Storytelling takes practice

  Storytelling... It takes practice.

As a team, teachers have been working on strengthening oral language within our environment.  With the recent opportunity for children to hear stories from reknowned storyteller Tanya Batt they were keen to create their own stories. 

As a teacher my inquiry has been focused on better understanding, responding to, and effectively supporting children’s oral language learning.  As part of this I have been offering opportunities for children to engage in storytelling.  With a basket full of props and a space dedicated to one child at a time I sat and listened and observed to see what would happen, to hear children’s stories, and encourage their peers to listen too.

Some stories were silent, some stories were full of movement and expression, and some stories were full of descriptive language.  Some stories were whispered, some were loud and bold.  Some children’s stories were filled with snippets of their lived experiences, and their knowledge of the wider world.  Some storytellers asked a friend for support,  and some were content to explore the resources independently.  Some stories became a problem solving role play, full of emotion and good solutions.  Some children sang their stories, utilising familiar songs to create a story.  All children role modelled for others different ways to tell a story.  Every child involved was a teacher and a learner in this shared experience.

Each child approached the task in their own unique way.  Many children sat and listened to the stories of others for a long time.  Many children incorporated other children’s ideas into their own stories, in many instances after watching and listening to their peer’s story the child would re-enact the same story and then add their own ideas to the end of it. The story grew and changed as each child had a turn, almost like how the story changes when it is whispered to one another in a familiar whispering game.

Lachie you are a storyteller!  Your story was full volume, full expression, and full joy!  I love the way you approach everything in life with gusto Lachie.  He tino kaingākau koe Lachie, you are a real treasure.  You work so hard to communicate with others here at Kindergarten.  You show your appreciation of our listening with the biggest smiles when we understand you.  You utilise so many non verbal communication strategies to support your spoken language.  Your face tells us more than your words sometimes.  You express yourself in so many ways.  

Kia kaha Lachie, you are a communicator. You are an amazing storyteller with a vivid imagination, a wicked sense of humour and so much joy to share.

Tova you are an amazing storyteller!  You approached this opportunity with such joy and enthusiasm. It was contagious!  Kelsea watched and listened with so much anticipation.  Your sense of humour shone through as your characters engaged in playful problem solving.  You know so much about talking through problems and finding solutions.  We often notice you supporting your peers with problem solving , you are so friendly.  It was fascinating to listen to the language and strategies you were using in our story. 

It has been so special learning alongside you here at Kindergarten Tova.  You tackle new challenges with vigour and joy, and always give everything 110%.   You are amazing. 

Kelsea you were fascinated by your friend Tova’s captivated story.  You listened with anticipation... watching her every move, laughing at her humour, and waiting patiently for a turn.  It was tricky to do the waiting, you really wanted a turn.

Your story when you began seemed very familiar... You were able to recreate Tova’s story almost word for word, detail for detail.  Tova’s heart glowed as she sat beside you watching and listening.  When you added your own twists and humour to the story the pair of you joyfully laughed together.

Sometimes waiting for a turn and listening to our friends leads to all sorts of fun.

Georgia it was so awesome to see you have a go at something new today.  Your story was silent to begin with, but we could see the joy in your eyes.  When your friend Tova came and sat next to you your story grew into whispers, and your confidence grew.  You are a storyteller Georgia, kia kaha!

   

                                         

It was Abel’s turn to tell a story… he had waited so patiently for a turn.  He sat in the hot seat and hesitated. We sat quietly, allowing him time and space to figure things out.  

Noticing his friend’s hesitation Oliver quietly asked “Do you want me to help you Bro? We can do it together?”.  This kindness and support was all that Abel needed, and working together with Oliver he enthusiastically engaged in a storytelling game.  

Sometimes all we need is a friend.

