The Storytellers Return

Jill says...We have been home for a few days, and it's always good to come back home, but I would have loved to have stayed for just a few days longer. Festival at the Edge was the perfect ending to our storytelling trip, and I think my favorite part was just watching the other storytellers weave their magic, although the workshop was definitely educational. There is a picture from it next to this post, and it is my acting debut as a little pig. It's probably a good thing that my next performance will be in front of four-year-olds!

I have already been back to school and several people have asked me about the trip and told me they have been reading our blog, along with many of our family members. I understand many of you had problems trying to post comments on the blog, and I apologize, but I'm glad you were at least able to read about our adventures.

One of the questions that I have been asked several times already is, "What did you learn?" To sum it up---a lot. This is definitely something I asked myself often while we were walking around the different countries and going through our different experiences. I learned many things, but more than anything, I am inspired. I am inspired to get back in my classroom and make some changes during my story time. I am inspired to write my own children's stories and have the students act them out and retell them. I am inspired to change the way I engage students while they are sitting in front of me. One of the things that I observed that kept recurring throughout all the places we went and things we did, was that if you're going to tell a story and do it well, then you need to remember you are on stage. Four-year-olds are used to television and cartoons, and it is important to be dynamic and theatrical and use your voice and actions to hold their attention and develop their enthusiasm. Maybe I am not the greatest actress, and it will definitely involve being silly, but that's part of teaching Pre-K--one of the best parts!

This was a trip of a lifetime, and one of the best experiences I will ever have, and it's not over yet! I am excited to continue learning about interactive storytelling, and get back in the classroom to apply what I have already learned. I am also excited to share my love of reading and stories with my classroom. Thank you again for reading our entries and sharing this with us. This was our first attempt at blogging, and it has served as an excellent tool to document what we did and what we learned. If you are interested in finding out more about Fund For Teachers or are interested in applying for your own learning adventure, go to their website: http://www.fundforteachers.org. Lastly, thank you Fund For Teachers, for providing us and many other teachers the opportunity to follow our dreams.