The 400 hall is a lively place to be during the second semester. You may hear a string duet or wedding vows in passing. If you step inside Ms. In Sim’s classroom, you’ll see students dressed in medieval attire as the scent of a feast hangs in the air. Sim’s spring tea parties have been a treasured event at Woodgrove for years. She incorporates the plot and historical era of the books they read in class in order to further immerse students in the content they are learning.
As the English 10 Honors and AP Literature classes delve into the worlds of books like “Macbeth”, “Hamlet”, or “Pride and Prejudice”, the tea parties are planned around the respective book’s theme, and students assume the roles of characters within the works. Senior Lily McBride was host of the seventh block AP Literature class’s tea party. As host, she was in charge of creating invitations, organizing the party’s schedule, and making sure each of her classmates contributed to the festivities. Each of Sim’s classes are expected to prepare activities for their tea party, which may include musical performances or poetic recitations. Others bring food or serve tea alongside Sim’s famous cucumber sandwiches.
While students have gladly stayed true to the traditions of cucumber sandwiches and tea, one class has broken the mold and changed the narrative of this beloved event. This particular party started out as a coronation, following the plot of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. After the ceremony, however, things took a turn. “I wanted it to be very different, something that had not been done before, something that would be very fun and surprising for classmates,” McBride explained, “I know that the other classes were doing a wedding, so I wanted to change it up and do a coronation. But what else could I do to switch it up?”
The class’s new “king” had been “murdered,” an event planned by the host. A funeral took place, and next McBride initiated a game of “froggy murderer” to reveal the culprit, chosen by her secretly and prior to the party. This was the first murder mystery in Sim’s years of tea-partying.
At the first party, about 20 years ago, Sim planned the entire event herself. Since then, it has evolved to be almost entirely student led. “I still provide the cucumber sandwiches and the tea,” she explained, “but I frontload a lot with the host and they take over.” She uses the parties to let them better learn the material in an unconventional way.
Not only do students immerse themselves in the content, but they are also encouraged to try new, and somewhat ridiculous, things. “I never would have dreamed that 18 year old boys would be so willing to dress up in Victorian or Elizabethan costumes,” Sim laughed. Senior Sadie Shores said, “Ms. Sim herself will make you step out of your comfort zone, but the tea party is something where everyone kind of steps out of their comfort zone. It just brings all of the seniors together and it’s very Woodgrove-fashioned.”
Sim has displayed creativity and investment within her classroom by immersing her students in English literature and giving them opportunities to bond with each other. Her tea parties, although light-hearted fun, will be remembered by students for years to come.
