The Art of Storytelling

Dr. Chuck Stead came to visit our class today, Tuesday, September 30th, 2014. He is an amazing story teller among other great qualities. He introduced us to his Ramapo background and amazing experiences through storytelling. He shared the importance of oral traditions of story telling and when (and when not) to tell specific tales of the indigenous people and animals. Through his storytelling, he incorporated his role in environmental sustainability and ecology, and how he helps stop industrial pollution. Chuck used symbols to tell his stories, where he branched off to more stories. My favorite story, or information that he shared was about Ford dumping chemicals (paint waste among other things) into the woods. This was interesting to me because he was able to expose Ford's wrong doing while improving the land with the work of his students, while building a new research cabin. I could use his storytelling techniques in the classroom because he modeled how to be an enthusiastic, creative storyteller. I could have my students write their own stories, have Chuck come in and share his amazing Ramapo stories while we cover an American Indian unit, or have them make their own symbols about the stories.