Story Power: Reclaiming Story in Your Classroom By Dr. Kevin Cordi www.kevincordi.com Agenda: I. Story in the Schools: “What kind of school do you teach?” II. Our work: How I came to be a storytelling teacher/ what is the difference between story making and storytelling and how can it improve my teaching?
Storytelling: The art of telling a story before a physical audience.
Story Making: The way that a story or stories are composed. They can be co-created or the work of one person.
“To tell a story is to create community. Whether the story is told by moving, acting, painting, or telling, essentially, the teller requires consent of the told.” (King, 1993, p. 2)
III. Application of story: Three ways story can be used in your classroom
I. Story for Community Building: a. Human Storytelling Scavenger Hunt: (from the book Raising Voices: Youth Storytelling Groups and Troupes) b. Scar Stories: Telling our scars and stretching the truth c. Lines in our hands: Our hands reveal who we are
II. Story for Curriculum: a. Using the story, The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin as a springboard for learning. (also known as “Scarface” or “Little Burnt Face” ) b. Extended enrichments using the story III. Story for Inquiry: Ensemble Storytelling
What are Story Spaces? As people who work with children, we rush to have our students learn. We need to value the spaces that come from working hard and thinking hard. When we assign time to learn or write a story, let them work it in their head, tell it to a friend, play with it. Don’t rush to turn it in, instead, take the time to play. For as Socrates states, the real work in life arises from play. “To tell a story is to create community. Whether the story is told by moving, acting, painting, or telling, essentially, the teller requires consent of the told.” (King, 1993, p. 2)
What is Story Memory? In 25 years of using stories as a meaning making tool, I am led to believe that what we remember is based on the narratives that we recall. As Bruner (1980) states, we interpret the work using rich narratives. We teach children to memorize but I would like them to “storize” (Cordi, 2010). This is the process of recalling the story of what happened based on the pictures we remember. Collins (Rives) , storytelling professor from Northwestern University states we remember to tell stories by the characteristic language that a story holds ie…I will huff and puff, There is no place like home, and I will be back. He suggests that as we have students work on writing and telling stories, ask them for the language. I agree with this but I also think students should tell or draw the pictures of their story to increase their story memory.
I. Traditional Storytelling
A. Story Making Story Banners In order to find out more about Story Banners go to www.kevincordi.com/blog and you can find out how you can be involved in the story banner project. Story Box Project Secret Gift Boxes In order to find out how you can be involved in these projects go to www.storyboxproject.com (sign up to receive your own Story Box) B. Story for Inquiry
Storyteller’s Pledge
As A Storyteller and Story Listener We Give Permission To Have Fun To Take Risks To Make Mistakes To Tell Stories We Know Stories Connect Us And We Are Connected To Story. Let the Stories Begin. Let the Stories Begin! Let the Stories Begin! Written by Kevin Cordi This pledge is found in Raising Voices: Creating Youth Storytelling Groups and Troupes by Judy Sima and Kevin Cordi, 2003. You can contact Kevin at [email protected]
Storytelling Scavenger Hunt-- Home and Literacy By Dr. Kevin Cordi
Your Name ______Directions: Go around the room and find people who know the information or have experienced the event that is described. Find as many people as you can. However, find out at least one or two things about the person from the ideas on the sheet before you move on. Have the person respond only IN STORY. Have the other person place their initials on the line. 1. Find someone who can tell you about having two places that they could call home ______2. Find someone who has had an unusual room in their house. ____ 3. Find someone who can tell you about a strange tradition they had growing up. ___ 4. In your home, (past or present) what happens when you turn off the TV/Radio?___ 5. Find someone who can tell you about the first time the family went to the city/country. You decide ______. 6. Find someone who can tell you about a time they were locked out of their house.