Hello you lot! Thank you so much for havin gus at the conference. We have come home refreshed and rejuventated thsnks to your warmth and fun. WeLOVE librarians!
as promised here is the hand out notes xx
“What do most Nobel Laureates, innovative entrepreneurs, artists and performers, well adjusted children, happy couples and families and the most successful adapted animals have in common? They play enthusiastically throughout their lives.
What common denominator is shared by mass murderers, abused children, burnt out employees, depressed mothers, caged animals and chronically worried students? Play is barely or ever part of their lives” Stuart Brown Institute of Play
So come on let’s play, let’s do it, let’s take a risk!
Reading from a book to a child is a warm and wonderful experience.
Telling a story to a child is another experience altogether. You are freed from the confines of holding the book, following the written text, staying in one place, pointing out the illustrations, asking questions about the said text etc etc.
Telling a story allows imaginations to fly, allows crazy participation, allows the shy child to venture up or the confident child to soar. It allows the teller to notice, to applaud to celebrate the participant or the audience as a whole. And… ta dah, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, isn’t that what it’s all about?. Noticing. Noticing the great, the brave, noticing who needs to be noticed, who needs a shot of positive affirmation, who needs a hand, who needs a bit of caring or gentle ribbing to redirect unnecessary behaviour
And who knows where that noticing will land. A teacher noticed me when I was 7yrs old. I am not 7 any more . I am a long , long way from being 7yrs old but I remember what that noticing did for me as an extremely shy child. I remember the feeling. It made me braver for a minute, it was part of the long journey we all travel in pursuit of personal happiness, bravery and confidence.
Laughter is the best medicine (unless you have diabetes and then it’s pretty much insulin!) The ability to be silly, to laugh at yourself ( and NOT to laugh at others), to play, to not worry about being perfect and correct all the time, it all helps to win over even the shyest, saddest child, it helps build a bond, an understanding.
I am a passionate advocate for and of children and young people’s Librarians. Librarians, like teachers, are in such positions of importance in our communities. It is one of the last places we are
allowed to gather without charge or barrier. For 31 years I have worked with children and their families. Gutted people. Abusive, at times cruel adults but you know I have met up with some incredible stories underneath those exteriors. I sat once with a notorious father, feared within the community but we had a relationship. He came in one day to give me a letter to read. He had written it to one of his ex partners in a bid to see his daughter. I had been working with him to find new ways of communication. The letter was brilliant, well written, thoughtful, good grammar, spelling correct. I praised him, sincere praise and he squirmed on his chair like a happy 6 year old. This notorious 34yr old man. I thought where were the people in his life noticing him when he was 6 years old?
I’m not saying the playful, joyous, kind librarian or teacher is going to save that child but it will make a difference.
Holding up the sky
A tale from China
One day an elephant saw a hummingbird lying flat on its back on the ground. The bird’s tiny feet were raised up into the air.
“What on earth are you doing, Hummingbird?” asked the elephant.
The hummingbird replied, “I have heard that the sky might fall today. If that should happen I am ready to do my bit in holding it up.”
The elephant laughed and mocked the tiny bird.
“Do you think THOSE little feet could hold up the SKY?”
“Not alone,” admitted the hummingbird. “ But each must do what he can and this is what I can do.”
So let’s tell a story
- 1. To get started choose a well know tale such a s the Three Little Pigs. Everyone knows or should know this story.
- 2. Remember you do not need to remember the story verbatim.
- 3. It is important to know the traditional call and responses such as..’Little pig, little pig, let me come in’
- 4. For the rest you just need to know the bones of the story.ie
There are 3 pigs
They go out into the world
They come across, straw, sticks and bricks. They make houses
The .pigs respond “no no etc etc
Wolf does his huffing and puffing
And it all turns to custard for the wolf.
5. Within the bones I believe you can take it where it wants to go..the joy of fairy and folk tales compared with currant writers. (which I avoid)
6. I often change the ending to make it less gruesome, funny and with a wee message tucked in for good luck. I don’t think Anderson or the Brothers Grimm would turn in their graves.
7.Including children in the telling of the tale is my joy. It doesn’t have to be yours! There is no right or wrong way. If having kids up with you feels too much then include them with the calls and responses.
8.Always feed back. At the end of any performance I individually thank the children who have been up with us, mentioning something I noticed about their work.
9. Take every opportunity to sincerely feedback…even within a story. I will sometimes come out of my narrators’ role to say ‘wow’ to a child and quickly return to the story. Let the audience know if they have done well.
10. Notice, notice,notice.
11. Notice if you are losing the kids and do something to bring them back,…eg a wolf’s howl, a sudden movement, noise…in keeping with the story of course.
12. Notice if children are being talkative or distracting…just move up to them as you tell the story, tell to them. The children will get the message! In 17 years of telling I have only secretly hissed at two kids!! (that hissing took the form of ‘why did you volunteer if you didn’t want to be here? Do you want to sit down? It did the trick and I was able to give them positive feedback at the end)
13. Evaluate your work, ask colleagues/friends to watch and give constructive feedback. When did it soar, what were you doing…was it the voices you made up. Was it the dramatic pauses, the gasps, the silly faces…if the kids really loved a line keep it forever.
14. Keep doing it,.tell to the dog, the neighbours kids, practice, practice, practice
15. Try props/puppets if you want to
16. Have a dress up box. ( magic)
17.Have a go.
18. Reward yourself…chocolate’s good.
Mary Kippenberger: www.storylink.co.nz
