Tall Tale Release with Olivia
Dear editors, Don, Mary, and all.
Here are pictures of Olivia Merryman, 7 years old, who will be our guest storyteller from Catonsville at the Autumn GloryTall Tale Student Storytelling & Book Festival, Oct. 10th 9:00-10:30 She will tell within that time period after the local students have shared their stories.
Olivia won the National Youth Storytelling Showcase (NYSS) Elementary Division’s Torchbearer prize of $300. The NYSS is held in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in June. Dr. Gail Herman is the Maryland representative to NYSS and Olivia was one of the students she and her committee chose to apply to share a story. Then the committee in Pigeon Forge reviewed 250 student DVD’s or video tapes and chose Olivia as one of 20 students to attend and share a story.
Dr. Herman says, “We are so fortunate to have Olivia attend Autumn Glory and the Tall Tale Festival at the St. Paul’s United Methodist Fellowship Hall. Olivia is a real performer who can make a story sound unmemorized and spontaneous.”
Local students from Garrett County, nearby WV, and PA are welcome to register to tell a story they have either read from a book, created in their heads, or written down, or adapted from someone (with permission, of course). Tellers always tell where they found the story or if they are the authors themselves.
Dr. Herman encourages parents and teachers to help interested students: “Telling stories and the process needed to learn to tell are helpful to students to learn how to break a story down into its parts through drawing a story map or story board. Then in retelling the story WITHOUT the words, students are practicing the most advanced form of comprehension. Sometimes they tell the story in a different order but it still makes sense and might even add to the story’s meaning or effectiveness. Sometimes students add more characters or take some out because it is too long (over 5 minutes). Sometimes students create odd voices or postures to help the audience “see” the characters and understand their feelings and motivations. Retelling an original or adapted story is one of the best comprehension activities parents and teachers can encourage. Just let the students practice and encouage any little sign of creativity. You can be their coach as well as their teacher.”
Dr. Herman encourages parents and teachers to help interested students: “Telling stories and the process needed to learn to tell are helpful to students to learn how to break a story down into its parts through drawing a story map or story board. Then in retelling the story WITHOUT the words, students are practicing the most advanced form of comprehension. Words are being formed in their heads as they “see and hear” the story. Sometimes they tell the story in a different order but it still makes sense and might even add to the story’s meaning or effectiveness. Sometimes students add more characters or take some out because it is too long (over 5 minutes). Sometimes students create odd voices or postures to help the audience “see” the characters and understand their feelings and motivations. What’s clear is they do not have to tell the whole story (or they can). Retelling an original or adapted story is one of the best comprehension activities parents and teachers can encourage. Just let the students practice and encouage any little sign of creativity. You can be their coach as well as their teacher.”
To register call Dr. Gail N. Herman at 301-387-9199 and leave a name and phone #. Your call will be returned by 9/30. Or write to Dr. Herman at 166 Lodge Cir., Swanton, MD 21561. The Tall Tale Storytelling & Book Festival is a benefit event for the American Association of University Women’s Scholarship Committee that works with the Garrett College Foundation to help students with expenses to attend college.
Thanks,
Gail
Gail N. Herman, Ph.D.
Storyteller and Enrichment Consultant
166 Lodge Circle
Swanton, MD 21561
301-387-9199
Storyteller and Enrichment Consultant
166 Lodge Circle
Swanton, MD 21561
301-387-9199
—– Forwarded Message —–
From: jtmerryman
To: gnherman@comcast.net
Cc: ‘KIRSTEN MERRYMAN’ , ‘jtmerryman’
Sent: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:45:08 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: RE: Tall Tales Festival