I smile from ear to ear when I look back at these stories. From original stories to retellings of favorites, storytelling has so much value with young children! We're just starting up with bookmaking this school year, so I was inspired to put together this little preschool storytelling film festival. All of these videos have come from various classes I worked with in the past five years. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label children's stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children's stories. Show all posts
04 February 2014
13 December 2011
Storytelling
For the first time ever, I am having children dictate stories in the classroom. Everyday, when we sit down for our meeting, I take out the storytelling notebook and ask who would like to tell a story. Out of the 10-12 children who at school by this time, most of them are eager to tell a story.
Some mornings get a bit hectic, and since I am alone in the preschool room most of the time, we don't always have a chance to tell stories. But when we do, I approach the children who have signed up for storytelling and invite them to tell me their story. I'll often ask a child who is in between activities rather than taking a child out of something they are really engaged with.
All sort of themes are shared and we touch upon just about every topic imaginable over the course of a week. But the name of the game us typically repetition - at least right now it is. Children tell the same stories day after day, or feature the same characters. Take B's stories, for example.
Some mornings get a bit hectic, and since I am alone in the preschool room most of the time, we don't always have a chance to tell stories. But when we do, I approach the children who have signed up for storytelling and invite them to tell me their story. I'll often ask a child who is in between activities rather than taking a child out of something they are really engaged with.
All sort of themes are shared and we touch upon just about every topic imaginable over the course of a week. But the name of the game us typically repetition - at least right now it is. Children tell the same stories day after day, or feature the same characters. Take B's stories, for example.
10/30/11
Katie fell down. And then she cried. Then she bumped her head and then she
cried. Katie fell down. The teacher came and she was
happy! And then she played with
Chip Chip. And then she
cried. The End.
11/2/11
Katie fell down. And then she cried. And then she bumped her head. And then she cried. And she fell down in the chair. And then she cried. Then she bumped her head! And then she fell down on the
chair. The End.
11/3/11
Katie fell down. And she bumped her head and then she
cried. And then she got up, and
then she bumped her head. And then
she fell down on the chair. And
then she bumped…her…head. And then
she fell on the chair. Then she
bumped her head! And then she
cried. Cry cry cry cry cry cry. The End.
11/4/11
Katie fell down and she
bumped her head and then she cried.
And she fell down on the chari, and then she fell down on the
chair. Then she bumped her
head. The End.
11/9/11
Katie fell down. Mommy likes me. And she does! And then she bring me to school, and then she did. The End.
11/14/11
Katie fell down and she
bumped her head, and then she cried.
And then she fell down on the chair and she cried. The End!
She continues to tell that story every time she tells me she has a story to tell. J usually tells me a story about Buzz Lightyear; G tells stories about things that happen at her house. S retells Itchy Itchy Chicken Pox
each time she dictates a story.
What I love about storytelling this way is how children open up as they have these opportunities for oral language. I love how excited they get when I read the stories from the day to the whole group, and the group claps for the author.
I have definitely been inspired by Vivian Gussin Paley's books, but I have not taken the plunge into the acting out of stories after they are written. I feel like that is the next step, though. Another way we can continue promoting storytelling is through pre-made books that children illustrate and then read to the class at a group time. I have seen children get really into that form of storytelling, and that also promotes more mark-making, drawing, and writing. I have documented many of the stories I've been told on video - here is one of my favorites.
It is important to remember that the children in my classroom now are significantly younger than the ones in my last class, but that makes it more exciting, perhaps - I'm not quite sure what to expect, and it is probably better that way!
each time she dictates a story. What I love about storytelling this way is how children open up as they have these opportunities for oral language. I love how excited they get when I read the stories from the day to the whole group, and the group claps for the author.
I have definitely been inspired by Vivian Gussin Paley's books, but I have not taken the plunge into the acting out of stories after they are written. I feel like that is the next step, though. Another way we can continue promoting storytelling is through pre-made books that children illustrate and then read to the class at a group time. I have seen children get really into that form of storytelling, and that also promotes more mark-making, drawing, and writing. I have documented many of the stories I've been told on video - here is one of my favorites.
It is important to remember that the children in my classroom now are significantly younger than the ones in my last class, but that makes it more exciting, perhaps - I'm not quite sure what to expect, and it is probably better that way!
