"It Happened Something Like That..." at the Story Cafe!

“It Happened Something Like That…”

Featuring New Hampshire Storyteller
Joanne Piazzi

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Once upon a time, the people sat at the feet of the elders and listened to stories. From these, they learned who they were and who they could become. They learned that the stories were a part of them, and that they were a part of the story of time.

Joanne, (herself a future elder), shares stories that connect us with ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Whether it’s the traditional tale of the man who learned to turn dirt into gold, her updated version of The Three Pigs, or her original saga about disgruntled chickens, you’ll find a little of yourself in every story. “It happened something like that” is a collection of tales crafted from memory, folklore and free-range wit. They’re all mostly entirely true, because she’s in them, and so are you.

Her CD, Lemmetellya! New Twists on Old Tales, was awarded a 2009 National Parenting Publications Honor Award.


"What a pleasure to hear stories so well crafted, well told, and so much fun. [Joanne's] voice work is also delightful, crisp, fitting the characters as snugly as Puss' boots."
                                                                                                                     ~ Michael Parent, storyteller

"We got the CD "Lemmetellya!" as a gift and have been listening to it (several times a day) ever since then. Thanks for your wonderful stories! They have really touched our family!"
                                                                                                                     ~ Mary, audience member


ADULT OPEN MIC: Sign up for your eight minute (maximum) turn at the mic beginning at 7:00 p.m. Share your own story, song, music, essay or poem.
TIME: 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. (Feature begins at 8:00 P.M.)
LOCATION: Artworks, 384 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA
ADMISSION: FREE (pass the hat for the featured performer)
AUDIENCE: 18 and older
DIRECTIONS: http://www.artworksforyou.org/hours.html  
For more information email Karen Chace at storybug@aol.com  or call Artworks at (508) 984-1588

ArtWorks is right in the middle of the historic district of New Bedford. Come early and enjoy a beautiful spring day, have dinner, then join us for the perfect "night cap" at the Story Cafe!


City of New Bedford http://www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us/
Restaurant Information: http://www.freestones.com/
Parking: Elm Street Parking Garage and Custom House parking is within easy walking distance. http://tinyurl.com/ylx2akr

Sponsored by Artworks! Partners for the Arts & Community http://www.artworksforyou.org/
ArtWorks! is supported in part by the MCC as well as business and individual members

Put Your Story Where Your Mouth Is!

The MassMouth organization has been making great strides in bringing storytelling to new audiences throughout 2009-2010 with their amazing Story Slams. Next week, they will host the final slam of the year. You won't want to miss a word!

                SLAM OF ALL SLAMMERS
                     THE BIG MOUTH OFF

The final contest in Boston’s first story slam season, produced by massmouth and will be held. 6:00 P.M. on April 20, 2010 at in the Boston Public Library’s Rabb Auditorium, Copley Square, Boston MA.

Come hear the winners of the monthly slams plus one People’s Choice entrant compete for the grand prize – a week at a medieval Tuscan townhouse. There are more prizes for the winners chosen by the distinguished judges; including Jay O’Callahan (master storyteller), Charlie Pierce ( Boston Globe, panelist on npr's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" NPR) Brian O’Donovan ( host of a Celtic Sojourn- WGBH-FM, Josna Rege ( English professor, blogging at Tell Me Another ) and Jay Allison ("Independent journalist and producer for radio, including NPR's This I Believe") In between sets of judged stories, the audience and People’s Choice entrants will participate in a mini-slam of stories on the theme - “ the first time”.

Rabb Auditorium is in the new wing of the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, at the Copley T stop. We start at 6:00 P.M. sharp on April 20th. Come to a virtual marathon of storytelling! massmouth presents a program of stories that highlight the human experience in all its darkness and light. Seasoned professionals and fledgling storytellers strut their stuff, share their experiences and reveal their insights in this epic competition of 21 finalists. Any one of them can win the grand prize – it all comes down to the winning story. So… if you ran the Boston marathon, come recharge with us! If you didn’t run April 19th and want a different kind of marathon, come experience massmouth‘s 26+ story marathon! After Slam at Kennedy’sMidtown.com – see http://www.massmouth.com/ for details.

