Customization
All workshops can be adapted to the environment and program needs.
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Workshops for Elementary (JK - Grade 6)
STORYTELLING & WRITING: Elementary students
- Comparing stories to "tell" with written stories;
- Examining sequence of events and patterning in story;
- How to write using your own voice based on a really good model story;
- How to get ideas!
Program Formats:
Heather provides large scale half day or full day workshops. The teacher gets springboard ideas and a booklist.
Participation is encouraged in 30 to 40 minute mini-workshops with student divisions of up to 60 students in each group. A full one hour concert is included.
Combining of the smaller student groups later in the session with up to
150 students helps to culminate the learning experience.
Full intensive storytelling workshops are also available in a classroom
setting with up to 30 students. Storytelling through narrative, music and poetry is the general theme.
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Workshops For Grades 7-12
Past project Example - **2007-2008 Grade 12 University Writer's Craft
Finding Voice, Gaining Confidence - Students developed comfort and confidence in
delivering personal poetry orally through fun, interactive storytelling exercises
and activities. Also included in the program were guest speakers, coaching, and critiquing in the form of open discussion.
Following rehearsals and practice, the students had a full professional recording studio visit and recording
session. The final product was a CD called Passionate Voices that is now displayed at the board office.
2008-2009 Grade 8 English and Drama Students
Learning to tell Native Legends - Students developed comfort and confidence in learning how to tell stories with good tone
and diction, comfortable pacing, expression, recall, gestures, and delivering imagery for listeners. Also included in the
program were opportunities for the students to tell their stories to younger grades. Following rehearsals and practice,
the students had a full professional recording studio visit and recording session. The final product was a CD called Circle
of Stories.
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Workshops For Adults
STORYTELLING TO CHILDREN (UP TO 13 YEARS-OLD)
Encouraging, inspiring, and facilitating teachers and beginning storytellers on
how to use storytelling effectively in the classroom and in programming through
research, preparation, and delivery. Highly interactive and participatory!
BASIC SONGWRITING (YOUNG ADULTS, TEENS, AND ASPIRING ADULTS)
How to write for your target audience. Songwriting vs. poetry and how to write a really good song based on a really good model song.
Getting ideas through writing activities. Working it out to reveal your 'voice'.
Lyricist at work vs. singer/songwriter. Effectively delivering the stories you want
to tell in your own style.
CREATIVE ARTS STORYTELLING SERIES
A three part, highly interactive curriculum based Creative Arts workshop series which
includes literature and drama, musical movement, and arts and crafts. The focus of these
workshops is on learning how to make effective use of songs, rhythm instruments, musical movement,
drama, puppetry, visual aids, and arts and crafts in storytelling to very young children.
The workshops are for adult Early Childhood Education teachers, programmers, assistants, and
caregivers and are dedicated to program design and presentation to ages two-and-a-half to six-and-a-half
years old. These intensive workshops are offered through 'Learning Partners' with Heather and Cynthia Ramdeen,
owner and tutor of the Montessori Teacher Education Program Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
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EARLY YEARS AND PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING
Full day workshops available to teachers, librarians, educators, childcare workers
and programmers.
- "Beginnings"
- Conducting Story -Time Circle
- Incorporating storytelling & music daily
- Related craft ideas
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FOR PARENTS & CAREGIVERS OF TOTS
1- 2 hr interactive program just for you!
Introducing language to little ones through rhymes, songs, and stories and how
to use them effectively at home.
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