Earlier this month I told the story of Frog and Snake for the first time. This folktale of the Ekoi people from the Cameroon and Nigeria deals with the concept of taught prejudice, making it as relevant today as when it was first told. In the story, a young frog and snake meet and become… Read more »
folktales
New Program for Hispanic Heritage Month!
Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th. The month is set aside as a time to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. As many of you may know, Hispanic heritage and culture is something… Read more »
Why Teens Need Stories
A few weeks ago I arrived at church early since my husband was playing in the worship band that morning. Just as I’d settled into one of the pews to listen, three little girls came up to me and asked me if I would go into the multipurpose room with them so they could get… Read more »
I Should Have Known Better: The Deep Engagement of Children with Story
I should have known better. I have been doing interactive storytelling for a few years now. I even teach workshops about it and am always quick to point out how involved children become in the stories. And yet, what happened last week caught me off guard. I was telling an Asian folktale about two siblings…. Read more »
Change for Haiti: 5th Graders Making a Difference
At the end of last year, I received a grant from Arts In Stark to take one of my storytelling programs to the 5th graders at Stinson Elementary in Canal Fulton. One of the things that I love about telling folktales from around the world is the chance to get students interested in other cultures,… Read more »
