SpoonWood Productions - Educational Art Programs

Increasing Knowledge through Art
Octavia Sexton
Site Map
cd store
References
Workshops
Contact Us
Storytelling Programs
 
WRITING/DRAMA/STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS 
3 to 14 days (4 classes per day)

Designed to incorporate literary and drama elements together with the Appalachian folk art of storytelling, these workshops are core content based, make connections to other curriculum areas, and use whole brain teaching strategies.
Teaching materials will be provided to the school once the workshop is scheduled.  CD's and DVD's are optional and must be purchased separately.

WRITING residencies include:
Elementary - Focus is on students writing a fictional story modeled after a Jack Tale (a folktale). Native American cultures and the Colonial period are discussed in association with the Jack Tales. Pre-writing activities include development of characters, plot and story development. (I offer a primary program focusing on the development of oral skills instead of writing.)
Middle - Classroom activities focus on students comparing Jack Tales to stories from the Classical Greek and Roman periods and writing their own ‘Odyssey’ with Jack as the hero. Pre-writing activities include character and plot development
Highschool - Classroom activities use student’s writing and performance of Jack Tales to explore and reinforce learning in any subject area you are teaching; from the study of famous artists to eastern cultures. Literary and performance elements are incorporated into the activities.

All Grades - using historical facts, students will write a short story of historical fiction.They will use actual events and present those events through the point of view of a fictional character, Jack. Jack is a main character in a group of folktales called Jack Tales. Using historical events that will complement the story’s narrative occurring in the background, Jack will interact with historical figures while they deal with events (personal or otherwise).


DRAMA/STORYTELLING residencies include:
Elementary - Classroom activities are designed to use creative dramatics to enable students to perform short stories, skits and scenes. Students will learn to use voice, body and imagination in character development. The influence of Native American, African and European cultures in early American settlement is explored through stories.
Middle and High - Drama is explored through the use of storytelling. Classroom activities focus on developing performance and technical elements as well as individual creativity to present an oral story, skit or play. The classical Greek period and early American history (colonial period through civil war) is explored as it relates to Appalachian storytelling.

Residencies can be designed around your curriculum and specific needs. Please contact Octavia to discuss your ideas.
 

SCHOOL STORYTELLING  PROGRAMS:

 

As a teaching artist, I make my storytelling programs educational as well as entertaining. I include an introduction to the elements of drama and explanation of dialect and Standard English. I also provide a one page teaching aid for the teachers to use in their individual classrooms. Storytelling programs are best when audience numbers are limited to 300. If you combine grade levels, I will tell stories appropriate for the youngest students.

My programs are not designed for pre-school.

FOR A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF MY STORYTELLING PROGRAMS LOOK UNDER STORYTELLING PROGRAMS (CLICK IN LEFT COLUMN UNDER OCTAVIA'S PROGRAMS)

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STUDENT WORKSHOPS:

Student workshops: I  do shorter versions of my 3 to 14 day residency programs (see writing/drama/storytelling workshops top of page) - from 1 to 3 hours.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

 

Using the Arts with Students with Special Needs

Inclusion of students with special needs is a reflection of the change in teaching and learning to help all students meet high expectations.  In this workshop, teachers will gain insight and ideas on how to accommodate diversity with a variety of teaching strategies using the arts in mixed-ability groups and self-contained classrooms

Writing with the Jack Tales

Participants will learn how to use the Jack Tales to inspire and guide students in the creative writing process.  Through hands on writing and acting activities, teachers will create their own story while learning how to incorporate the process into their own classroom.

Using Storytelling across the Curriculum

Stories have interesting people, in interesting places, doing interesting things.  This lively workshop will engage participants in how to make the people, places and things they are teaching more interesting and relevant to the learner through the storytelling process.

The Three Tools of a Storyteller

Be ready to exercise your imagination, voice and body in this interactive workshop designed to help you bolster the use of your storytelling tools:  Imagination, Voice and Body!  Using simple drama techniques, Octavia will lead you through a workout targeting areas you need to strengthen for a more lively storytelling presentation.  This workshop is for storytellers of all  ages and levels of experience.