I have been looking out for storytelling activities that are being put on during the school holidays. There was one on today over at Roseworth library. I suspected that it might be the librarian taking it but thought it was worth checking out anyway. I may be looking to do voluntary work later this year at some of the libraries.
Roseworth is in a part of Stockton that I don't know at all. The bus meandered round an enormous housing estate first before dropping me off at the library. The event turned out to be organized jointly between the local libraries and the local nursery school. I was warmly welcomed by one of the nursery staff. I explained that I was interested in learning storytelling so she invited me along to another one later in the week at the Green Dragon Museum (yes, it's named after Lambton) here in Stockton, where there will be a professional storyteller present. I believe the storyteller then is actually a colleague of the one I saw quite recently, so hopefully that will be helpful for me.
Anyway the one today was given by the librarian. She's new in the job apparently. She had a full house for her debut. The room used for the children's library was packed with youngsters sitting on the carpet, children's seats and browsing the shelves. I have to say that these types of events are really good for children. It gives them the right idea, that reading is fun! And when you think of the difficulties that schools have with literacy, well anything that helps should be welcomed.
To be honest I don't think the librarian was very much of a storyteller. Like the librarian that I saw in the autumn all she did was read out 2 or 3 stories from a picture book and point at some of the pictures. "Look children, here's a cow! I think it might be a lady cow!" Anyway, they were pleasant enough stories and the children were delighted with them. The children were very well-behaved too.
This would be a good library for me to get practice with - they obviously have lots of families of the right age and keen to use the library services. Their storytime sessions are once a month mainly.
Reading out a story basically isn't the same as telling one. There are different mental activities involved. Storytellers learn their stories off by heart - they internalize them. Good storytellers can be paid very well indeed. It's when you see someone who ISN'T very good that you realise the skill that is involved.
Storytime at the library
And from reading your posts here, you definitely are a story-teller, as you unfold the events, the details, your experiences and can draw people in.
Thank you sbarr! To be fair, to begin with I would be doing the same as the librarian. I would start by reading the story from a book. But I would have read it thoroughly a number of times. After the first reading I would know whether the story was liked by the children, and I would then sit down and try to learn it. It would proably take me several readings (with the book by my side, but not open) to become really good at that particular story.
I now have a variety of simple instruments to show the children and to catch their interest. I'm particularly pleased with my rain-stick!!! I might also tell the children some stories about my pet dragon eventually.
You can practice on us! :-D
Um, the written parts of the stories, yes. The oral parts, particularly when I'm trying to learn a story, no. It'll be face-to-face, remember.
Oh I know - I was just teasing... From what I remember as a child, it was always so magickal to listen to someone who loved the stories - which you so clearly do...
Oh yes, I love them sbarr. I have an old friend who is a storyteller, a traditional one. He is of Travelling stock and learnt his stories from his family. He does this for a living now.