It's Not Easy Being Green: Frog Tales From Around the World

Frog Prince
by Walter Crane (1845 - 1915)

April is National Frog Month so get let’s get hopping with these tales from around the globe!

STORIES

Allaboutfrogs.org - Sixteen fables and parables about frogs.
http://tinyurl.com/36fjtg

The Armadillo's Song – Bolivia
http://tinyurl.com/yzwl3lq

Brer Fox Catches Old Man Tarrypin – USA
http://tinyurl.com/ybds94o



Frog Kings – Fourteen folktales from around the world.
http://tinyurl.com/28ukyj

Why the Stork Eats Frogs And The Wolf Hunts Sheep - Ukrainian Folktale
http://www.4to40.com/Folktales/index.asp?p=Why_The_Stork_Eats_Frogs_And_The_Wolf_Hunts_Sheep&c=English&k=stork

How Frog Went to Heaven A Tale of Angola – retold by Aaron Shepard
http://tinyurl.com/yk8cdjh

Story-lovers.com – A virtual pond filled with Folktales, Folklore, Fairy Tales, Legends, Myths, History, and more.  
http://tinyurl.com/ya8v8ma

The Two Frogs – Japan
http://tinyurl.com/y9ngkky


CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Additional facts and information to complement your program of frog tales or use in the classroom.

A Frog’s Life – Lots of information to share with your audiences from the American Museum of Natural History.
http://tinyurl.com/ykyypoz

Suite 101.com – Information on the mythology and folklore associated with frogs.
http://tinyurl.com/y93hchv

Tiddalik the Frog Folktale Reading Lesson Plan - Teach How to Compare and Contrast Setting, Character, Plot.
http://tinyurl.com/y8pxy8f

CRAFTS

DLTK.com - Frog Activities for children.
http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/frogs.htm

Family Crafts.com - Clay Pot Frog
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/frogcrafts/a/ClayPotFrogCraft.htm

Frog Coloring Page
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/frogcrafts/l/blcolorfrog1.htm

Karen Chace ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Sharing the Fire of the Arts!

This past weekend I presented my workshop Story by Story - Building a Student Storytelling Troupe at the LANES Northeast Storytelling Conference: Sharing the Fire in Rhode Island. I was delighted to have 18 eager participants who not only came to learn but to share their thoughts as well. That is what this conference is all about, everyone adding to the pot to make a delicious stew where there is enough for everyone!

Although this is first and foremost a storytelling conference with an eclectic array of workshops for the shyest beginner to the most seasoned pros, we were blessed with people who shared their talents across the many arts. There was dancing with abandon, lively music, the breathtaking quilt work of Debbie Block and the smooth, hand thrown pottery of Mary Stewart, and of course, stories, stories and more stories!

Bill Harley took the first step and opened the conference with is insightful keynote on elevating our art and urged us to continue to walk the path towards excellence. He spoke about the differences between "the workmanship of certainty" and "the workmanship of risk." I urge all of you to purchase the CD of his keynote from LANES. You will want to listen to it again and again for his unabashed honesty and "straight to the heart" pearls of wisdom, shared so accessibly and effortlessly.

I wish I could have taken every workshop offered. Any idea how we can clone ourselves? Mary Jo Machiek's How to Sing Like a Pro: Techniques Learned the Hard Way, Made Easy was fun, inspiring and useful, Meg Gilman's Sensing Personal Stories, Images, Sound Bites – Stories!was insightful, powerful and emotional for me, and broke through many of those "protective blocks" in a very safe and caring space. I know my work will be enriched because of it. The panel discussion (Doug Lipman, Debbie Block of Round River Records and Marilyn McPhie on How to Produce, Market and Sell a Winning CD was very informative. I loved the format and the easy flow of information.

