Southport

Blog from the Week at Southport Elementary
Day 1 and Day 2

Arrived early on the first day (February 8) and met the students and staff. Kathy Smith was there to tape the story session. The students were great listeners and loved the stories. They were not so interested in doing a craft—any craft. Their objects came before they even heard what it was.
Some of them did enjoy making the puppets. They all told me that they liked the stories!
During the craft time I did ask them questions about bullying—a survey from one of the anti bullying resources. They were honest. But I do not think we learned anything new.
There are no follow up activities or questions for the teachers to use afterwards with the students for this set of stories.

Day two’s story time went very well. They loved the rattlesnake story and were excited participants in the Bear’s Breakfast. Most were happy to make the puppets for Bear’s Breakfast since we told them that they would perform it for the parents.

After talking with Kathy we changed the format a bit for the parent day.
The students will do stone soup with me without any craft. Then I will tell them another story, putting off the time that they do the story of Hungry Bear for the parents until alter so that more of the parents can get there in time to see it!

I am selecting the story of the Emperor and the Nightingale or perhaps the story of the Li Po and the dragon or an adapted version of Ming Lo Moves the Mountain to add to the stories for them. The Ming Lo story teaches alternative ways of looking to resolve a problem.

Kathy mentioned to me that after talking with the staff at Virginia Williamson, she did not think it advisable to do crafts because they do not do craft projects together at that site. Adding to that factor is the cheer numbers—70 students at Virginia Williamson. We decided that for them the puppet shapes will be take homes. I will have them ready for the students to take away and they can use them to retell the stories at home!

I will add an additional story to each day’s repertoire for Virginia Williamson to fill the time slot. Because of the size of the group, most of the story participation will be call and response format.
Some of the stories I am considering for additions at Virginia Williamson:
Hambone (bullying of dog by cat)
The above two stories—Nightingale and Li Po and Dragon –one ---the Emperor does not value the little nightingale, in the second, the dragon is a bully and the boy makes friends with him.
Shark! The story that tells the origin of the first shark—a bullying mother in law becomes the first shark! This is my own version of a Japanese folk tale and always a lot of fun. This story shows the consequences of bullying and how it affects others(the daughter and son in law--who treat the bullying old woman with kindness and love throughout the story)--a subtle message but an important one.