Workshops

WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS

TELLING THE PERSONAL STORY
Using a variety of exercises this workshop encourages the participants to explore personal stories through interviews and listening skills.

EXPLORING MULTICULTURAL STORIES IN THE CLASSROOM AND COMMUNITY
Groups are given stories from various cultures and are encouraged to re tell these stories and discuss various issues that arise during the working process. Questions of how to tell stories of another culture and the problems that arise from this are discussed and explored.

TIPS AND TECHNIQUES OF STORYTELLING
Students and Teachers. In this workshop Derek demonstrates a variety of styles of storytelling including the use of props, instruments, and sounds. Using movement, call and response and a variety of effects, Derek talks about ways of engaging the student and audience and finding the right story for the occasion. Participants are given stories to retell using the material they have just learned and Derek’s workshop becomes a master class.

CULTURAL IDENTITY QUILT
This is an introduction to interviewing skills using partners and art materials to create a cultural identity quilt. The session opens with connecting with students prior knowledge of their own cultures. A class brainstorming session takes place outlining elements of culture, e.g.. food, music, games, stories, clothing, nature, etc.

TELL ME YOUR STORY
Students are asked to bring an object from home and then interview each other about the object. See description. The students are then encouraged to tell the class the story of the other person’s object.

TELLING PERSONAL STORIES
Students are asked to write and tell a story from their own culture. Depending on the class, students may be asked to find a folktale from their culture. Students are encouraged and guided into the techniques of effective storytelling through exercises that use the voice and movement. Students learn ways of remembering stories through images.
They also learn ways of using creative language to help bring stories alive.