Press Play to hear Dr. Sherry Norfolk speak on why would should use storytelling in school settings on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf.
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Why storytelling should be in Schools.
Sherry Norfolk Writes…
Last year, I taught a 3rd grade storytelling and creative writing residency in St Louis. The kids I worked with were typical – meaning that every child was different from every other child. They each had unique interests, skills and abilities. They each had different life experiences and different needs. Typical class, right? So…what? Why am I telling you about these typical kids?
Because they WERE typical! Because in that class, there were some kids who HATED to write and some kids who NEVER paid attention in class and some kids who HATED to get up in front of people for any Read more »
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Press play to hear Elizabeth Ellis who was interviewed by Eric Wolf on the relationship between Storytelling and the Development of Ethical Behavior on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 8pm.
Elizabeth Ellis Writes…
If I had a nickel for every time someone (attorney, state trooper, loan officer, IRS agent) has made fun of me because I told ‘em I am a storyteller, I could take us all out to dinner. At a nice place. With tablecloths. Because often the public perception of storytelling is that it is fluff and foolishness. Well, we storytellers know better, and we have survived an entire movement of Back to the Basics and Almighty State Testing. What the left brain-ers don’t realize is there is another entire level of education far more basic to being human than the 3 R’s will ever be. The most basic things about being human come from the right side of the brain, not the left. Chief among them is the ability to make ethical decisions. I am not talking about Read more »
Fill out the form and press play to hear Granddady Junebug aka Mitch Capel speak on poetry and storytelling on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf.
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Interview #067 Mitch Capel
Grandaddy June Bug
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Poetry and Storytelling
Grandaddy Junebug writes… Good storytelling is like poetry to your ears…good poetry is storytelling at it’s best. Storytelling and poetry go together like hand in glove. Ninety percent of the stories I tell are in rhyme so I coined the term “sto’etry” to describe my unique style of telling.
At the tender age of three, my paternal Grandmother read to me the story poem “A Cabin Tale” from the “Life And Works Of Paul Laurence Dunbar”. The genius of this work coupled with the joy in my Grandmother’s eyes and the passion in her delivery left an indelible impression in my heart. Since 1985 I have been performing the works of Dunbar, myself and others at festivals, schools and other venues throughout the United States.
Storytellers in general are unaware of the vast potential poetry can add not only to the repertoire of the teller but, also to the “flavor” of the performance. This is especially true with venues for children. A vast majority of young audiences are familiar with the “Rap” genre of music and are, therefore, more inclined to not only enjoy the performance with greater appreciation but also to digest more of the content of the morals and affirmations. “Sto’etry” is “Rap” without the music with each child supplying his or her own “beat” to the vocals, which, in turn actually seems to garner more satisfaction as one seems to “enjoy the book more than the movie”. Older audience members are also appreciative of this style because most, in their youth, were taught the values of poetry and the importance of memorizing and reciting for different groups within their respective communities.
Come with me as we explore the unlimited possibilities poetry can add not only to storytellers, but, to story listeners as well.
Most storytellers shy away from utilizing poetry in performance because of the need to “memorize” verbatim as well as the inability to “ad lib” during the show. It is true that poetry lends itself to a certain rhythm, however, once you’ve crawled into the skin of the poet your voice becomes the vehicle and your words become the steering wheel that guides the listeners (travelers) on the journey. A good storyteller wouldn’t have any problem “playing” to an audience or “ad libbing” while utilizing the “sto’etry” style of telling. Read more »
Fill out the form and press play to hear Michael D. McCarty speak on literacy and storytelling in the 21st Century this interview on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf.
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Michael D. McCarty
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Storytelling and literacy in the 21st century.
Michael D. McCarty writes… That which does not evolve dies. The ability to change, grow and adapt is essential to the survival of any species, society or ideal. Storytelling has been around since the dawn of man, which says a lot for the viability of this essential art form. Throughout human history stories have been used to inform, inspire, educate and more. Storytelling is part of our DNA.
So what is the role of literacy and storytelling in the 21st century? How is it evolving? The National Storytelling Network’s Storytelling Interest Groups (SIGs) give an indication. Storytelling has Read more »
Fill out the form and press play to hear Jim May speak on storytelling in Classrooms and Schools on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf.