This year, storytellers Massmouth organizers extraordinaire  Norah Dooley, Andrea Lovett, Doria Hughes and Stu Mendelson, won the prestigious Brother Blue - Ruth Hill Award for

“demonstrating their dedication in creating and nurturing a strong storytelling community, be it by individual mentoring, guild or event venues or by fostering a greater public awareness of storytelling and its applications in all areas of society.”

In the eloquent words of fellow storyteller and friend Meg Gilman,

"Brother Blue watched over us all as we reunited for this annual story feast. His presence was there in the blue butterflies pins we wore, in an amazingly vital and resonant large photo of him on the stage, and in a moving and deeply personal tribute by Kevin Brooks, Laura Packer and Robert Smythe. And of course, there was Ruth - her quiet, centered grace and dignity blessing the event. I kept waiting for Blue to leap up and wax poetic about the tellers' performances, but, that was not to be, except in my memory. I still had to smile, knowing he would have had something to say."

I was thrilled to be one of the presenters, along with Vernon Cox and Lynne Cullen. Here is a small part of the letter I wrote to support Vernon Cox's nomination of the group:

"Through their unique and continuous efforts they have breathed new life into the storytelling arena in New England. They have done all of this without thought of personal gain but for the benefit of all while maintaining their own personal work as storytellers. I predict their efforts will be emulated throughout the country in the near future. We are all riding on the wings of their combined efforts and vision..."

From the stage I had a glorious view and could immediately see the stunned and surprised look on all of the recipient's faces. It was one of the conference highlights for me! Bravo to the Massmouth team, you are leading the way  for all of us.

Four of my storytelling students (three fourth graders and one third grader) graced the stage during Sunday's closing ceremonies and I couldn't be prouder! They displayed an amazing amount of poise for their age and had the time of their lives! I think their joy shines through in the pictures below. I was one proud teacher!

  The Four Musketeers basking in the glow of a story well-told!

Paul telling "The Fearsome Monster in Hare's House "

 Aidan telling "The Silly Farmer"

          

Danny and Evan tandem telling "The Hare and the Tortoise"

Here's to the stories!

I told them it would be the most supportive audience they will every have and my colleagues did not disappoint, rising to give them a standing ovation at the end. Also, not to be missed was Shelby Leard, daughter of Donna Leard who started the stories off in grand style; a beautiful and talented young lady to be sure! This is the next generation that will carry our art forward. A huge thank you to everyone who made their experience one to remember!

* My storytelling program at Freetown Elementary is generously funded  by the Freetown Elementary PTO and the Massachusetts Local Cultural Council

First Image: Arabian Nights by Edmund Dulac, 1907

He-roes and She-roes, Unsung and Unlabeled

Award-winning storyteller, musician and raconteur Michael Parent will grace the space at the Story Cafe on Saturday, April 10, 2010 . Join us for an amazing evening of stories of heroism, of people whose deeds are not trumpeted by a media hungry for sensation, but who are appreciated by the people whose lives they touch!

This is a fundraiser for ArtWorks, through the generosity of award-winning storyteller Michael Parent. Come and support this wonderful non-profit venue so they may continue to  offer new and exciting artistic programs throughout the year.

Michael Parent, a Franco-American Mainer, has performed as a storyteller-singer, in both English and French, since 1977. He is a 1999 recipient of the National Storytelling Network's Circle of Excellence Award and his recordings have won the American Library Association Notable Record Award, Parents’ Choice Magazine Gold Award and the Cine’ Golden Eagle Award. He has been featured at events throughout the U.S., as well as in Canada, France, Austria, New Zealand, Ireland, England, Poland, Brazil, and Costa Rica.

