Recently I saw this advertisement on a rare stint in front of a television.
Story Matters Here.
It caught my attention. Partly because of the design and the color and the lettering. Mostly because I liked the ring of it. Story matters here too, I thought.
It has remained in my thoughts and I kept thinking about ways to use it — not just the words, but the living that would be wrapped up in the mantra. Story matters here.
Yesterday I was talking with a first grade teacher about ways to start the year. She has followed the Lucy Calkins’s Units of Study for Primary Writers for two years and is looking for ways to personalized her Writing Workshop a bit more.
I shared with her my belief in oral storytelling. The more I read and learn about oral storytelling, the more I believe in its power. “What if you start your year with oral storytelling?” I asked. And, like a sack of bricks, the phrase that had been percolating in my mind for nearly a month hit me: Story Matters Here. Why shouldn’t that be the mantra of our classrooms come Fall?
Amy and I continued to talk about how a primary Writing Workshop may look in Fall if we took away the paper and pencils and crayons and just focused on oral storytelling. Here are some bits from our conversation:
- Put up a huge banner with the philosophy of the classroom: Story Matters Here. Discuss why stories are important. Send home the philosophy and rationale to parents. Throughout the unit of study, oral storytelling could be encouraged at home and tips for storytelling could be sent home.
- Keep the traditional structure of Writing Workshop: minilesson, writing time, and sharing. However, during writing time, students would be in pairs or small groups telling stories.
- Minilessons could cover topics such as: Where do stories come from; How to start a story; Stories have problems; How to end a story; How to build suspense; Stories have settings . . .
- Mentor texts could be introduced during this time. Students could “try on the voice” of other writers. For instance, they could begin their story like Jamie Lee Curtis in It’s Tough to Be Five.
- A publishing day could be established either once a week or once every other week. During these days, students could illustrate their favorite story they’ve told. The illustrations could be inspired by illustrators — draw like David Shannon or paint like Eric Carle. This would be a sweet way to introduce reading like a writer.
- A fancy celebration, where students create an illustration for a story, and special guests are invited, would be an excellent way to end the unit. Students could be in small groups with a special guest in each group. Then stories would be shared in small groups.
My mind is swarming with ideas. I’m looking forward to placing an emphasis on oral storytelling in Fall. It is a powerful strategy to lifting the level of narrative writing.
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On July 14th I emailed a teaching partner,
“I heard the words ,’Story Matters’ in some kind of ad yesterday on WRSI and began to play with the words as a central theme for my thinking about my year….”
I’ve been playing with the idea since then. I love the play on words of Story Matters Here
Monday I started a computer class working on websites and wiki.
Both are new to me….
I’m also going from over 20 years of 5/6 classroom to a straight 6.
This morning I came across your site replicating what I’ve been thinking except you are so far ahead of where I am with your ideas and your tech savvy.
I’ve worked with storyteller Eshu Bumpus, eshu.folktales.net, and his work helping students as storytellers is wonderful.
I also think story is the way I try to teach as much curriculum as possible. So lots of historical fiction and family history. I still use the Voyage of The Mimi I and II because the relationships embedded in the story and curriculum engage my students deeply.
I play with the words History His story Herstory Her story, Mystory etc.
We also try to gather the story of almost every adult who comes into our room…the story path of how they got to their career or avocation.
Thank you kindly for giving me a guide to turn to as I create my story for this year.
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Several years ago, when I gave my teaching of writing a complete makeover, one big change was my focus on oral storytelling. I taught 2nd grade for 5 years, and I loved launching writer’s workshop with tons of oral storytelling. I even collaborated with my mother, teacher/creative lady extraordinaire, and created storytelling aprons. They were kid-sized mini aprons embroidered with the line, “I have many stories to tell…” In the apron pockets, I placed index card story starter ideas, such as a lost tooth story, a time I got hurt, favorite family memory, etc. The kids would get into small groups. If you were wearing the apron, then you were the storyteller, everyone else was a listener. I would float through the groups and take notes on stories the kids told. These notes came in handy later on when kids were stuck in their writing. I could refresh their memories about the wonderful stories they had told at the beginning of the year. After a few weeks of oral storytelling, kids could not wait to dive into writing. I also pulled the aprons out throughout the year to use as a literacy center or as a partner activity during writer’s workshop.
I just stumbled across your website and think it’s fabulous! I blog about my travel adventures, but now I’m thinking I need to create a writing blog. I’m teaching a course in the fall about getting teachers to write so they can in turn teach their students to write. I will absolutely be referencing your website!
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Love this and I think I will integrate it and begin with some twist on autobiography…thinking! Thanks
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again, thanks for the feedback. i can’t wait to hear how the oral storytelling units unfold this fall!
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I am so excited about this idea. I also use Calkins in second grade. This is the first time students are exposed to WW, and I think a unit on storytelling would help with their small moment stories. Not to mention the mentor texts that could be added. Cythina Rylant would be perfect!
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Ruth:
I think there’s so much power in oral storytelling. It’s something that we don’t emphasize enough in fourth and fifth grade (but should!).
Great post!
My best,
Stacey
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I love this idea! I’m wondering how I might use it in my fifth grade classroom? Hmmm….the ideas are beginning to percolate.
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Thank you for the inspiration. I have been mulling over oral literacy for a while. Each year I try to incorporate something new. I also have been using the Caulkins books but I found something lacking. Now I know what. Oral story telling is going to go fabulously with my beginning units on family and community. I am so excited!
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thanks for the feedback everyone. 🙂 please, “steal” away and keep me posted on how things are going in your rooms in regards to oral storytelling.
i’ve been teaching my three year old how to tell stories, like everything else, he is absorbing it at an amazing rate — young kids are incredible in their ability to accept and do things that we teach. i’m reminded of the importance of telling stories in our homes so that children can be stronger readers and writers.
happy storytelling everyone!
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I was just revisiting Notebook Know-How last night and was reminded how Buckner suggests starting with oral storytelling. I am planning on starting that way too, but maybe not as in depth as you are mentioning here. I was planning on going with her concept of once they are all bursting with a story to tell to introduce their writer’s notebook. I am actually going to post soon on my blog about how I realized that some community building we did this year would be a good link to prompt recording the stories they wanted to tell.
Your post is giving me something to think about with the possibilities of extending the oral pieces more than I had originally intended.
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Ruth,
We just had 5 days of collaboration for summer school and the K and 1st grade teachers came up with the same idea here. We were talking about the importance of oral story telling.
We have had kids transfer from Michigan and have noticed that they are stronger writers because of their ability to tell a good story. (I think it is a state standard in Michigan.)
Keep me updated on your progress and I will do the same.
Kathie
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Love the mantra…can I steal it?
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Stealing this idea for my library….Great place to tell stories to each other….
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