08 June 2011
Storytelling Inspiration
I just came across this blog post about Hoxton Street Monster Supplies in London. This really seems like a wonderful way to promote the young writer's imagination.
Inspired by 826 Valencia and founded by Nick Hornby, the Ministry of Stories runs the monster supply shop as an inspiration for writers. Volunteer teachers and writers mentor young writers at the Ministry of Stories. A lovely quote from their website: "The best results are achieved by making writing seriously playful".
I love storytelling in the classroom and the way that young children's imaginations create stories, combining their experiences in real life with stories they have heard and their own fantastic ideas and word explorations. It makes me wonder - why does 826 only start working with children from the age of six, and why does the Ministry of Stories only start working with children from eight?
Teachers of young children promote writing in different ways, trying to spark creativity. Some take down children's dictation in the form of oral stories and then read them aloud again to the children. Some write the children's words down on a picture that the child has drawn and then talks about. In the past few years, I have been providing pre-made books that the children write and draw their stories in, and then they read their books at the end of the day to the class (if they want). I try to pull children aside to read them to me, also, so I can get a preview. I'm also really interested in the way that some children keep the same story - sometimes verbatim - every time they read. Other children make a story up as they go along and change it each time. I find that is most common when the children make marks or shapes on the pages that are not meant to be "something" - they often write stories for the pleasure of getting up in front of the class and sharing. I obviously can't make these generalizations about all children - this is how writing works with the children I work with right now.
Below is a story from today - this is the very youngest student in the class, 4 years and 2 months old. She read the story again later, to a friend, and she told it just the same. Tomorrow she'll be sharing it with the class, and I'm interested to find out if it stays the same or changes.
Inspired by 826 Valencia and founded by Nick Hornby, the Ministry of Stories runs the monster supply shop as an inspiration for writers. Volunteer teachers and writers mentor young writers at the Ministry of Stories. A lovely quote from their website: "The best results are achieved by making writing seriously playful".
I love storytelling in the classroom and the way that young children's imaginations create stories, combining their experiences in real life with stories they have heard and their own fantastic ideas and word explorations. It makes me wonder - why does 826 only start working with children from the age of six, and why does the Ministry of Stories only start working with children from eight?
Teachers of young children promote writing in different ways, trying to spark creativity. Some take down children's dictation in the form of oral stories and then read them aloud again to the children. Some write the children's words down on a picture that the child has drawn and then talks about. In the past few years, I have been providing pre-made books that the children write and draw their stories in, and then they read their books at the end of the day to the class (if they want). I try to pull children aside to read them to me, also, so I can get a preview. I'm also really interested in the way that some children keep the same story - sometimes verbatim - every time they read. Other children make a story up as they go along and change it each time. I find that is most common when the children make marks or shapes on the pages that are not meant to be "something" - they often write stories for the pleasure of getting up in front of the class and sharing. I obviously can't make these generalizations about all children - this is how writing works with the children I work with right now.
Below is a story from today - this is the very youngest student in the class, 4 years and 2 months old. She read the story again later, to a friend, and she told it just the same. Tomorrow she'll be sharing it with the class, and I'm interested to find out if it stays the same or changes.
02 May 2011
27 May 2010
A New Story Collaboration
The children dictated this story as a group today. It includes so many of the popular themes from this year: princesses, fairy tales, action, and people saying "no" when you ask them to play.
Robin and Katie
Robin and Katie go to forest and they see what’s happening. The dragons come! Then, they kill the dragon. They saw a fair, and so they went to it. They rode on golden horses, and then they got lollies and strawberries.
Then Katie was all alone – she was driving all alone and then she crashed in a car and she hurt herself.
Then Robin turned to a Princess, and Cinderella come. They found a fairy. The fairy flew with Cinderella. Then, the horses came back and the Princess came back. Then, Robin and Katie saw another princess and they wanted to play with her, but she said no because she was going to her house. And then she found a princess and she say, “Can I play with you?” And she said no.
Robin and Katie find each other again, and Robin is find Cinderella. Cinderella said, “What’s going on?” and Robin said, “Nothing.”
Then, there was a tree and the tree bite the fairy, and then she’s gone! Then Katie turned to a princess and then Cinderella was to the mean fairy to be killed. The horses changed to princesses.
And then Robin was be happy ever after with Cinderella and Katie, too. Snow White is come and say to Robin, “What’s happening? Something’s happening. Trees eat me!”
The End
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