Jackpot! 5 Ways to Boost Your School's Luck with Storytelling

I am not a gambling person, but I am willing to bet that storytelling would make a difference in any school.

If the art is promoted and supported, then it may not be long before students experience higher test scores and. . .some major life skills.

5 Ways to Boost Your School's Luck with Storytelling:

• Classroom, School, and District Level Events
• Training Teachers to Merge Storytelling with Curriculum
• Storytelling Residencies
• Games
• Schools Standards

Classroom, School, and District Level Events

Any state could be a strong youth storytelling state. One classroom could lead to one school and finally one school district who support the art.

In Utah, the following school districts promote storytelling the strongest: Alpine, Davis, Jordan, Morgan, Ogden, and Weber. The Canyons District is in progress to be added to this list. Private and charter schools are becoming more interested due to the Weber State University Storytelling Festival. In February 2010, there were 87 youth tellers invited to tell for the festival. This did not count the hundreds of students who had classroom, school, or district level showcases to determine the top tellers.

Did Utah become this way overnight? No.

Though if you would like a "fast-forward" approach, then nearby festivals need to extend invitations to schools. You may be surprised at who accepts the opportunity.

Training Teachers to Merge Storytelling with Curriculum

A one-time visit from a professional storyteller can have influence, but teachers are with their students on a daily basis. These teachers could take already-made lesson plans and merge storytelling in them.

A book called “Story Proof: The Science Behind the Startling Power of Story” by Kendall Haven shows that test scores do go up when students learn through story-based teaching. The brain seems to feed off stories and remembers facts much more quickly that way.

Storytelling Residencies

Schedule a professional storyteller for more than the "one moment" with the students. When there are 2-8 weeks dedicated to literacy and communication skills, then a storyteller could guide the course through stories.

The lessons linger longer. . .and so do the "happily ever afters".

Games

Any storytelling game could connect with the curriculum. Kids to adults love these activities. Games serve as a way to kick-off a new topic or section, to reinforce concepts, and to review.

Example Game: Mixed-Up Mayhem

Set aside a bowl for each of the following categories or create your own: Status, God of Choice, Daily Activity, Place, and Object. Note that these reflect social, political, religious, geographical and economical areas. On slips of paper, write a word and place in the appropriate bowl.

For a Greek game, here are ideas to put in each bowl—

a. Status—Rich, Middle Class, Poor, Slave

b. God of Choice—Zeus, Hera, Athena, Hephaestus, Ares

c. Daily Activity—Farming, Sailing, Hunting, Wrestling, Attending Wedding, Running Household, Going to School

d. Place—Athens, Sparta, Mediterranean Sea

e. Object—Lyre, Flute, Petasos (broad-rimmed hat), Metal Headband, Tunic, Hairpins, Rattle, Little Clay Animals, Yo-yo, Terra-cotta Dolls, Pet Goat, Pet Mice

Pull a paper from each of the bowls. Create individual or group stories that connect each of the items drawn. Be prepared for stories to go in any direction as long as all words are used.

School Standards

The Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance has a one-page position statement that could guide states in how to review their school standards.

These standards are not in stone and chiseling the words "story" or "storytelling" into it does not have to be an impossible task.

So take a chance. . .roll the dice. . .and see if you can soon yell "Jackpot! There's storytelling in my school!"

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com/

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com/

Family Famine Series Site: http://www.familyfamine.com/

Year of the Family Book: http://www.yearofthefamily.com
Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/rachelfans
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Storytelling: The Forgotten Art in BSA & What Mothers Have Known for Ages

Thanks to Patrice Killpack for allowing me to post our picture. Patrice is a cool mom with four kids (two of them boys) and another little one on the way. The quotes and stories from the other mothers were also appreciated.

"Storytelling is as basic to a boy as breathing and frogs...and as necessary to Scouting as run-ons and skits," stated Diana Mulligan, a mother and an author from Fresno, California.