____ 7. Find someone who can tell you a crazy weather story. ____ 8. Find someone who can share a late night tradition at your house. ____ 9. Find someone who knows something that you were not allowed to do or could not open at your house. 10. Find someone who can tell you about visiting the neighbors. Be specific. ___ 11. Find someone who gathered around to watch what would be called the family show or event. Describe the event and the reaction to it. ____ 12. I remember the day he/she arrived and no one expected it. Tell the story____ 13. The sounds of my garden were ______14. We had a back porch swing and I remember when ____ 15. Take us to see your neighborhood. Remember all the places you visited when you were young. ____ 16. A broken/window ____ 17. The basement or the attic, it was said that in there….____ 18. I skipped school because…..I missed school because…….____ 19. He/She were more than a neighbor….._____ 20. My place for hiding was _____ 21. My first or a memorable hair cut, shaving, or grooming experience ___ 22. Sunday was the day we ….. (pick a day if Sunday does not work.) 23. The steady visitor was….______24. The unexpected visitor was ______25. Our kitchen table always had…______26. Our first or memorable car was ……and it would…._____ 27. A backyard sport that we did was….. 28. On a quiet night we could hear….._____ 29. I brought him home to visit and ….______30. I collected pets and I will never forget….._____ 31. Tell me a typical day at your parents or guardian’s work place ____ 32. Tell me about your spoils or splendor cooking ____ 33. Knows a version of The Three Little Pigs that is not common. 34. Can make up a different ending to Little Red Riding Hood. 35. Knows a story about a foolish prince. 36. Can tell a story about a time when they found something precious. 37. Can tell us all about The Pokey Little Puppy. 38. Can name all the seven dwarves. 39. Knows who might they find it they hear Click Clack Moo. 40. Can recall the first time you learned that words make meaning. 41. Remembers a ghost story that believed (or still do) 42. Can tell a funny story about diaper changing 43. Can tell what happens when you give a mouse a cookie. 44. Knows what “the Northwest Wind” has to do with Jack 45. Who taught you how to read? 46. Can finish this sentence, “I learn to read when… 47. Can tell an untold story of Bigfoot 48. Knows who “Stole the Golden Arm” 49. Can tell the other story of Pinocchio. 50. What is an example of how you struggled to read? 51. Can recall the first book you can say you read by yourself.
Basics of Storytelling: Giving Gifts By: Kevin Cordi
Giving Gifts: The Basics of Storytelling
All of us wonder about things: Why is the sky blue? Why does the Sun rise in the east? Why does hair color differ from one person to the next? The list is endless.
Before written language, natural phenomena were explained in stories. This explanatory aspect makes storytelling an ideal teaching tool. Stories can be used to identify unfamiliar terms and broach new ideas. They can be used to present culture. They can be used to enrich our lives. Using no media other than the imagination, we can instruct and entertain for hours through the art of telling and teaching stories.
Crafting the Story A Cheyenne storyteller once said, "Stories are gifts. It us up to us to GIVE and receive them." Every gift of a story contains three elements:
1. The Beginning: Unwrapping. Special gifts are always wrapped, making the recipient eager to find out what’s inside. As you prepare a short story, try to ensure that the beginning does not delay the exposition of the action; instead, it should grab the reader from the first sentence or, better yet, from the very first word. Avoid the use of predictable beginnings such as "Once upon a time." Instead, inject some unexpected flavor: "Once when there was no time, ...."
2. The Gift. The present revealed when the wrapping is removed should satisfy the recipient’s eagerness to open it. Just as the story beginning builds anticipation, the middle of the tale should resolve it. To be effective, a story must have conflict and a dominant idea or purpose. In addition to relating a problem and its solution, a memorable tale must convey some sort of mission. Try not to ram this down your listeners’ throats-instead, guide them on a journey of discovery that leads them to uncover the mission for themselves.
3. The Conclusion: Rewrapping. Like a precious gift carefully stowed away, stories should be "rewrapped" for savoring later on. Avoid predictable endings such as "The End." Instead, try to leave the listener with an intriguing or provocative conclusion. Stories neatly rewrapped become gifts for another day.