"(He) was almost a festival in himself. He played, sang in French and English, and juggled balls, rods, and what-nots as he simultaneously told the story of a down-and-out juggler. A magnificent voice, an inexhaustible fund of stories, wit, charm, a gift of mimicry..."
Layna Verin - U.C. Berkeley Daily Californian"

"The storyteller, in the fullness of his craft, has struck, and the spell is on, as surely as it was when Homer conjured up a fleet of ships on a wine-dark sea bound for the walls of Troy."

Melvin Maddocks - Time Magazine

“He created characters they knew, sang songs they could remember and gave new life to traditional forms of entertainment."
Madge Manfred,  Mohegan College, Norwich, CT

"Michael Parent is a unique blend of consummate professional, yet wonderfully approachable artist. Audiences of all ages loved him, as was evidenced by the standing ovation! Distractions fall away as Michael lures listeners into his tales and heart. Pure joy was the outcome of Michael's visit to our festival." Teresa Clark, Director, Snake River Storytelling Festival

Seating is limited so get your tickets early! Call
(508) 984-1588 for tickets.
Audience - 18 and Up There will be NO open mic this evening.
Members: $15 for one ticket/$20 for two
Nonmembers: $20 for one ticket/$35 for two

Time: 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. (there will be an intermission and refreshments)
Location: Artworks, 384 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA
Admission: Ticket required - Call Alanna Schull at (508) 984-1588
Audience: 18 and older

ArtWorks is right in the middle of the historic district of New Bedford. Come early and enjoy a beautiful spring day, have dinner, then join us for the perfect "night cap" at the Story Cafe!

City of New Bedford http://www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us/
Restaurant Information: http://www.freestones.com/
Parking: Elm Street Parking Garage and Custom House parking is within easy walking distance. http://tinyurl.com/ylx2akr
Directions: http://www.artworksforyou.org/hours.html

Celebrate Women's History Month - Women in "Her"story!

Statue of Sybil Ludington
Carmel, New York
Creative Commons Attribution

I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail their failure must be but a challenge to others." -  Amelia Earhart

March is Women’s History Month. If you are searching for some exceptional stories of extraordinary women to portray, research for your stories, or lesson plans for the classroom look no further! I hope these sites will serve you well not only in March but throughout the year. First, a few stories...

Molly Whuppie
Collected by Joseph Jacobs

Once upon a time there was a man and a wife had too many children, and they could not get meat for them, so they took the three youngest and left them in a wood. They travelled and travelled and could see never a house. It began to be dark, and they were hungry. At last they saw a light and made for it; it turned out to be a house. They knocked at the door, and a woman came to it, who said: “What do you want?” They said: “Please let us in and give us something to eat.” The woman said: “I can’t do that, as my man is a giant, and he would kill you if he comes home.” They begged hard. “Let us stop for a little while,” said they, “and we will go away before he comes...”
For the rest of the story click here

Mr. Fox
English  Folktale Collected by Joseph Jacobs

LADY Mary was young, and Lady Mary was fair. She had two brothers, and more lovers than she could count. But of them all, the bravest and most gallant, was a Mr. Fox, whom she met when she was down at her father's country-house. No one knew who Mr. Fox was; but he was certainly brave, and surely rich, and of all her lovers, Lady Mary cared for him alone. At last it was agreed upon between them that they should be married. Lady Mary asked Mr. Fox where they should live, and he described to her his castle, and where it was; but, strange to say, did not ask her, or her brothers to come and see it.

So one day, near the wedding-day, when her brothers were out, and Mr. Fox was away for a day or two on business, as he said, Lady Mary set out for Mr. Fox's castle. And after many searchings, she came at last to it, and a fine strong house it was, with high walls and a deep moat. And when she came up to the gateway she saw written on it:

Be bold, be bold.

But as the gate was open, she went through it, and found no one there. So she went up to the door. way, and over it she found written:

Be bold, be bold, but pot too bold. Still, she went on...
For the rest of the story click here.

