Enjoy Storytelling with Children
Storytelling is an important technique that helps us address a variety of learning outcomes. Review the eight categories of outcomes below. This list of outcomes was developed by Dr. Ambika Kameshwar as part of the Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD) framework. This is a simple list that can be used by parents to think about learning outcomes of different experiences in a consistent way. I have spotlighted movement and emotional expression. Theater integrates movement and emotional expression. As we develop movement capacities, we also use these capacities to express ourselves. This is a unique feature of movement experiences in theater arts.
When we were following the Enki approach (based on Waldorf and other approaches), we had a comprehensive collection of stories for each grade. As Beth Sutton, Founder of Enki Education explains on the Enki website:
All academics are introduced throught the arts. Children are first immersed in the living quality of what they study. Through storytelling, visual arts, movement, music, manipulatives, activities, and projects this alternative education soaks in the qualities and living textures of what they are studying. Then, on this rich base of connection to life, they bring what they have absorbed to mastery through intellectual exploration, discussion, exercises, practice, and concrete application.
Given my experience as a home educator, I immediately connected to the Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD) approach developed by Dr. Ambika Kameshar (Founder and Director of RASA). I had already experienced teaching with an approach that led with visual and performing arts as the delivery approach.
- Read the article below for an introduction to storytelling and for video resources.
2. Read the article below and explore storytelling as a vehicle for practicing emotional expression.
