New Term Session 3

New Term  Session 3

A bit more difficult this time.

When I arrived they were already sitting in the story-corner, playing some game. This made things a bit chaotic as I had to squeeze through to get to my chair and make room for my basket and for BumbleBee.

I have devised a way of sorting all the essential props for each story into separate bags or boxes inside my large basket - easing my stress as I know exactly where to find everything.

As usual, the Tibetan cymbals worked their charm and helped the group to calm down. I asked them if they wanted a scary story - of course they all agreed! So I told the simple Dark Dark Cat jump story... interesting... most of them have no concept of 'scary' at all. It was impossible to build the tension, though they did laugh at the 'jump' ending.

Next was the Five Threads story. All the props now live in a very pretty box... and that is what most interested the children. This time they wanted to touch everything. I am still not sure how to handle this. I've just had an idea... perhaps if I take a tray with me and place all the props for the story on the tray so that they can look at them and touch, if necessary, before I start to tell. My theatre instinct makes me want to hide the props so that each entrance is a surprise, but perhaps that is wrong for this age group. So I will experiment with a tray next week.

The third story was The Magic Porridge Pot - again the children wanted to touch everything - and there are lots of props in the story. By now the youngest ones were getting restless. It was time for them to go off and do something else.

But the older ones insisted on another story before we finished. Fortunately I had put an extra one in the basket - Why the Cock Crows to call the Sun - it is a simple tale with some attractive props - a soft, bright sun, a duck, a rooster and a tiny bird. The bird sings when I squeeze him and that really fascinated them more than the story.

As I left there was a loud, long chorus of cries of 'Goodbye Storyteller'

I am learning! It is not easy - I think I expect too much from them as an audience.