What happened to the age old art of storytelling?
Elders have traditionally relished the task of storytelling. This was the primary way for life lessons to be taught and history to be recorded before stories could be transcribed into a written language. As a result of the invention of the printing press, literacy became more important in society and storytelling began to wane. Today, with the explosion of technology, communication has become even less personal with email, texting, and such. So much is transferred through electronic mediums instead of coming from the voice of a loving family member. Storytelling has become a lost art.
Does storytelling still have a place in the classroom?
When completing the 8th grade writing portfolio, my students have to write a memoir as one of their required writing pieces. Getting started always seems to be the toughest part. Because many "Elders" do not tell family stories any longer, my students never seem to know how to begin their story. I have tried a number of strategies, but the one I find most successful is before they ever know they will have to write, they illustrate a childhood memory. Once they have the memory drawn as a picture, I have them partner up and tell one another the stories. At this point they are ready to write and feel confident that they can retell the story in writing. Once they have an adequate rough draft, we edit, revise and publish the finished writing pieces and attach the illustration. Storytelling, literacy and writing are all tied together.
As an educator I tell stories everyday to introduce literature, writing concepts or character education. I find that my students are always engaged during that phase of the lesson. I am not sure why. Perhaps it is an opportunity to see me as a “real” person instead of just the teacher. Maybe it’s the connection they make or background knowledge they build that helps with the topic. Whatever the cause, storytelling is an essential and engaging part of teaching.
The boys in the article, Chol, Ezra, and Francis adapted their skills as oral storytellers to facilitate learning to read and write. The profound importance here is the preservation of their personal stories and traditions. Now, many of these families are broken and destroyed by years of violence. While everything else is gone, the memories cannot be taken from them. Healing will come to these boys through storytelling and by sharing with others the suffering they endured. By telling their stories the world is learning about the past, present and future of the Lost Boys.
Karen Chester
Comments (6)
I think it is a great idea to have students illustrate a memory before writing. I have the same problem when I ask my students to write memoirs...perhaps I'll try this next year.
I also think that storytelling was essential to the Lost Boys survival. They had grown up hearing the stories, and now plucked from their home and put in a new country, they needed to tell their stories to survive the trauma. This custom was instilled in them, and they needed to use their voices to deal with their tragedies.
Posted by jennifer wagoner | June 17, 2010 8:41 AM
Posted on June 17, 2010 08:41
I loved how you had your students illustrate a memory and then tell a friend about the memory before writing. This I'm sure put your students at ease and made them more comfortable when writing their memoir.
I am so glad we read this article. Without individuals like Ezra, Chol, and Francis willing to share their stories people from other countries would not have the opportunity to learn about their culture. My heart filled with sorrow as well as pride for these young men. Through the art of storytelling I now know a little bit about Sudan and the "Lost Boys." Pam Aubuchon
Posted by Pam Aubuchon | June 17, 2010 10:42 AM
Posted on June 17, 2010 10:42
I think that having your students see you as real person is important. I remember that when I was a beginning teacher I actually had a child who thought I lived at school! I began telling stories about my family, my likes and dislikes, my home, etc. and I think it helped him to see that I was just like him- a real person. I have continued to try to bring who I am as a person into my class each year, and I have found that the personal stories I tell are often the things that stick with the students from year to year.
-Elizabeth Norwood
Posted by Elizabeth Norwood | June 17, 2010 12:34 PM
Posted on June 17, 2010 12:34
I loved your idea of having the student illustrate their story and then tell it to a partner before they begin. I think too often in upper grades illustrations are looked upon as frivoulous acts. I love that you implement that into your class. I also agreed with your comment about how no matter what is taken from these "lost boys" their memories can not be. I think that is true of all of us and that is why it is important to share our stories.
Posted by Katie Templeton | June 17, 2010 12:44 PM
Posted on June 17, 2010 12:44
I am so glad to see that even in the upper grades illustrations are still used in telling stories. In the primary grades they are a major component in teaching a child how to become a writer. Once the child has an illustration, it is like they are free to express themselves through its use. I'm glad to see that even as our children grow up, they can continue to use this strategy in their storytelling.
Posted by Nikki Leggins | June 17, 2010 9:55 PM
Posted on June 17, 2010 21:55
Karen,
I also introduce new writing concepts or literature by telling a personal story about myself and I also find my students paying MORE attention to me when I'm doing this. They LOVE to hear stories I tell about myself. I think they like to think of me as a real person instead of a teacher- which is a very hard concept for 1st graders to embrace. I really think it's important for teachers to connect to their students in this personal way. It made me happy to read that a middle school teacher like yourself continues doing this in the upper grades. I'm sure it's probably tougher to do this in middle school, but I think it probably is worth it- to take the time to make that connection. Marsha Warren
Posted by Marsha Warren | June 18, 2010 9:30 PM
Posted on June 18, 2010 21:30