She upholds the written word while recognizing the importance of oral storytelling to strengthen communities, homes, and individuals.

What comes naturally for Mulligan and other mothers has been slow to be acknowledged by the Boy Scouts of America. The storytelling merit badge has yet to be created.

Meanwhile, several women, such as Girl Scout Leader and Storyteller Karen Czarnik of Detroit, Michigan, were quick to join the "100,000+ BSA Storytelling Supporters" Facebook group. Czarnik pointed out that the Junior Girl Scouts have the "Now and Then Stories from Around the World" patch.

This may seem like "the boys" are behind on the merit badge endeavor. . .until you take a look at Scouting history. The World Scout Founder, Lord Baden-Powell, wrote the first Scouting manual in a story format and used and encouraged stories as the primary teaching tool of youth.

Storytelling must have been--and continues to be--so much a part of the Scouting culture that they forgot to make a merit badge for it.

Here are Glimpses of Storytelling in Scouting Today:

• Scoutmaster Minutes
• Campfire Programs and Yarns
  
• Pow Wow Leadership Training with Specific Storytelling Course
• Skits and Run-ons
• Communications merit badge with option to tell a personal story
• Indian Lore merit badge with option to tell short story of an Indian culture

Storytelling is that forgotten yet ever-present art in Scouting.

Whether or not there is a specific time labeled as "storytelling" in the Scouting world, youth are telling stories. Storyteller Kristy Price was proud when her oldest son, an Eagle Scout, did storytelling in his youth. Her 12-year-old son has followed his brother's example and tells stories at present.

In 2005, when gathering signatures in support of the creation of the BSA storytelling merit badge, several Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts asked when the merit badge would be available. Some vowed to be the first to earn it.

I sighed every time I heard this wish. As a Wolf Den Leader, I knew that the BSA would take years before the merit badge came into being as I knew it was only a matter of time before the badge came into existence. I could not promise the boys that the merit badge would be there in time for them. I told them that perhaps they could be future storytelling merit badge counselors.

Then, with 4,315 signatures and a stack of letters of support, the storytelling merit badge proposal went before the National BSA Advancement Committee in May 2006.

It was denied for one reason: the committee could not distinguish the difference between the Communications merit badge and the proposed Storytelling Merit Badge.

When I received the email, I was confused by this response and asked in what way they felt this was the case.

It was obvious to me that the committee did not have a true storytelling experience.

There could have been unsaid reasons of why this committee did not see storytelling's importance such as:

1. Everyone Has The Ability To Do It
When asked to make a list of your strengths, you may list skills such as throwing a football, singing, dancing, etc. Would you remember to add eating, sleeping, and breathing? Along with these basic skills is that of storytelling. Our minds tend to mentally cross off something that we do not think is unique enough for such a list.

There are different levels of skills in being a storyteller. We have probably heard the boring and what seemed like "long" stories mixed with the fantastic ones. The storytelling merit badge would strengthen the skills that are ingrained in us as humans.

Many mothers include storytelling as their list of skills. Yet, it is often the father's example that has stronger influence on whether a child will enjoy reading, writing, or storytelling. Parents need to be "caught" telling stories.

The Watts Family in Highland, UT are a storytelling family. Nannette Watts leads and guides these skills for all her kids. Three have become National Youth Storytelling Showcase finalists while two more have had various awards for their tellings. In their home there is even a "designated stage area". It may not be the kind that you see in a theatre or museum, but it is enough to inspire this art.

2. "Storytelling" Is Not Often Looked At As A Job Skill
People like to use "public speaking" or "presentations" in the job interview setting. Though, if the company wanted star employees, they would want to ask about "storytelling".

While on Facebook, a guy wrote to me, "The whole point of merit badge is to (A) prepare them for life, or (B) give them a glimpse into that profession. I don't know about you, but I don't know any professional storytellers."

I responded to him that I was a professional storyteller and that there were thousands more like me. Even with this fact, he said he did not see a storyteller as a "real profession".