STORIES OF AMAZING WOMEN

100 Badass Women That Changed The World We Live In Today
https://www.boredpanda.com/women-who-changed-history/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

300 Women Who Changed the World - Where they lived, what they did, timelines, multimedia archives and more.
http://search.eb.com/women

American Women Through Time - A historic chronology with links to relevant websites for each period, along with research sources appropriate for the specified time period.
http://www.mtsu.edu/~kmiddlet/history/women/wh-timeline.html

Black History and Women - “Women are half the human race and they're half of black history, as well. Here are some highlights bringing together black history and women's history.” http://tinyurl.com/ybus3x7

Distinguished Women of Past and Present - This is truly an amazing site! The stories and additional links offer new insights into the remarkable contributions women have made throughout history categorized by subject matter or name. You could spend a century here and not finish!
http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/index.html

Famous Hispanic Women - “Hispanic women have contributed to the culture of the world and to American history.” Learn more about them here. http://tinyurl.com/ydwhjeg

History.com - The history of Women’s Suffrage, achievements, Hall of Fame, timeline and additional resources.
http://www.history.com/minisites/womenhist

Legends of America
Complete List of Historic Women
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-WomenList.html
Native American Women
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-indianwomen.html
Women in the Army
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-armywomen.html
Women of the American West
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-Women.html

The Library of Congress: Women’s History Month - Features biographies, audio clips, images, classroom materials, and links to relevant collections and exhibits. 
https://www.womenshistorymonth.gov/about/

National Women’s History Project - An educational nonprofit organization founded in 1980. Their mission is to “recognize and celebrate the diverse and historic accomplishments of women by providing information and educational materials and programs.” Search by category, state, or discipline.
http://www.nwhp.org/

Notable Women Ancestors - From adventurers to witches the site offers a brief synopsis for each woman with a link to additional biographical information. http://www.rootsweb.com/~nwa/index.html

Sisters Choice ~ Active Heroines in Folktales  - An index of books with annotations on strong women in folktales; a perfect place to start if you are developing a program around this theme.
http://www.sisterschoice.com/heroines.html

What did you do in the war, Grandma? - Twenty-six interviews with women who served in WW II.
http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/WWII_Women/tocCS.html

Women and the Sea - Ahoy mates! A valuable collection of resources outlining women’s experiences and contributions as sailors, lighthouse keepers, yachting, mermaid myths, etc., dating back to 1493. There is also an extensive bibliography.
https://www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/micro/women/index.htm

Women in Black History - You'll find women who are famous and women who should be better-known, from early America and slavery to the 21st century, including the Harlem Renaissance and the civil rights movement.
http://tinyurl.com/ybmjgwb

Women of the Hall - The National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca, New York “is a shrine to some of the greatest women in the history of this country….” Search alphabetically or by last name.
http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php

Women Warriors from 3500BC to the 20th Century - Throughout history women have been involved in battles, sieges, and duels. This site offers a glimpse at women warriors through the centuries.The original site is no longer available but the information is still available via the Wayback Machine at this link:
https://web.archive.org/web/20050308010519/http://www.lothene.demon.co.uk/others/women.html  
http://tinyurl.com/ycawlqa

Women in American History - Heroines, ghosts, curious girls and more.

http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/10/women_in_american_folklore.html

Women of the Gold Rush - Information on notable woman who took part in the Gold Rush. Good starter information to begin your research.
https://www.nps.gov/klgo/learn/historyculture/women.htm

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Feminist Collections of Folktales - Compiled by Tina L. Hanlon
http://www2.ferrum.edu/applit/bibs/fem.htm 

BOOKS

Fearless Girls, Wise Women & Beloved Sisters by Kathleen Regan 
http://tinyurl.com/ylpzxhb 

Fiesta Femenina: Celebrating Women in Mexican Folktale by Mary-Joan Gerson http://tinyurl.com/yelf8t5 

