Teacher workshop on the art of storytelling

“Great stories happen to those who can tell them”

Storytelling is the act of telling a story in an entertaining, impressive or dramatic way. Storytelling even predates writing. Not only is it a means for sharing experiences but also for communicating ideas that have the potential to move people, unite communities and bring positive change.

To foster the skills of listening and reading, a story telling session by noted storyteller and a facilitator Ms Seema Wahi Mukherjee was conducted at our School for the teachers.

The session started with the teachers of Primary on 30th June 2022 being explained the importance of listening skills for storytelling which is a shared experience among equals in which the audience is just as active a participant as the storyteller.

The workshop started with a ‘warm-up’ meditation which drew us to focus on the subject and built an ambience,.so to say. Everyone felt connected to the resource person and each other.

An activity of mindful eating was done wherein the teachers were told to think of a fruit and then create a story around it. She introduced a new term, “Kamishibai” a Japanese form of storytelling.

The session concluded that stories are a good way to make students aware of the many aspects of life in general. Different activities were conducted for the teachers namely – voice modulation, mimicry of an animal and guessing its name and role play where the story is enacted by the teacher. 

The session was indeed valuable and distinct. Teachers found it interesting and were engrossed in the story, “ Two Goats and a Bridge” which was told with creative gestures and facial expressions.  The appropriate use of voice modulation and body language infused passion, enhanced imagination and expression and introduced teachers to new horizons of storytelling. The unique warmth in the way she narrated the stories drew the teachers into her stories leaving them spellbound and asking for more.

Developing communication skills and expanding the realms of the imagination were the main objectives of the session. A satisfying experience to pass on the knowledge acquired to our children.