However, I stressed that applied storytelling was key.

As for the Watts Family, one of Nannette's oldest boys no longer pursues storytelling. However, when he completed a career questionnaire in high school, he ranked high in enjoying talking in front of people. We need more youth who have that confidence as they enter the work force.

Applied storytelling in careers is more important than if boys became professional storytellers.

In the health industry there is narrative healing. Education always has a boost in test scores when teaching is story-based. Corporate storytelling has increased sales.

The number one "profession" should be parenthood, and storytelling is an art and a skill that can build relationships between parent and child. These skills would be worthy for any Boy Scout to know.

3. Storytellers Do Not Often Share The Stage With Other Arts
The big stage tends to leave an honored space for theatre, dance, and music. The exception is of the storytelling festival circuit. What is forgotten is that without the stories, we would not know how to act or to move or to create sound. Storytelling is the overarching art.

Why else do we hear people from filmmakers to authors to stand-up comedians to dancers as "storytellers" if it was not an all encompassing art?

In certain places, only the mother keeps the status of storyteller as an honored one. Perhaps this is why when people think of the word "storytelling" that the image of a lady reading stories to preschool age kids is popular.

Elizabeth Ames Jones, Railroad Commissioner of Texas, said, "Storytelling has, in recent years, become less predominant in our society. Its ability to educate our youth is unrivaled. As a mother I understand the value of storytelling to children to develop listening, imagination and comprehension skills."

Do we need more mothers and grandmothers to remind their sons and grandsons of the importance of storytelling?

Yes, we do.

We also invite fathers and grandfathers to do likewise.

Storytelling: it's about family.

What You Can Do About the BSA Storytelling Merit Badge:
1. Join the "BSA Storytelling Supporters" site on Ning and invite all your friends
2. Join the "100,000+ BSA Storytelling Supporters" site on Facebook and invite all your friends
3. Spread the word of this movement to your local, regional, and national BSA offices
4. Send complimentary tickets of storytelling festivals to the National Office of BSA (especially the Advancement Committee)
5. Email me at info@rachelhedman.com for specific projects or assignments

In the meantime, Paschal Baute from Kentucky sent another proposal (can be seen on his site) in May 2009 on the storytelling merit badge that should be seen by the National BSA Advancement Committee soon.

Let us create a buzz to help this work along. Prayers are welcome. After all, the Lord is an amazing storyteller Himself!

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Teller & Teacher Heroes: Stories to Save the Day in the Classroom

Two-time Grammy winner and storyteller Bill Harley said, "Everybody worries about things being 'educational' with kids. I believe everything is educational, in that it says something about how one looks at the world--it imparts a knowledge, or world-view."

Still, there will always be the people--including administrators, principals, and educators--who would rather have the facts and scientific proof that storytelling is necessary during the every day moments in the classroom.

These people should not be thought as "villains" for our teller and teacher heroes who support storytelling, but they do need to be welcomed as friends. With time, you may have some loyal "sidekicks" in the pursuit of imagination.

In the meantime, there are books and position statements that can provide super powers in vanquishing disbelief (see list at end of post). Storytelling can be embraced in any school.

Before you arm yourself with the stack of books or print the position statements, consider going back to the basics.

If I were to condense the skills of storytelling to four steps, they would be:

1. Love Your Story/Subject
2. Know Your Story/Subject
3. Know Your Audience/Students
4. Love Your Audience/Students

These steps are easily adapted for educators and professional storytellers alike.

Love Your Story/Subject

Stories are known to tap us tellers on the shoulder to be told much like how certain subjects like social studies or math or language arts are drawn for teachers to teach.

Sometimes the relationships we have with our stories or with our studies extend beyond love. There must be some emotional charge to move us to share something.

This passion reflects in our aura, which emulates in pitch, tone, facial expressions, and body language.

One of my World Literature teachers was so dedicated that she dressed up as a cockroach when we studied The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Or there was the Social Studies teacher who entered the classroom as a Russian soldier during the Joseph Stalin era. Both teachers shared the stories connected with those characters.

