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Workshops
"Not
only did you do a super job of keeping us awake and alert after
lunch, you made us stretch our minds and creativity through the
drawing and mirroring exercises." . . . "Now I can finally
say I've seen The Storyteller Mary. And I finally understand what
all the fuss is about. You're real, Mary. You're as honest
on the platform as you are on the phone. That's very refreshing
in this business. Besides that, you can take us anywhere with your
magical way of weaving a story. You're great!"
Rogena Walden, Speakers School, Kentucky Speakers Association
Here
are short descriptions of Mary's workshops and lecture/demonstrations.
Detailed proposals are also available should you want to know more
about any of them. All of these workshops are for adult participants;
however, student versions are available for Learn a Folktale Today;
Learning Folktales, Shaping Folktale Retellings; and Explore-a-Story.
For more examples of Mary's work with students, see the Residencies
page.
Contents
Learn a Folktale Today
In
this highly interactive workshop, participants learn a folktale
without memorizing the words. Methods include outlining setting,
plot and characters, and creating conversations, musical retellings,
tableaus, sound poems, and story maps. Length: 90 min. - 2 hours
Appropriate for: tellers, teachers, librarians, students Grades
4 and up in multiple session residencies.
Learning Folktales, Shaping
Folktale Retellings
This
workshop includes all activities in "Learn a Folktale Today"
then adds the concept that tellers make discoveries during the learning
of a story that become decisions that shape a teller's retelling
of the tale. Decisions include: motivation for characters' actions,
story theme, point of view, which character the narrator follows
most closely. After quickly learning the tale, participants select
a "decision" then shape a retelling of the story that
reflects the decision.
Length: 4 hours
Appropriate for: tellers, middle and high school language arts teachers,
high school students in multiple session residencies.
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All Together Now: Developing
Audience Participation Tales
Here's
a workshop for tellers who already know how to tell stories, but
want to increase easily observable audience participation in their
stories. Participants learn techniques for adapting stories to increase
audience participation and techniques for inviting participation.
Participants also bring a story to the workshop. During the workshop,
they practice adapting their story for audience participation.
Length: 4 hours
Appropriate for: tellers, (a slightly different version of this
workshop is available for teachers of kindergarten and primary students)
Audience Participation Tales
(a lecture/demonstration)
Participants
learn the attributes of audience participation stories, hear tips
for telling them, and see techniques for controlling audience participation.
As the title states, this session is lecture/demonstration, not
hands-on learning.
Length: 90 min. - 2 hours
Appropriate for: anyone with an interest in the topic
Reading So Others Want to Listen
From
the basics of proper breathing to the reading of poetry, picture
books and short stories, this hands-on workshop explores the skills
needed to read aloud well. Participants practice vocal skills, read
poetry, and see a demonstration of effective picture book and short
story reading. Optional small group coaching sessions are available
as a follow-up to this workshop.
Length: 4 hours
Appropriate for: Librarians and anyone else who needs to read aloud
to a group and wants to develop or heighten skills.
Storytelling: a Basic Workshop
This
hands-on workshop examines the common bonds between everyday storytelling
and storytelling as a dramatic formal activity. Each participant
chooses a folktale, then uses that folktale to practice story-learning
techniques and to apply storytelling skills-development activities.
Participants leave the workshop with an increased understanding
of the art and process of storytelling and with the ability to more
effectively retell a folktale. Optional small group coaching sessions
are available as follow-up.
Length: 6 hours
Appropriate for: All who think of themselves as beginning or intermediate
level storytellers. (This workshop can be adapted into a multiple
session residency for students.)
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Explore-a-Story
Using
a folktale, participants are led in a variety of activities including
round robin retelling, round robin informal dramatizations, and
interviewing characters. All activities are designed to encourage
thinking beyond the tale text.
Length: One hour minimum (a longer session allows for more exploration!)
Appropriate for: all ages, even mixed age groups. Variations are
available for teachers of K and Primary students that include instruction
on leading explore-a-story activities - allow 3 hours. Explore-a-story
can also be adapted for a multiple session school residency exploration
of a story.
Storying Your Message (lecture/demonstration)
During
this session participants observe storytelling in action, hear storytelling
tips, and learn how establishing a context for a story and shaping
a story can help make a point. There will also be time for questions.
Length: 90 minutes
Appropriate for: public speakers, teachers, preachers, and other
adults who want to use stories to make a point.
Evolution of Tale Retellings
(lecture/demonstration)
Using
stories from her repertoire, Mary will contrast the tale as she
found it with the tale as she currently retells it and talk about
what happened as the retellings evolved.
Length: one hour
Appropriate for: Anyone interested in the topic.
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Parents as Storytellers
Parents
are a child's first and most important storytellers. Explore story
sources and consider the how, why, where, and when of telling stories
to your children.
Length: 60 - 90 minutes
Appropriate for: parents and guardians
Telling Stories and Reading
Aloud to Preschoolers and Kindergarteners (an introduction)
Both
storytelling and reading aloud are essential skills for teachers
- especially those working with young children. By the end of this
introductory workshop, participants will:
- Increase
their awareness of storytelling as a fun, improvisational, and
accessible art form,
- Increase
their awareness of story patterns as a memory aid for storytellers.
- Know
at least two stories for telling to young children.
- Increase
their awareness of the elements of reading with expression - timing,
word emphasis, emotion, and sound words.
- Understand
the different physical requirements of sharing a picture book
one-on-one compared with sharing a picture book with a group.
- Increase
awareness of differences between storytelling (oral) language
and book language and how children will benefit from both.
Length: Three-hour and four-hour versions available.
Appropriate for: Preschool and Kindergarten teachers, others with
a need to tell stories and read aloud to groups of Preschoolers
or Kindergarteners
Approved for credit towards Kentucky Child Care Licensing
and/or STARS
"What at day!
Everybody
in our workshop was excited and enthusiastic about story telling
after hearing your presentation and participating in your interactive
teaching. You provided all of the attendees a vision that takes
the simple act of story telling to an art form exponentially many
levels above what they envisioned as the day started. You provided
insight and understanding that exceeded my expectations."
Richard Vail, Ohio Speaker's Circle
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HOME/PROGRAMS/ABOUT
MARY/STORY
STORE/ARTICLES/WHAT'S
NEW?
Mary
Hamilton, Professional Storyteller
65 Springhill Road, Frankfort, KY 40601-9211
Phone & Fax: 1-800-438-4390
Email:
mary@maryhamilton.info
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