Briggette, you are a storytelling leader!  You have grasped the concept of explaining what your characters are doing in the story, of telling your audience what is happening.  Your stories often begin with familiar story lines from songs, especially the monkeys jumping on the bed.  You take time to think about each character’s role.  The Doctor and the fairies are kind and helpful, the cats chase the mouse, the dogs chase the cats.  You incorporate your real world knowledge into your stories too.  Your  oral language skills have grown so much these past few months.  You have so many stories to share.

Mā te tika o te mahi i roto i te pono me te aroha ka eke ki ngā taumata o te ora... Integrity, honour and passion will ensure success.  Briggette you are a passionate storyteller, you love to perform for others and to make yourself heard.  Through this passion you are capable of leading your own oral language learning journey.  Practice, practice, practice... You are amazing!

Titiro, Whakarongo...Kōrero! 

Look, Listen...Speak!

Taking the time to watch and listen to the stories of others before speaking, afforded children the opportunity to hear the ideas of others and add different storytelling strategies and knowledge to their own unique stories.  

I wonder what stories we will see and hear next time...

Written by Julia, August 2023 

Introducing Tanya Batt... Storyteller Extraordinaire

 

Te Whāriki (2017) states “one of the major cultural tasks for children in the early years is to develop competence and understanding of language.” As such, oral language and communication are a priority within our learning environment at Bream Bay Kindergarten.

 

It was with greatly anticipated pleasure that recently we welcomed renowned performance storyteller Tanya Batt to provide children an opportunity to experience the awe and wonder of a master storyteller, who weaves together story, movement and music.

By her own admission, Tanya Batt is a self-confessed story-lover from Waiheke Island, Aotearoa, New Zealand. “She is a word warbler, tale teacher, seed sower and story stitcher who channeled her childhood propensity for talking and her love of dressing up into a real ‘imaginary job’. Stories have put food on her table and a roof over her head for thirty years enabling her to share her work in more than twenty countries. She is the creative director of the ‘Once Upon An Island Charitable Trust’ that uses storytelling for community, building environmental and cultural education” (imaginedworlds.com)

“Listening children know stories are there. When their elders sit and begin, children are just waiting and hoping for one to come out, like a mouse from its hole” (Eudora Welty.)

 

Such is the magic of Tanya Batt, that from the moment she started to speak and tell her story, she captured the attention and captivated the minds of our tamariki, keeping them engaged and entertained for a sustained period of time. The children hung from her every word, she had them eating out of the palm of her hand. The fun and joy was evidenced on the faces of the tamariki.

It was a full body, interactive storytelling event, and in no time at all Tanya Batt had the tamariki;

singing and clapping...

 lying on their backs with feet in the air...

flying around the room...   

locating insects…

and gobbling them all up.

“Storytelling is valuable for children's language, emotional development, coping, self-concept, and sense of belonging” (E Reese, 2013.)

And then there were also the bat games, where tamariki dressed up as a bat by wearing a bat mask and then used their new-found knowledge about ‘echolocation’ to find another child who was pretending to be a hiding insect. (A bat-tastic version of the classic children’s game ‘Marco Polo.’)

The tamariki at kindergarten do love a good story, and to see a story come to life before their very eyes was a truly amazing experience. To become part of that story enhanced the experience. 

“Even without the modern neurological research that proves storytelling is the best way to capture people’s attention, bake information into their memories, and forge close, personal bonds, humanity has always inherently known that people crave and seek out great stories almost as much as food and water” (Clifford Chi, 2019.)

  Tanya, Pete, Bat Lamb and their stellar cast of supporting characters had us all mesmerised with their show 'Bats Incredible'; a collection of stories and songs all about the fascinating and intriguing world of bats.

We were entertained. 

We were informed. 

We thoroughly enjoyed having them in our space.

Our final words belong to the storyteller herself, Tanya Batt (2006); “Whenever we tell a story, we open ourselves to others, we communicate and share something about ourselves, and invite a response, either spoken or unspoken from our listeners. Stories always give rise to other stories."