Costumes are not required to form an impression. But the energy they had? I remember their love for what they taught.

Usually when we share how we started on a certain path, we are energized. As teachers tend to be mysterious people to students, then teachers are encouraged to share how they became teachers and why the subject called to them.

Besides, to this day, there are students who think their teachers live in the school. Remind the students who you are and your connections to the curriculum. Students discover real-world yet their own personal connections to the subjects if you are willing to share your personal stories.

Beyond your personal tales, there are the moments within the lives of inventors, authors, scientists, and other great minds in history that would be interesting for students to understand.

When you find the stories fascinating, then it is likely that your students will feel the same way. Even teenagers, who tend to hide their feelings or disguise them in looks of disgust to look "cool", could sense the excitement.

Know Your Story/Subject

What we care about most is what we spend the most time. If you truly love a story or a subject, then hours and perhaps years are set-aside for it.

There is not one way to learn a story.

If you are visual person, then drawing storyboards of the different scenes in the story may work best.

If you are a literary person, then creating an outline of the plot points may trigger your memory.

You could be kinetic and prefer a hands-on experience. Then you may want to "play" with story by getting a partner in order to have pretend dialogues between characters. The dialogue may not make it to the final version of telling the story, but it may be enough to inspire the development of the piece.

You could decide that you like all of these techniques. . .or you create your own techniques.

When a teacher develops a lesson plan, much of the same brainstorming and organization skills are needed.

You do not have to consider yourself a storyteller to tell a story in the classroom.

Know Your Audience/Students

A teacher has an advantage over a professional storyteller as a teacher often sees the students daily over the course of ten months while a storyteller usually travels from venue to venue.

Due to this advantage, a teacher experiences the individual student personalities such as strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. These insights help decide what stories would be the most appropriate and of impact.

For example, the bully of the class may need to hear stories where there are consequences for such actions. Someone who is shy may feel empowered if a character who reflects their personality was able to conquer a great feat.

As a storyteller, I do my best to ask questions from the teachers as they know their students better than anyone. If I know what the students learned before I arrive (or what they are about to learn), then I take joy in connecting with the curriculum.

Rather than performing for school assemblies where all grades of the school attend, I relish in telling several times with smaller groups divided by grades so I can tell more age-appropriate stories. At a school in Salt Lake City, UT, I told stories for a day and a half because there were five sessions for the Kindergarten to 2nd grades, three sessions for the 3rd and 4th grades, and three sessions for the 5th and 6th grades.

Since early elementary grades focus on learning to read and write, my program for the Kindergarten to 2nd grades was on Literacy with stories like "Story Pox", "My Mom told me to go to the Library", and "My Brother ate my Book".

The 3rd grade were learning about several Native American tribes while the 4th grade were learning about Utah History. Can you guess the type of stories I shared with them?

Then the 5th grade focused on United States History while the 6th grade discovered World History. I began and ended with American tales, which included a tall tale with Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett, and mixed the middle with folktales from around the world.

Afterward, one of the 5th grade teachers approached me and said, "We are learning about the Revolution right now, but when we get to the Frontier, then we could have a tall tale section!"

Love Your Audience/Students

It may be the first time that a storyteller sees a particular audience, but the storyteller can still love them. The audience can tell whether a storyteller is excited or nervous or dreads them.

Students have the same sensory skills with teachers.

Hopefully, after seeing the same students every day, an appreciation for the students' creativity and genius has been instilled.

You will be a genius, too, besides already being a hero, by delving into the resources listed below.