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Storytelling in Classrooms.
Jim May Writes… I tell stories to children because I learned many years ago that nothing in my ten years of experience as a classroom teacher held my elementary students’ attention like a story.
For some twenty-three years now, I have made my living as a professional, full time storyteller. That storytelling produces a singular, intensely vital experience in my listeners’ imagination continues to be reinforced nearly every day of my professional storytelling life.
I remember a particular occasion telling stories to an auditorium full of primary-aged students (grades k—2). After the program was finished, the students filed past the front of the Read more »
Fill out the form and press play to hear Mary Jo Huff speaks about early literacy begins with rhythm rhyme & story time on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf.
Interview #058 Mary Jo Huff
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Early Literacy begins with rhythm rhyme & story time.
Mary Jo writes…
Language is critical for literacy development and storytelling creates an interactive bridge. Music, repeated phrases, and actions provide connections and invite participation by children when they become part of the storytelling event.
Working in schools demands that the storyteller is tuned into the state literacy standards. Storytelling connects many types of standards but I am only concentrating on the literacy connection. A good story challenges a child’s auditory, visual, and kinesthetic skills along with a phonemic awareness.
Performing in schools as a storyteller gives a teller the opportunity to address some Read more »
Fill out the form and press play to hear Jackie Baldwin and Kate Dudding on the storytelling in schools website interviewed on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf.
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Jackie Baldwin & Kate Dudding
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Storytelling in Schools a reference guide to educational programs.
(from Storytelling Magazine) – Quantitative Studies * Innovative Projects
by Jackie Baldwin and Kate Dudding First, we must confess a strong bias. We believe that storytelling belongs in every school around the world, and we want to encourage and support that goal. Here’s how we went about it with our project, Storytelling in Schools.
As pressures build in schools for national testing, reporting and accountability, many people feel storytelling can be eliminated in schools. However, we knew that there were many quantitative studies documenting the methods and effectiveness of using stories and storytelling techniques in traditional classrooms to help teach the standard curriculum. But these studies were not Read more »
Fill out the form and press play to hear Dianne de Las Casas who spoke about storytelling and how it can be a safari into literacy on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf.”
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Dianne de Las Casas
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Storytelling: A Safari into Literacy.
Dianne de Las Casas writes… My whole life has been a safari (Swahili word for “journey”) of stories. The power of stories permeated and impacted my life so strongly that, at an early age, I knew I wanted to share stories with the world. It became my life’s dream, which I am realizing today through storytelling and writing books.
Because books, reading, and telling stories are such an important part of my family’s life, I am always saddened to watch the declining literacy rate in America’s school children. Nearly 2/3 of elementary age children read 2 grade levels below their expected reading level. Why is this happening?
Many of today’s families are not “storied” families. Stories are not a daily part of life – they are not shared at the “campfire” – the dinner table (many families don’t even eat at the dinner table together anymore). There are a vast amount of children who do not have a basic foundation of nursery rhymes and folktales. Imagine my surprise when I learned that my 6 year old niece never heard of Rapunzel because Rapunzel wasn’t a “Disney Princess!”
In addition, few teachers have time to spend doing something “fun” like storytelling. There are standards and benchmarks to meet as well as tests to administer. Many educators do not understand the value of storytelling and how storytelling is an integral part of literacy in the home and the classroom.
Of course, pop culture also plays a role. Stories are pre-fabricated for our children in the form of television shows, movies, and computer and video games, leaving little room for Read more »
Fill out the form and press play to hear an interview on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf as Stephen Hollen shares how to use improvisational storytelling with children.
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Improvisational storytelling with children – Creativity and Children.
Stephen Hollen writes…. Improvisational storytelling is a teaching tool that is a cross between storytelling that I have been doing for years and improv techniques I learned in my college days. Instead of aiming at oral tradition, it goes into the creative writing classroom to put “meat” on the three “Ps” – Person, Place and Problem plus one “P” of my own – Props.
By using these 4 “Ps” I help children in 3rd-5th grade unlock their creativity and develop the basics of Read more »
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Brother Wolf Storytelling
Eric James Wolf
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Creating Success, Episode List, International Storytelling, Literacy, Storytelling in Libraries, Storytelling in Schools | Brother Wolf | 
September 30, 2009 7:45 am | 
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