Storytelling Reflection #2 With out the book!


For my latest story telling endeavor. I chose Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A cuban folktale to do a story-telling without the book. As I reviewed  this title for a different class and turned the pages the characters jumped out at me.  How could a cockroach be beautiful.  Even though the pictures are iridescent and breathtaking, the story was engaging and offered a different story of trust and family. What a find it was for my folk take list. It is important to have  different stories from all over the world. 

To execute a story telling without a book I was searching for a simple storyline, strong characters and a message in the end.  This story also used some spanish words that I thought would also be important to use in the  telling.   Taking notes of the characters, voices started to  form in my head.    I listed the setting and the format of the story to help guide it and I numbered the suitors of Martina along with some characteristics of each one.    Noting where to shift the story was also important.   

Once I practiced a few times for myself in front of a mirror (an old theatre trick), I set out to record with my daughter and son as my audience.   It is so important to have that audience there for that connection.   As I was telling Martina. I found myself looking at my list less and less the story went on.   The practice did the story well.   Some motions with my body helped create the characters as well.   

As I finished, I knew it was well received.    My daughter asked how I remembered that story, and that the chicken was mean.  She picked up on all of the important pieces of the story which to me was a win.  As I reviewed the video I think I accomplished what I set out to do.   Abuela was wise and Martina was trusting.   I am still not sure if I did justice to the story, but I sure enjoyed telling it.   If I could do it again, I would make certain all of the Spanish words would get into my retelling.  I may use this book as well as the pictures were just awesome.    

Please find this treasure and read it yourself.   


Deedy, C. A. (2014). Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale. Peachtree Publishers. 

This week was poems and I found many.    

Of course there was the old Where the Side Walk Ends 

Silverstein, S. (2014). Where the Sidewalk Ends Special Edition with 12 Extra Poems: Poems and Drawings (40th Anniversary ed.). HarperCollins.

Some of my favorites in this title are 

  1. Invitation
  2. Sick!
  3. Sarah Cynthia  Saver Stout will not take the garbage out!
  4. Jimmy Jet and his TV set
  5. For Sale. 
  6. Boa Constrictor
  7. Hug-o-war

All lend themselves to being told out loud. Some on this list are actually used as monologues.  They are silly and are truth tellers.    

For Older students and patrons you can not go wrong with Edgar Allen Poe.   

Studied in the 7th and 8th grade a lot of students are drawn to the dark storytelling of Poe.   

Some titles that are long but fair well are 

  1. The Raven
  2. Annabelle Lee

I also stumbled upon some poems by Roal Dahl which surprised me.  I am familiar with his fiction but had no idea he also published poems.    Two that stuck out to me that would be great to use  for story telling and working with students were 

  1. Pig- This poem tells the story about a pig with a big brain who decides to eat the man before the man eats him.   
  2. Television- This poem attempts to plead with you to throw out your television.   .   It would be great to pair with Jimmy Jet and the TV set.   




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Storytelling Experience Reflection

  For my first Storytelling experience I picked storytelling with a book.  Currently my elective class is doing a reading aloud/storytelling unit  based on books with themes of changes in family, separation, overcoming challenges and being the other.  I used " I dream of Popo"  written by Livia Blackburne and Illustrated by Julia Kuo as my example.   Immediately upon reading this sweet story, I was enveloped by the story.  Connection to the story is needed for a good example.   Before presenting I read and re-read the book looking for easy connections to the characters and illustrations. In researching the book the intended audience was Kindergarten through 3rd grade.  I looked for the questions that might be asked by the students being read too.   I picked a few pieces out to point out and ask questions about.   Some of the colors and patterns were important as well as some things that were familiar and things t...
Read more

Reading Reflections and fables

As ubiquitous as  Aesops Fables a refresher course was needed.   Stories smattered with animals, plants or inanimate objects, living their best life and learning from their mistakes are great places to start the search of great story-telling material.  Globally, fables are used as teaching tools to hit home what may be the better way to think if faced by dilemmas. Using beings other than human allow for candid consideration for their actions.   "Oh that fox," or "Oh that frog shouldn't have trusted that lion."  It becomes easier to digest and discuss.     Though the messages are sound, currently we may have many that do not have the same context with which to understand the stories. For instance some children are not exposed animals  or settings that many of these fable take place.  Half of your storytelling time might be used to simply introduce them to characters or places.  Using the through lines of Aesops making with ...
Read more

Reading Reflection Administration and Programming

Being a theatre teacher causes one to wear many hats; skills are taught, props are made, movement is created, costumes are pulled, sets are built, and of course, rehearsals are had.  They are often a lone wolf in a school and though there are many that could collaborate with,  it often goes to the wayside because others aren't sure how to  do this.   Typically, the job of Theatre Teacher is so faceted, it's the organization that keeps them afloat.   The reading resonated with me this week simply because this is the typical plight  of the school librarian as well.  Organization can keep one above water but to cultivate and sustain storytelling program, educating your colleagues can help them lean in to authentic and fruitful programming. The importance of stories to children's formation as well as to their connection to others,  as Baker points out in the beginning of the chapter is paramount to a strong program.  Carving out time, d...
Read more