christmas-and-twelfth-night-have-come-to/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [We did a lot of high school productions. My first was 'Twelfth Night.' I played Viola. We did 'Much Ado About Nothing' and 'Taming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-strahovski/we-did-a-lot-of-high-school-productions-my-first-was-twelfth-night-i/) [Yvonne Strahovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-strahovski/) > [I did play a romantic part once - Orsino in 'Twelfth Night.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-did-play-a-romantic-part-once-orsino-in-twelfth-night/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [Why are As You Like It and Twelfth Night so similar? Omg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-are-as-you-like-it-and-twelfth-night-so-similar-omg/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Season's Greetings by Stewart Stafford Season's Greetings To those we are needing, While I am leading The Festive charge. Christmas love is fleeting, The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/season-s-greetings-by-stewart-stafford-season-s-greetings-to-those-we/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [“Sweet Pea Purée with Capers SERVES 4 SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK: Faith, I can cut a caper. SIR TOBY BELCH: And I can cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/sweet-pea-pur-e-with-capers-serves-4-sir-andrew-aguecheek-faith-i-can/) [Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/) ## More by Damian Green > [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. 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I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/i-think-there-should-be-a-major-cut-in-the-power-of-government-to/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [One of the most difficult decisions for any prime minister is when to give up on a bad but long-cherished policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/one-of-the-most-difficult-decisions-for-any-prime-minister-is-when-to/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) [Explore all 105 Damian Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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