Program / Event Details

Drama Residency Program: Storytelling in the Classroom (Grades 5-12)

Available for the 2024-2025 school year!

“Storytelling in the Classroom” is a unique 7-session drama residency designed to integrate literary skills with the ancient art of storytelling performance. In this program, students will write original short stories (such as pourquoi tales, fables, or personal narratives) and bring them to life through the ancient art of storytelling. Teaching Artist, Tarshai Peterson will partner with teachers to incorporate key literacy elements such as structure, character development, and theme into the stories, ensuring alignment with curriculum goals. This residency can also begin with students’ pre-written stories, focusing solely on bringing them to life through dramatic skills and techniques.

Once the writing process is complete, students will transform their stories into captivating performances, learning the skills of a storyteller. They’ll explore performance techniques such as vocal expression, gesture, and projection to effectively convey their narratives to an audience. Students will also delve into storytelling traditions from various cultures, including the African griots, and learn how storytelling has shaped cultural identities across the world.

This program provides a holistic educational experience by blending writing, critical thinking, and performance skills, helping students grow academically and artistically. Here’s what students will gain:

1. Enhanced Writing Skills:
   • Story Structure: Students will develop skills in organizing narratives with clear beginnings, middles, and ends, ensuring their stories have coherence and flow.
   • Character Development: Through creative writing exercises, students will build complex characters and understand how character motivations drive the plot.
   • Literary Techniques: We’ll incorporate literary elements like theme, metaphor, and dialogue, allowing students to add depth and creativity to their stories.
2. Performance Skills:
   • Vocal Expression: Students will learn how to use their voices—pace, tone, volume—to engage and captivate an audience.
   • Body Language and Gesture: Through drama activities, they will explore how physicality enhances storytelling, learning to use movement and facial expressions to convey emotion.
   • Confidence in Public Speaking: Storytelling helps students overcome performance anxiety, as they practice delivering their narratives in front of peers and teachers.
3. Cultural Exploration:
   • By learning about the storytelling traditions of different cultures, such as African griots, students will gain an appreciation for the power of oral histories. They’ll explore how storytelling is used to convey cultural values, teach lessons, and preserve history.

Why This Program is Beneficial:

• Improved Literacy and Communication: Writing and performing stories helps students develop essential literacy skills—reading, writing, speaking, and listening. These are foundational to academic success across all subjects.
• Creativity and Critical Thinking: Creating original stories encourages students to think creatively, solve problems, and express themselves in new ways. They’ll build their analytical skills by reflecting on how storytelling techniques can be used to communicate ideas effectively.
• Social-Emotional Growth: Through the process of writing personal stories, students will explore their own identities and experiences. Storytelling fosters empathy and connection, as students share their narratives with peers and learn to listen to others’ perspectives.
• Engagement and Enjoyment: Storytelling is a dynamic and fun way to engage students who might otherwise be hesitant in traditional classroom settings. It builds a positive classroom culture where students feel empowered to express themselves.

Written and Performance Skills Explored:

• Writing: Story structure, narrative voice, theme, dialogue, descriptive language
• Drama Performance: Vocal projection, articulation, body language, storytelling pacing
• Cultural Connections: African griots, global storytelling traditions, oral histories

This 7-session residency is designed to inspire students to think creatively, communicate effectively, and embrace both writing and performance as powerful tools for self-expression. By the end of the residency, students will have written original stories and developed the skills to perform them confidently, gaining valuable insight into the ancient art of storytelling.

To learn more about this program and others, contact Teaching Artist and CEO of The Treasure Box LLC, Tarshai Peterson: ThetreasureboxMD@gmail.com | 202-455-5704