Workshops & Residencies
Everyone’s a Storyteller
You don’t have to be a professional to tell stories – it’s something we all do every day!
Through the use of paired and group storytelling activities, students discover and tell stories from their own lives. They also learn how using facial expressions, body language, gestures, and their voice help them to become more effective communicators.
Porquoi Tales: Stories that Answer Questions
Children love to ask the question, “Why?” Porquoi tales are stories told around the world that answer that very question! Participants will experience the telling of a porquoi tale, brainstorm and enact other possible ways for answering the question presented by the story, and write their own porquoi tale. In residency format, students will learn to tell or enact their stories through tableaux (frozen pictures).
“The students learned so much about writing and performing. This is definitely an experience that the students will carry with them forever. We loved every minute of it!” – Jaclyn Mitchell, 3rd & 4th Grade Teacher, Avondale Elementary School, (Canton, OH)
Writing Strategies
You have a great book idea! Now what? Lindsay shares some of the strategies she has successfully used to go from initial idea to finished manuscript. From making word lists, to researching, to acting out her characters to doodling, Lindsay gives young writers a chance to try different strategies as they discover pathways to opening up their own creativity.
Story Writing 101
In this workshop, participants explore the important elements of story such as setting, character and problem through interactive drama activities. They will also walk through the steps of creating a story using a graphic organizer.
Time for Tableau
Tableau is a theatrical technique where actors freeze in poses to create a specific moment from a play or story. It’s also a wonderful tool for helping students engage with and reflect upon literary texts! Using her own picture book, POLAR BEAR ISLAND, which explores themes of diversity and inclusivity, Lindsay guides students in the making of both individual and group tableaux and shows how this unique technique can serve as a spring board for creative writing.
Professional Development for Librarians and Teachers
Interactive Storytelling
In this hands-on workshops, participants gain skills they can immediately put to use in their libraries or classrooms. From learning how to tell stories to discovering creative ways to make a story interactive through audience-participation, this workshop is jam-packed with techniques for bringing stories to life in ways that will captivate your audience.
“Lindsay Bonilla’s storytelling workshop was fantastic! It was highly interactive and full of useful and practical information to learn storytelling. Lindsay is a great teacher and the workshop was a lot of fun. Highly recommended!” — Rachelle Perry, Youth Services Coordinator, Northeast Ohio Regional Library System (NEO-RLS)
Tableau: A Unique Technique for Bringing Literature to Life
In this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to use the dramatic technique of tableau (still image pictures) to explore literature with students of all ages. By making both individual and group tableaux, they will discover how this unique technique can help students reflect upon, engage with and bolster understanding of multicultural texts in a physical/kinesthetic way. Participants will also explore how tableau can serve as a starting point for creative writing.
Interested in combining your workshop with a storytelling experience? Click here!
