Teaching with Story

Teaching with Story is full of engaging and easy-to-tell folktales and practical suggestions for how to incorporate storytelling into the curriculum. They even discuss in detail how it relates to the Common Core Standards. I highly recommend this book for teachers and librarians.

Elizabeth Low, Children's Book Bin

Organized around "Seven C's of Storytelling," this practical, straightforward guide from legendary authority MacDonald and her co-authors walks librarians and educators through the process of incorporating storytelling into classroom. Community, Character, Communication, Curriculum, Cultural Connections, Creativity, and Confidence are each explored, with chapters focusing on the general benefits of storytelling, the specific technical skills stories might help develop with different aged students, along with the text of two to three stories for use. The chapter on Communication, for example, discusses the significance of storytelling when it comes to emergent literacy with preschoolers as well as its usefulness in developing writing skills and reading comprehension in older kids. Cultural Connections examines the way storytelling ignites curiosity about other cultures, and the chapter provides tips on how to use students' cultural backgrounds as a springboard, utilize stories from other cultures respectfully, and provide opportunities to cross cultural interactions. The tales included span the globe, varying in origin from Britain to Pakistan to Brazil. Perhaps most useful is the third part of the book, which cites specific Common Core standards that storytelling can fulfill and references research studies that will help teachers and librarians make the case that "Once upon a time" might be more valuable in the classroom than another worksheet.

Kate Quealy-Gainer. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. V. 67, #7, March 2014.

5 out of 5 stars

This is an excellent book. It describes storytelling as a vitally important link in childhood education, ideal for teachers from preschool to high school and beyond. Even more than that, the art of telling stories is a remarkably transferable skill set regardless of your vocation. The book is divided into byte-sized chapters, as some of the best texts are, in order to give place for rumination and practice. A must-have for every teacher's bookshelf

Sandi Hansen, NetGalley

For every elementary school teacher, every storyteller who works in schools, and every teacher of teachers this book will be a priceless treasure--an appealing, cogent, immensely practical handbook to the uses of story in the classroom. ...clear and inspiring...it will be the new standard in its field

Jo Radner, Storytelling Magazine, Jan/Feb/March 2014

5 out of 5 stars

This is an excellent book. It describes storytelling as a vitally important link in childhood education, ideal for teachers from preschool to high school and beyond. Even more than that, the art of telling stories is a remarkably transferable skill set regardless of your vocation. The book is divided into byte-sized chapters, as some of the best texts are, in order to give place for rumination and practice. A must-have for every teacher's bookshelf

http://joanleotta.wordpress.com/

This “family of storytellers,” all experienced teachers and/or librarians, share their passion for a tried and true, but often intimidating, teaching technique. Take an adventure across the Seven Seas, or rather the “Seven C’s” of storytelling: Community, Character, Communication, Curriculum, Cultural Connections, Creativity, and Confidence — all benefits that parents, teachers, and librarians can share with children as we share stories. Then learn how stories can make a difference to students learning a new language or engage special needs children.

Every chapter returns to and expands upon the story of Grandfather Bear given in the introduction and adds at least two new stories. All provided stories are referenced repeatedly, always with the page number. Extensive lists of further resources make this book truly invaluable. Part Two gives the basics of storytelling: how to learn a story, practice tips, and what to do if you forget a plot point mid-telling. And just in case you (or your boss) need further convincing that storytelling is a legitimate, even necessary, use of class time, Part Three enumerates Common Core Standards met and provides research supporting the benefits to children. This is a fantastic introduction to storytelling, and an essential reference for classrooms and libraries.

Reviewed by Randy-Lynne Wach

San Francisco Book Review