Serving a higher purpose
Stories serve a higher purpose.
Every storyteller starts with a passion to tell a story. They are in all probability enamored by the hero or the hero's quest (here I use Hero without bias...to denote male and female).
But soon this fascination starts to wind itself around the teller, and she/ he soon begins to play with the story. Adapting it, changing it to suit the occasion, or completely transforming it to make it their own.
But there is another angle to it. Stories speak directly to our consciousness. Things that were not said may be construed by the audience and every person takes back what they want to from the story...I as the story teller, have no control over it.
Can we then engage the audience in a way to step up their understanding.
That is what is called as scaffolding. A term widely used in drama and theater practices. Where the audience/ participants will actively engage with the story through specific strategies...which could include asking questions, role plays and forming freeze images.
I usually work with a younger age group, so it was indeed a lot of fun when we used this technique at the Ananya Trust school.
We used the Chicken -Licken story, which I have already talked about before and you can read about it here. This time it was great fun working with 15+ age group. Some of the children were able to identify with the characters and were able to generate new thoughts and ideas. We used a method called Hot Seating, where one person becomes a character in the story and answers questions posed to them. This method helps the participants actually bring all what they think into the character, sometimes reshaping the character itself, but most of all helping them and us understand, our fears, inhibitions, values, attitudes and belief systems.
We had a splendid time. Hope to have an ongoing monthly engagement with Ananya Trust. Thanks to their team for welcoming us and letting us do what we do.... surely you know this but let me say it again: learning is a two way traffic!!....
Every storyteller starts with a passion to tell a story. They are in all probability enamored by the hero or the hero's quest (here I use Hero without bias...to denote male and female).
But soon this fascination starts to wind itself around the teller, and she/ he soon begins to play with the story. Adapting it, changing it to suit the occasion, or completely transforming it to make it their own.
But there is another angle to it. Stories speak directly to our consciousness. Things that were not said may be construed by the audience and every person takes back what they want to from the story...I as the story teller, have no control over it.
Can we then engage the audience in a way to step up their understanding.
That is what is called as scaffolding. A term widely used in drama and theater practices. Where the audience/ participants will actively engage with the story through specific strategies...which could include asking questions, role plays and forming freeze images.
I usually work with a younger age group, so it was indeed a lot of fun when we used this technique at the Ananya Trust school.
We used the Chicken -Licken story, which I have already talked about before and you can read about it here. This time it was great fun working with 15+ age group. Some of the children were able to identify with the characters and were able to generate new thoughts and ideas. We used a method called Hot Seating, where one person becomes a character in the story and answers questions posed to them. This method helps the participants actually bring all what they think into the character, sometimes reshaping the character itself, but most of all helping them and us understand, our fears, inhibitions, values, attitudes and belief systems.
We had a splendid time. Hope to have an ongoing monthly engagement with Ananya Trust. Thanks to their team for welcoming us and letting us do what we do.... surely you know this but let me say it again: learning is a two way traffic!!....
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