Telling the Story Keep these guidelines in mind as you prepare to give the gift of your story:
1. Don’t be ordinary, be extraordinary! No one wants to hear a story unless you have made it your own. Storytelling implies proprietorship; there’s nothing wrong with "owning" your version of a tale.
2. Use "color" words. Paint word pictures in the listener’s mind: "On the grassy, windblown savanna lived a mangy lion with a single tooth."
3. Practice. Until you feel comfortable telling your story, practice telling it again and again.
4. Don’t memorize. No need to memorize your story?just let it pour out of you. Most storytellers concentrate not on the words but on the moment. Even forgetting a sequence of events is forgivable?as long as you create an indelible image. 5. Read and listen. Read loads of stories and listen to the stories that other people tell. Consider yourself a detective or an explorer; your mission is to investigate as many stories as you can. Eventually you’ll find the one that’s right for you to tell.
6. Follow a path. As you tell a story, listen to what you are creating. Make sure you are heading in a direction that leads to the purpose of the story.
7. Write stories. Storytelling and writing are the twin children of narrative expression. The more you write, the more creative you will become at telling stories. And the more stories you tell, the more ideas you will get for writing them.
When you tell someone a story, you give them a gift that no one else can. Share your gifts far and wide!
The ABC of Drama Dr. Brian Edmiston
To remember key aspects of planning, I think of the ABC. Then I recall that in drama we All need to agree to face a Big problem that we all Care about.
Firstly, ALL begin in the same role. It is much more effective if everyone imagines, for example, that they are zookeepers rather than all the different people who might work in a zoo. You can simply ask the students, “Can we all agree to imagine that we look after animals in the zoo?” At the same time you can reveal “our problem,” for example, that a tiger cub has escaped. You may want to begin by adopting a role which is different from the students in order to present the problem to them. For A example, you may be a person who thinks she has seen a tiger in a city park. However, even if you do initially take on a different role, you will soon want to take on the same
role as the students in order to explore implications of the problem with them. The
initial shared role is likely to be one which will remain central if drama work is sustained over time. However, everyone need not stay in the same role throughout. Students may adopt different functions or roles later if these are needed. For example, some may imagine that they are those responsible for handling the animals, those who speak to the press on the behalf of the zoo, or people in the city who think they have seen the tiger cub.
Secondly, find a BIG problem to face. Problem feels bigger when, for example, they are urgent, difficult, dangerous, mysterious, or secret. Zoo keepers who have lost a tiger cub feel they have a much bigger problem to face than zoo keepers who feed animals or who plan a new feline enclosure. This is not to say that these latter examples could not engage a class. I am making the point that big problems can sustain work over server hours or even weeks. In drama we want students to think deeply and B consider alternative courses of action and their implications for others. The bigger the problem, the more difficulties there are to deal with and the more possibilities there are for action and reflection. If a tiger cub has escaped, then where might she go and how many ways are there to recapture her without anyone getting hurt? The problem will be more acute if the cub is hungry, if she is injured, or if we do not want to alarm the public. Dilemmas are inherent in the complexities of problems. What if the tiger cub is seen sleeping in the bushes in a children’s playground? How will we make sure that the children are moved to safely without them discovering or provoking what they may think is just a big pussy cat?
Thirdly, make sure that the whole class CARES about the problem they face. They must feel deeply enough about the problem to want to explore it together in imagination. Everyone cares about their own safety or survival. Nearly everyone cares c about animals or people (especially children) who are in danger or in need. So a tiger cub that might injure humans is a problem nearly any class would care about. It is essential both to plan around what students care about and to check that students continue to care about their work, because if the students do not care about the problem they are pretending to face then the drama will soon be over for them. If some students seem to care less about one aspect of the problem than others, then try to find out what they do care about; some may care more about getting toddlers in a playground to safety then those who are working out how far the tiger cub might jump. It is also important to remember that one group may only care slightly about a problem that another group cares deeply about. A group of young children who love looking after animals in their pre-school might care a great deal about how zookeepers would feed animals in the zoo High school design students might care much more about planning a new enclosure for tigers than they would planning to capture an escaped cub.