The Serpent Slayer and Other Stories of Strong Women by Trina Schart Hyman 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Serpent-Slayer-Stories-Strong/dp/0316387010

Wise Women: Folk and Fairy Tales from Around the World by Suzanne I. Barchers.

https://www.amazon.com/Wise-Women-Fairy-Tales-Around/dp/1563085925/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=9781563085925&linkCode=qs&qid=1614647528&s=books&sr=1-1

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

ABC Teach
http://tinyurl.com/y9em546

Footsteps to Success
http://tinyurl.com/yld8r9e

Library of Congress: Women's History Month Resources and Multimedia http://womenshistorymonth.gov/

Long Ago and Maybe Far Away
http://tinyurl.com/yjvjvyn

Mother and Daughter Griots
http://tinyurl.com/ybyb2le

National Education Association: International Women’s Day - Inspiring Change
http://www.nea.org/home/58237.htm

Women’s History Month for the Classroom
https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/womens-history-month-classroom

CRAFTS

20+ International Women’s Day Crafts to Celebrate
https://www.k4craft.com/womens-day-crafts-to-celebrate/

The Solidarity Quilt
http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/lesson21.html

 

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

 

Karen Chace 2021 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission, please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Weaving Storytelling and Business with an Authentic Voice

Storytelling is the ancient art of Oral Tradition and now business executives are discovering what the revered seanchaí and griots have known for centuries; there is power in story. They are applying the premise to connect with their customer base in commercials and public relations, sometimes with poor results. To succeed, the key is to combine the two with an authentic voice and excellent listening skills.

"Storytelling plays constructive roles in the workplace, in organizations, corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and small  businesses." http://www.storynet.org/

“Storytelling is human universal and common themes appear in tales throughout history and all over the world. These characteristics of stories, and our natural affinity toward them, reveal clues about our evolutionary history and the roots of emotion and empathy in the mind.
By studying narrative’s power to influence beliefs, researchers are discovering how we analyze information and accept new ideas.”    
Scientific American Mind, August 2008

Artist: Utamaro 1750-1806
Title: Weaving on a Loom

 
ARTICLES

It’s in the Telling of the Story by Dr. Tim Chandler
http://tinyurl.com/yfwrysd

The Secrets of Storytelling: Why We Love a Good Yarn - Scientific American, August 2008
http://tinyurl.com/y9pqdnk

5 Tips for Telling Better Stories by Marci Alboher
http://tinyurl.com/5ujrkl

Media Lab creates Center for Future Storytelling
http://tinyurl.com/yczuvpw

Sales Through Storytelling by Craig Harrison
http://tinyurl.com/yjh8ykj

Tell Me a Digital Story from Business Week by Marcia Stepanek
http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_20/b3681103.htm

Use the Power of Storytelling for Business Information Sharing
by Chris King http://tinyurl.com/yh66to2

Work Zone: Storytelling workshop helps future lawyers hone critical skills
By Arielle Brustein http://tinyurl.com/yckzm39

“The creative economy is a powerful and positive global force. Together, artists, cultural nonprofits, and creative businesses produce and distribute cultural goods and services that impact the economy by generating jobs, revenue, and quality of life.” http://tinyurl.com/yhkveaf


BLOGS AND WEBSITES

Shawn Callahan's Anecdote site has excellent resources.
http://www.anecdote.com.au/archives/storytelling/  

Steve Denning
http://www.stevedenning.com/site/Default.aspx
 
Kathy Hansen has some excellent entries on her blog, A Storied Career.
http://astoriedcareer.com/

Ishmael’s Corner: Storytelling Through a Business Prism
http://www.ishmaelscorner.com/

Michael Margolis - Lots of good content there, including his new book, Believe Me, which can be downloaded free. http://www.getstoried.com/

Annette Simmons - Generous resources on her Group Process Consulting site. http://groupprocessconsulting.com/

