Storytelling Experience #1 Reflection
In order to prepare for this first storytelling experience, I read through several Mo Willems books to find one that I thought would be fun and captivating for students! I tried to approach this storytelling like I would for reading any book to my Kindergarten students. I knew I wanted to go over the characters, author and illustrator, and parts of the book. Those were things I always emphasized with my students. I practiced reading through the whole book one full time out loud before reading it on camera. I also knew I didn't want to spend extra time trying to edit it and piece it together, so I tried really hard to just get it all in one take! With my students, I wouldn't worry about being absolutely perfect when reading, so I did not want to pick apart each mistake I made. I made sure to get out my Piggie, Gerald, and Pigeon plushies because my students absolutely love seeing and holding the characters they know and love!
I think that my first storytelling experience went well, overall! I think that I was very animated and did different voices for the characters well. I was excited through the book, and I do truly enjoy reading Mo Willems books. They are so engaging and funny for kids! I asked thoughtful questions through the book, and noticed things for the kids, just like I would do in a classroom. I was happy to share about more Mo Willems books that the students could look for in the library. I think this really gets them excited to read, and helps them look for something specific when they go to the library!
To improve for next time, I would probably make a list of what I wanted to go over in the beginning of the book- it seemed a little scattered, so if I have a list to follow, I think it would flow more smoothly. For example, I threw in that there was an award right when I was about to begin reading, and that seemed like an add-on because it was! Also, I wish I would have held the book to the camera more, so that listeners could clearly see each picture. Sometimes I wasn't as cognizant of the recording because I was so focused on reading it, and did not zoom in to show all of the illustrations. That's a difficult part of reading on camera instead of in person.
Amber,
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point about not feeling pressured to be perfect as you read aloud. That was definitely something I struggled with this assignment and recorded it multiple times. I did not actually read it in front of a group of students, so I think it was harder for me to pretend/visualize it was actually happening in a classroom or library. I commented on someone else's blog (Ingrid) and we both discussed not making interjections in our storytelling experience. That is something I went back and forth on, because I most likely would stop and point things out or ask questions with a group of kids. That is something I should consider doing in the future. This was a great reflection and really made me think about my own storytelling experience and potential ways to grow before my next experience.
I like that you included your reflection on what you would do differently next time. You said that you would show the pictures to the camera. I attempted to do that, but struggled so much with moving the correct direction while looking at the computer! It is so much easier to do with a group of children. If you have to walk closer to the students in the back, you can. If you just need to reach out with the book, you can.
ReplyDeleteThe link to the Mo Willems page is a wonderful resource. Thank you for that. I have loved Mo Willems books since I first read Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus. There are so many fun activities on that webpage, I can’t wait to explore it more.