I always plan more engaging work when I remember to keep these three ideas in mind. I hope you find the ABC of drama useful.
www.kevincordi.com
Tell ME: Talking about Stories to develop literacy, community and writing practices:
By Dr. Kevin Cordi
“Ours is a talkative age. Never before have people talked so much. The telephone, radio, movies, television, audio and video recording have all increased our opportunities for speaking to one another not only when we are together but across distance and across time as well.” --Aidan Chambers, Tell Me, p. 1 (not to mention web based platforms and social networking)
We are a talkative age, but is there a way to use talk to promote story writing and community in the classroom?
Chambers suggest instead of asking “why” we should ask children and young adults to “Tell me.”
He notes that when we ask why it does two things:
1. “First, it is a catch-all-question, too big to answer all at once.” (p. 41). 2. “..the question “why” gives you no help. (p. 41). A child shares a story about a wolf that lost a tooth. Instead of saying “why did you start with this?” Instead, say, Tell me about the wolf. We need to remember by concentrating on the details and personalizing the story, we build “story memory” (Cordi, 2009). Story memory consists of visual pictures that help students enter the story and imagine the story in the present time. As teachers, our questions can help them move to story memory. Ask them questions that allow them to “paint the story” for you and for them.
Painting a story is showing the story. As the story is refined, you can work with the student on “showing” how something happens instead of simply telling what happened. “Show me by your description that the wolf is in pain.” Instead of saying, the wolf is in pain. This is achieved by students and the teacher retelling the story to others.
Taking about stories helps us engage in a co-creative process of making the stories. When we share in the story making process by talking about it, we learn more. “An understanding of meaning isn’t arrived at straightaway and all at once. It is discovered, negotiated, made, arrived at organically as more specific and practical questions are discussed.” (p. 43.)
How do we engage in conversation when working with students to create stories? Our first impulse, if the children have a basic understanding on the writing process, is to brainstorm or write their ideas down so they can generate thoughts. Then students work on a rough draft, passing it on to the teacher for comments and from these comments a final draft if produced.
Don’t rush the writing process. Use TELL ME to paint the story so that it can be written.
However, I would suggest that this is a time to wrestle with another person and talk over ideas. One of the most effective ways is to talk it out, especially if there is a problem attached to the work. As Vygotsky (1978) said, when children engage is problem based work, they are a “head taller” in their learning.
Secure a Space for Oral Story Sharing
Narrative is a way students make meaning to their lives. Why not provide story spaces where they can play with story ideas? Why do we quickly regulate them to a desk to write down the ideas when they may need to wrestle and play with possible beginnings and endings? How much feedback can they receive when they wrote by themselves and turn in much later for the teacher’s advice. Instead, students need to actively engage in telling process before stepping into the writing process.
The Retelling Process
As Roe, Alfred & Smith (1998) note in Teaching through Stories, retelling is more than restating a story.
“A retelling is quite different from a summary. Unlike a summary, in which a student is asked to condense a story into its basic main ideas, a retelling requires a student to reproduce the story with detail, characterization, and style. Retelling integrates one’s own style with another’s story.” (p. 85).
Plot Obsession
However, in retelling we must avoid simply telling asking about the plot. As Donald Davis (2000) calls the danger of “plot obsession.” (p. 61). We need to avoid asking “what happened.” Plot is not as excited as character and conflict. As Davis asks, can we even see plot? Instead, let us look at if Little Red was in the Hood (a story my students created) or from the hood. Was she a street smart girl who carried a cell phone for emergencies or was she naïve? These questions help us understand her behavior. We begin with “Tell me” from a sincere interest to know and we can watch our students stories grow.
As Haven (1999) states in Write Right starting with plot “bypasses the foundation of story.” (p. 5)
The story, like a house, cannot stand without a solid foundation. The foundation if found in specific core character information. Plot must be subservient to, and built upon, these character concepts. Begin stories with the question, “Whom will my story be about?” (p. 5).