Statements on Story in Education:

• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) position statement
• Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance position statement
• Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance website
  

"Must-Have" Books on Storytelling in Education or Studies:

• The Storytelling Classroom: applications across the curriculum by Sherry Norfolk, Jane Stenson, and Diane Williams (published by Libraries Unlimited in 2006)
• Tales as Tools: the power of story in the classroom by the National Storytelling Association (published by National Storytelling Press/National Storytelling Network in 1994)
• Super Simple Storytelling: a can-do guide for every classroom, every day by Kendall Haven (published by Libraries Unlimited in 2000)
• The Power of Story: teaching through storytelling by Rives Collins and Pamela J. Cooper (published by Waveland Pr Inc.; 2nd edition in 2005)
• Storyteller, Storyteacher: discovering the power of storytelling for teaching and living by Marni Gillard (published by Stenhouse Publishers in 1996)
• Story Proof: the science behind the startling power of story by Kendall Haven (published by Libraries Unlimited in 2007)
• Tell Me A Story: narrative and intelligence by Roger C. Schank (published by Northwestern University Press in 1990)
  

"Must-Have" Books on Youth Storytelling:

• Raising Voices: creating youth storytelling groups and troupes by Judy Sima and Kevin Cordi (published by Libraries Unlimited in 2003)
• Youth Tell: starting a youth storytelling festival by Nannette Watts (published by Nannette Watts in 2004)
• Children Tell Stories: teaching and using storytelling in the classroom by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss (published by Richard C. Owen Publishers; 2nd edition in 2005)
  

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Telling vs. Reading: Story Siblings in Literacy

When I tell people that I am a professional storyteller, sometimes people ask, “What books do you read?” I quickly respond that usually I am on stage with a microphone and nothing else. I do not use books during the performance.

I do respect books and I use them in other ways: research and ideas.

The confusion between storytelling and story reading is the same confusion often found when distinguishing between siblings.

I am the big sister of the family and when I was in middle school I had a newspaper route. At the time, I wore glasses and long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. I was nicknamed “Smiley” for reasons you can guess. Often I barely delivered the papers by the 5:00pm deadline due to visiting with the people on my route. When Christmas came, I had a wad of cash in tips. I built trust that transformed into other moneymaking opportunities such as babysitting and dog sitting.

After a couple years, my brother took over the newspaper route. He was fast plus he could deliver the papers without all the ads spilling out. He wasn’t one to visit with the neighbors though the people could count on consistency. He also wore glasses and had short blonde hair, which some people confused for my blonde ponytail.

Finally, my sister took the newspaper route from my brother. She may not have had my social skills or the speed of my brother, but she had a different strength. Every Saturday I heard the rustle of sheets since we shared the same bedroom. I turned to see my sister getting out of bed. I turned to look at the clock—4:00am! She knew those Saturday papers were sitting in the driveway, ready to be delivered. Who knows what the neighbors thought of their doors slamming that early in the morning? Of course, they never complained of their papers being late.

In case you were wondering, my sister wore glasses and long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. With the sun not even up, the neighborhood had no idea of who delivered their papers—whether it was my sister, brother, or I.

The three of us had great praise from the people on our route. The name “Parkinson” carried respect.

Storytelling and story reading are also siblings. If people quickly glance at each art, telling and reading seem the same. With enough time and understanding, the differences stand out.

Some of Storytelling’s Strengths:
1. Encourages Imagination/Creativity
2. Promotes Memory Capacity and Story Comprehension
3. Increases Confidence in Speaking

Some of Story Reading’s Strengths:
1. Improves Grammar/Vocabulary
2. Supports Appreciation for Art and Literature
3. Enhances Writing Skills

One study that shows the positive results of these two similar yet distinct arts can be found in the Early Childhood Education Journal—“The Effects of Storytelling and Story Reading on the Oral Language Complexity and Story Comprehension of Young Children”. Click here for more details.

When piecing a storytelling literacy program, I debated on what the title could be since I did not want people to think that I read books as part of my performance. No matter how hard I try, there will always be misunderstandings.

Perhaps I should learn to smile and say, “Story reading? You must mean my sister. I am a storyteller.”

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman
Professional Storyteller
Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance
(801) 870-5799
rachel@storytellingadventues.com
http://www.rachelhedman.com/
http://www.yesalliance.com/