Please accept my invitation to attend the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library Christmas Open House on December 3, 2009. There is a sale of donated Christmas wreaths and centerpieces. The parade of Trees is a highlight! Approximately 24 trees are decorated by local schools and businesses. I'll be sharing stories from 6:30-7 p.m.
December 12th and December 19th, I'll be telling stories at Barnes & Noble in Starkville at noon on these two Saturdays. Children are also invited to come and let Mom and Dad take your picture with Santa. It's free so please mark your calendar now!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Meridian Fall Storytelling Festival
On October 24, 2009 the first annual storytelling festival was held in Meridian, MS.
There was a fine line up of local and regional storytellers. It was my opportunity to share stories with the children. The audience enjoyed Scat the Cat - a participation story, The Old Lady and the Pumpkin - a folktale from Bangladesh, Anansi and the Common Sense, Popcorn - a Halloween story including a costume contest that guests helped stage, along with a drawing and cutting story. We all had a ball!
Check out their website: www.msstorytellers.com. I was able to complete an interview with June Davidson afterwards that is posted there.
There was a fine line up of local and regional storytellers. It was my opportunity to share stories with the children. The audience enjoyed Scat the Cat - a participation story, The Old Lady and the Pumpkin - a folktale from Bangladesh, Anansi and the Common Sense, Popcorn - a Halloween story including a costume contest that guests helped stage, along with a drawing and cutting story. We all had a ball!
Check out their website: www.msstorytellers.com. I was able to complete an interview with June Davidson afterwards that is posted there.
Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education
I had the privilege to participate with 16 other Mississippi artists to learn more about the application process to become a part of the Mississippi Artist Roster sponsored by the Mississippi Arts Commission. It was 2 full days packed with learning experiences. Participants must apply and be accepted to attend. It is a very worthwhile time and I would recommend it.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Alabama Storytelling Association Conference
The Alabama Storytelling Association held their first annual conference in Selma, Alabama along side the Tale Telling Festival led by Kathryn Tucker Windham. It was such a pleasure to see so many storytellers together at one time sharing their stories. As one of the workshop leaders, I was able to pass on some often forgotten but engaging ways to share stories with children such as stories in mime, cutting stories with scissors, drawing stories, and more. I reminded those attending to remember the Letter "P" when telling to children. That stands for "Participation!"
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Home/School Connection
Last night I shared with parents of preschoolers ways that they can connect the learning at school to their homes. Using what I call "homemade learning" (items made with things around the house), we talked about 10 ways Mom and Dad can reinforce learning the alphabet and letter sounds, as well as other preschool concepts like colors, numbers, and shapes.
1) Take 2 empty toilet tissue rolls and wrap with construction paper to make binoculars and look around the room for the letters.
2) Take Milk Caps and write letters on them. If the child can name the letter then they can keep the cap. Also use the pieces to play the memory game.
3) Take an empty food box and cut the front panel off. Cut this panel into 6-8 pieces making a puzzle for the child to put together.
4) Fill an empty water bottle with items to promote conversation with the child. The bottle may contain pieces of colored paper. Ask the child to name a color that he sees and name a food that is the same color. The purpose of this activity is to build conversation with the child. I call these Yakity Yak Bottles.
5) Take round coffee filters and make a Learning Wheel. Write letters around the edge. Ask the child to put his finger on a certain letter.
6) Junk Mail envelopes can be used to hold letters of the alphabet. Write a word on the back of the envelope and let the child match the correct letters from inside the envelope.
7) Use empty food jars to collect words. At the end of the week pull out the strips of paper and discuss the words, their beginning sounds, and meaning.
8) Take a posicle stick and place a star on one end. Call it your Point and Say Stick. Using a book, magazine, or newspaper, point and name things, then ask your child to tell you the beginning sounds of objects in pictures.
9) Make puppets from all kinds of containers. Let the puppet ask the child questions.
10) Write the alphabet on a large piece of paper. Save transparent lids from peanut cans or other food can items. Play a game asking the child to cover the letter that you call out. Remember to ask them to name the sounds too.
Alphabet recognition and sounds are important tasks that every child must master before beginning to read.
1) Take 2 empty toilet tissue rolls and wrap with construction paper to make binoculars and look around the room for the letters.
2) Take Milk Caps and write letters on them. If the child can name the letter then they can keep the cap. Also use the pieces to play the memory game.
3) Take an empty food box and cut the front panel off. Cut this panel into 6-8 pieces making a puzzle for the child to put together.
4) Fill an empty water bottle with items to promote conversation with the child. The bottle may contain pieces of colored paper. Ask the child to name a color that he sees and name a food that is the same color. The purpose of this activity is to build conversation with the child. I call these Yakity Yak Bottles.
5) Take round coffee filters and make a Learning Wheel. Write letters around the edge. Ask the child to put his finger on a certain letter.
6) Junk Mail envelopes can be used to hold letters of the alphabet. Write a word on the back of the envelope and let the child match the correct letters from inside the envelope.
7) Use empty food jars to collect words. At the end of the week pull out the strips of paper and discuss the words, their beginning sounds, and meaning.
8) Take a posicle stick and place a star on one end. Call it your Point and Say Stick. Using a book, magazine, or newspaper, point and name things, then ask your child to tell you the beginning sounds of objects in pictures.
9) Make puppets from all kinds of containers. Let the puppet ask the child questions.
10) Write the alphabet on a large piece of paper. Save transparent lids from peanut cans or other food can items. Play a game asking the child to cover the letter that you call out. Remember to ask them to name the sounds too.
Alphabet recognition and sounds are important tasks that every child must master before beginning to read.
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