Practicing the Tell ME Process
Let us play with these ideas:
For five minutes write everything you can about one of the following topics: One of the habits of my grandparents (substitute any person that fits) I broke my arm, tooth…. No one told me he/she was coming Wait until you are instructed to begin. (Then we will experiment with “TELL ME” as a process of working together using character.) Ideas to Play with Story Making and Storytelling By Professional Storyteller Kevin D. Cordi www.kevincordi.com
(for classroom use, see me for publication) Set the Tone
Storytelling Promise
Before each meeting, practice, or storytelling engagement with kids, you should establish tradition with your kids or young adults. One way to do this is to begin with a ritual saying. Others could be lighting a candle, moving to a special place, ringing a bell etc…Here is one such saying. This form of tradition helps kids know that storytelling has its own place and expectations.
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1. Storytelling Logos
You should have been provided a piece of paper and a crayon. Take the next three minutes to think of yourself as a storyteller. Think what makes you a storyteller. Draw either an image or just a mood of you as a storyteller. Then, share your logos with at least three other people and explain the images or allow them to explain them to you.
2. Storytelling Appointments
On another piece of paper write down four major appointments that a story character would have. Then turn to a neighbor and tell the story of that character using the appointment dates to start. For example, what appointments would Sleeping Beauty have to keep or make? Would she make them? Or would she just sleep them off…
3. Storytelling Gossip
Take a story that you hear from the neighbors of the person in the story. Tell the story pretending that you are around a huge gossip vine. For example, tell the story of the King Has Donkey Ears from the gossip that has been going around. Have each person, yes you play more than one person or you can choose to do this as a group, add something new or even something we have not heard about. Did you know that Genevieve is making eyes at Lancelot?
4. Name Tell
Have kids and/or young adults form groups or a whole circle and tell the story having each character call on someone name in the group or circle. However, caution the students about not making fun of someone but having fun. Explain the difference. With a little preparation, this story goes over well. Have students wear nametags if they do not know everyone. You can also have them repeat the names in each exercise.
5. Alphabet Tell
Either using the student’s first or last name have the students tell the story in a circle or small group but students can stop mid story. If the story break is at a word beginning with the student’s first or last name, whatever you decide, then that student picks it up. ***However in all chain stories I have the three-second rule. If the story does not continue in three seconds, be liberal about the time, then the story begins again. Objective: Have everyone tell a story.
6. Animal Telling with Different Noises
Have students tell stories using the chain method about animals but each animal make a sound when their name is called. However, the animal needs to have a different sound than usual. Objective: Have everyone tell a story.
My philosophy about Mistakes: They happen. They are not as important as keeping the story alive! Keep this in mind.
7. Charades with Story Characters With Freeze
This is the same as charades, however students can yell freeze and if the student has partners, the partners can come in on the game once the student freeze. Once the student arrives, the game continues.
8. For Sale ---Stories and Classifieds
Pick a story object or character from a story and sell it. As though you were a good door-to-door salesperson, have fun selling the story. The students can guess but they should only guess after your sales pitch is finished. Have students auction to buy afterwards, giving reasons for their purchase.
9. Stretching the Truth
Have students share a story that is all true except for one thing or tell a story that is all false except for one thing. Students will have fun guessing what is stretched and what is not.
10. Where Were You?
Pick a story that has many characters or could have many characters and complete the statements “Where were you when Alice met the Rabbit?” Have students generate as far-fetched answers, at the same time staying true to events in the story that can when sharing their answers. Students can also do this for real events. Where were you on the Fourth of July?
11. What Folded Stories Do You Have?
Everyone should pull out his or her folded wallets, knapsacks, purses, etc. and pick two items they store away and explain why they keep them.
12. Magic Wand Creation Story
You have just found a magic wand that allows you to change three schools, home, or work related activities. You can change anything that you want. Tell the story of those changes.
13. Storytelling Tag:
A small or large group gets ready to tell a story but they tell it in a “tag fashion.” The storyteller walks around “walking and talking” while telling a story and when that person taps another person on the shoulder that person continues to tell the same story while “walking and talking.” All other tellers remain still until he or she is tapped.
