Montjoy_Emily_StorytellingReflection

 Storytelling Session Reflection

During this course, we were able to plan, record, and share several storytime sessions.  We presented storytime sessions that were with a book, with props, with interaction, and without a book.  Each of these storytime sessions were similar but unique to their own style and requirements.  Some sessions were easier, like storytime with a book.  Some sessions were harder like storytime with props or without a book.  Overall, planning and conducting these storytime sessions helped to gain some experience and feedback from others while I practiced reading and creating an engaging storytime session for others.  I felt most comfortable telling a story with a book, and least comfortable with props or no book at all.  The story I chose to tell without a book was one I had read aloud many times, so it was okay.  I think I could tell some stories from memory that I tell my daughter at bedtime.  She often asks for, "tell me a story with your mouth" after we read a book together.  Children love storytime, both with books and without!

My personal background, knowledge, and experienced really helped me with this part of the course.  I have been a reading teacher for 17 years so picking a story, planning a read aloud, engaging students, and creating meaningful questions and activities was very familiar and easy to me.  I honestly thought this course would be more "storytelling" in the sense of storytellers on stage telling a story from memory.  Conducting read alouds is something I do on a daily basis so this came with ease and comfort.  However, planning storytime sessions with props and without a book took me out of my comfort zone, as did recording myself and sharing it with other adults.  Also, collaborating with others during the course and reading a variety of texts from different genres also helped me to add to my read aloud resources and learn new titles to share with my students and faculty.  What I am most excited about is taking what I have learned and using it in the school library.  Sharing stories, texts, and ideas through this course will be beneficial to me as I move forward from teacher to librarian.

Beginning

Planning, Story Choice, & Setup

When planning a storytime session, the first thing I think about is the audience.  I ask myself, "what is appropriate for this age group?"  Small children are not going to be able to sit for as long as older children, so thinking about your audience is crucial to planning a successful storytime.  Younger audiences are going to be more engaged with repetition, rhyming, and silly stories.  They also appreciate when they can anticipate what is coming and participate in the read aloud.  Older audiences are going to enjoy stories that make them think beyond the text, have them guessing what may happen next, surprise plot twists and endings, but also enjoy silly stories as well.  When planning the storytime the reader must also think about the audience's interests and any factors that could hinder any of the patrons.  For example, I have a student that is blind, so I always try to pick stories for his class that are very detailed in their description so he can follow the story without seeing the pictures.  Younger audiences are really going to enjoy props like felt boards or puppets where older audiences may not enjoy those interactive elements, but they do love when I use the novel effect sound effects app and change my voice to complement the text.  Also thinking about what time of year you're currently in and any holidays or curricular needs from teachers are important to take into account when planning your storytime.

It is imperative that you read the book prior to the storytime, multiple times if necessary.  This practice rehearsal will give you the chance to correct any mispronunciations, plan for places in the story that require you to slow down, speed up, change your voice, add dialogue, check your volume, etc. anything to enhance the actual story to make it come alive for the listeners.  I found that practicing and rehearsing the story beforehand helped me to have the correct pace for the story and include any voice changes or questioning techniques to enhance the storytime experience.  Setting up your area is also important.  Because I was filming this, I chose a quiet place with good lighting.  I wanted an area that created a storytime vibe.  For example, I had our bookshelves in the background while I was reading and removed any distractions from view.  This is important to plan in your real face-to-face storytime sessions as well.  Creating an environment that the patrons feel comfortable and can relax and enjoy the story, free from distractions and interruptions, will benefit you and your audience.  Making sure everyone can see and if you're using a book that contains pictures, it is important the patrons can see well.

Middle

Performance

When reading aloud to an audience, it can be tricky to make sure everyone is staying focused and engaged.  Over the course of the semester, I found that the storytime sessions that included props and interaction helped the patrons stayed focused, engaged, participating, and comprehending the story.  This provides a more enjoyable and entertaining experience.  However, this is the more tricky part as the storyteller-- planning and prepping and delivering a storytime with props can turn into a juggling act.  I used a story that I almost knew by heart.  I still held the book in one hand and picked up props with the other hand as I needed them throughout the storytime, but, I definitely think memorizing the story is crucial if you plan on using props.  It was hard to manage both the book and props, and my book was smaller size.  Also, even though recording yourself is a little nerve-wracking, having a live audience, especially of kids, can create extra jitters since they are sitting there waiting for your next move.  

I used Novel Effect for a couple of my storytime sessions.  Novel Effect provides "soundscapes" or sound effects that complement the story.  This is another way to enhance the storytime experience and engage the audience.  I have found that my students are more attentive to the story when I use the music to catch their attention.  This is just another way, like using props and interactive methods, to catch the audience's attention and keep them focused throughout the experience.  

End

Reactions & My Feelings

Introducing the story and closing the story were aspects that help hook the listener at the beginning and get them thinking about the story, and the closing at the end helps to wrap everything up.  Sometimes during recording this is easy to forget to do because there was not a live audience, so I had to constantly remind myself not to leave this out.  In my classroom I never just open a book and start reading without saying anything to all of the students sitting there, so it makes sense why this is absolutely necessary.  I found the feedback from classmates to be interesting.  Most always the feedback was positive, constructive, and helpful.  However, there was one week where I had mixed reviews from classmates which I think would be not uncommon in the real world.  Some people like the story and the delivery and others do not, which alot of that is based on personal perferences and opinions.  I learned to just take the feedback from that week with a grain of salt.  However, it was a good reminder to me that every storytime session isn't going to resonate with every student every time.  Where one class really loved a story and were engaged and interacting, the next class may roll their eyes and be unamused.  Planning a storytimes can be tricky, so providing a variety of storytimes both in style and in diverse titles/ genres will be so important when working in a library and reading to a variety of diverse people with various backgrouds, interests, and abilities.

Nonfiction Books I am Reading this Week:

Jumper

We Are Branches

Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist

A Search for a Giant Squid (Pick Your Own Path)

Keepunumuk: Weeachumun’s Thanksgiving Story