Children as Storytellers
As soon as our application to become a Creative Partnerships Change School was successful we worked with our Creative Agent Sarah Allen to develop our ‘Children as Storytellers’ project. Advertisements were put in the press and eventually the School Council interviewed a number of artists - dancers, storytellers, musicians and dramatists. They chose Pascale Konyn to be our resident storyteller.
The aim of the project is to stimulate children’s imaginations so much that they are able to invent stories and be able to share them in the oral tradition. Such an experience also helps develop self confidence and speaking and listening skills as well as provide opportunities to work collaboratively!
Pascale spent a week working with each year group. Each class were taken on an visit to a place as a stimulus – Crook Hall and Gardens, Hamsterly Forest, Souter lighthouse, Bowes Museum., Rainton Meadows, Sea Life Centre and ‘Down at the Farm’. Back in the classroom children were involved in an art based activity such as making a sculpture out of natural materials, wooden spoon puppets, 3D gardens and underwater worlds, shadow puppets, mini beasts sculptures and clay models. Children worked in small groups with Pascale to create their group story which was then shared with parents and grandparents at the end of the week.
Children went on the further develop their oral stories by making animations and recording their stories in book form.
Teachers had the opportunity to watch Pascale as she worked with the children and see how the visit and the art activity supported the process of the creation of the stories and they will plan to use these techniques next term.
The whole project has been wonderfully successful!
To celebrate we held a storytelling event for parents and governors. An impressive display was made of the art work and the stories created by children. Stories were told by Pascale, Chris Bostock and groups of pupils.
Below are some links to our visits and work...
Year 2 Visit Souter Lighthouse
We are all eager to continue with year two of the Change School Project and are thinking of ways we can build on what we have achieved this year. Watch this space!