14. Cell or Ring Tell
In a large group or small group tell a story as one long party call. Each person takes turns talking on the phone and when he or she are ready to tell they announce “ring ring” and if the person acknowledges the ring they continue to tell the story. However, this can be a “tandem telling” but can allow for more callers. It is important to remember the story is central. When the story seems grounded then other people can call and take the story on new directions.
15. Map Find or Telling
Often students would enjoy a sense of direction when telling a story. Using something as simply as a road map have the group open up the map and tell stories about the places on the map. You will be amazed at the result. You need to have enough maps for each group. They can usually be acquired at the Triple AAA station.
16. Lines on the Hand
Have each group look at the palm of their hand they write with and using those lines tell the story of their lives. Of course they can base it on true or made up events. Make sure to tell them there is not right or wrong but that they are just telling the story of their hand.
17. Photo Album Telling
Purchase a series of blank photo albums and arrange the groups into make shift families. Have each teller flip the photo album and tell a story about a picture that is in the album. The imagination is a powerful thing. Then have each teller “build from the previous memory” and tell an additional story based on that picture. The teller can also opt to tell a new picture story.
18. I Remember When (Working with Celebrity and Events)
Have each group brainstorm a list of well-known events. Then have each person play a role from the event. For example, the Macy Day Parade they were the designer. Have one group leader ask a probing question that illicit a story. They can also play the role of helping a celebrity.
For example, “Mr. Williams, as Elvis’s hair dresser can you tell me how Elvis acted in the chair.” Then each student tells a story about their role with that celebrity or event.”
19. Today I Changed the World
Have each group pick a world problem and tell the story of how they solved it. This is an idealist exercise but works very well in helping students understand issues and how cooperation can help.
For example, have a group tell the story of how they solved poverty; what was the process, which was involved. Etc…
Revisiting Little Red Riding Hood
(The differences between Little Red Riding in the Hood and Little Red)
The Basic Story (from Wikipedia)
The tale
The story revolves around a girl called Little Red Riding Hood, after the red hooded cape or cloak she wears. The girl walks through the woods to deliver food to her sick grandmother. A wolf wants to eat the girl but is afraid to do so in public. He approaches Little Red Riding Hood and she naïvely tells him where she is going. He suggests the girl pick some flowers, which she does. In the meantime, he goes to the grandmother's house and gains entry by pretending to be the girl. He swallows the grandmother whole, and waits for the girl, disguised as the grandmother.When the girl arrives, she notices he looks very strange to be her grandmother. Little Red Riding Hood then says, "What big hands you have!" In most retellings, this eventually culminates with Little Red Riding Hood saying, "My, what big teeth you have!", to which the wolf replies, "The better to eat you with," and swallows her whole, too.A hunter, however, comes to the rescue and cuts the wolf open. Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother emerge unharmed. They fill the wolf's body with heavy stones. The wolf awakens thirsty from his large meal and goes to the well to seek water, where he falls in and drowns. (Sanitized versions of the story have had the grandmother shut in the closet instead of eaten, and some have Little Red Riding Hood saved by the hunter as the wolf advances on her, rather than after she is eaten.)
First, what questions are unresolved in the text that we can explore together?
Three Windows to Red: (from Heathcote)
Teacher in Role:
*What role cold you as the teacher be to help elevate, trouble, or inform the story?
Students in Role
*What role could the students be in to help elevate, trouble, or inform the story?
Teacher and Students in Role
*What role could both of you be in to help elevate, trouble, or inform the story?
Tools to help You Engage in Role
Power---Power over, for, and with the students. Stepping in and out of role Semiotic Tools, What can symbolize what we want to create or produce? Time—we can change time to work with us. Change Role and Perspective
For more information about the work of Kevin Cordi, check out www.kevincordi.com Be sure to join the blog at www.kevincordi.com/blog “Together we make a difference with story.”