Cathryn Wellner offers useful information for those in the non-profit sector.
http://storyroute.com/  *

*My thanks to Cathryn Wellner for sharing some of the resources in this section. cjwellner@gmail.com


BOOKS

The Corporate Storyteller: A Writing Manual & Style Guide for the Brave New Business Leader by Elaine Stirling

The Elements of Persuasion: Use Storytelling to Pitch Better, Sell Faster & Win More Business by Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman

The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative by Stephen Denning

The Power of Personal Storytelling by Jack Maguire

The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations by Steve Denning

The Story Factor (2nd Revised Edition) by Annette Simmons

Story Proof: The Science Behind the Startling Power of Story by Kendall Haven

Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact by Annette Simmons


DIGITAL STORYTELLING WEBSITES AND ARTICLES

Center for Digital Storytelling
This California arts organization assists “young people and adults in using the tools of digital media to craft, record, and share the stories of individuals and communities, in ways that improve all our lives.” http://www.storycenter.org/

Digital Storytelling Engages Tech-savvy Accounting Students
Knowledge@SMU 9/2/2008 “…digital stories are emerging as tools in a variety of settings. “They are increasingly used to entertain, teach, train, inform, promote and advertise. Corporations and public institutions use digital storytelling to motivate their human capital, create a legacy of corporate stories, and impart core values…” http://tinyurl.com/yhdcfd6

Digital Storytelling in Higher Education: Journal of Computing in Higher Education
Fall 2006, Vol. 19(1), 65-79 “…the potential for digital storytelling extends far beyond the fields of communication and media studies across many fields of study, including history, American Studies, business and leadership, knowledge management, community planning, and much more…” http://tinyurl.com/ylmf6tf

Tech Head Stories
A plethora of digital storytelling websites highlighting corporate storytelling, personal, educational and historic journals, along with tools to teach you how to “digital storytell.” There is also a good collection of traditional story resources as well. http://tech-head.com/dstory.htm

RESEARCH

"A big part of a CEO's job is to motivate people to reach certain goals. To do that, he or she must engage their emotions, and the key to their hearts is story." ~ Robert McKee, Harvard Business Review June, 2003   

The Brain by Leonardo Da Vinci


Hardwired for Story! by Kendall Haven

Neural Research - The human brain is predisposed to think in story terms. This predisposition is continuously reinforced and strengthened as the brain develops up through age 12. Adults arrive dependent on interpreting events and other human's behavior through a specific story architecture.

Research Confirms: Without established context and relevance, the human mind is unlikely to remember new information, and is even less likely to ever recall it.

• Bransford (1998) "When a topic is unfamiliar to readers/listeners, research shows that the natural tendency is to use familiar story structure with character goal, motive, and struggles to elaborate on available information and to provide mapping structures to bring prior knowledge and experience to bear on the interpretation of current input."

• Coles (1989) "Stories enhanced recall, retention, application of concepts into new situations, understanding, learner enthusiasm for the subject matter." and "Stories enhanced and accelerated virtually every measurable aspect of learning."

• Cooper (1997) "In fact, researchers have found that potential employers want their employees to have mastered two aspects of literacy often omitted from school curricula: listening and speaking."

• Engle (1995) “Story is an essential precursor to mastery of expository and logical forms."

• Mello (2001) "Each study documented that storytelling enhanced literacy." and "Storytelling was an
   effective learning tool that linked literature to content and experience."

• Schank (1990) "Storytelling has demonstrable, measurable, positive, and irreplaceable value in teaching."

• Tannen (1999) "Narrative details create mental images, making possible both understanding and memory."

• Tannen (1999) "Images (created by details), my research suggests, are more convincing and  
   more memorable than either fact or abstract propositions."

• Taylor (2001) "Storytelling is a valuable resource for developing critical thinking skills.

Karen Chace.© 2010

Please contact Karen Chace for permission to reproduce this post.
http://www.storybug.net/ or storybug@aol.com