Impacting Educational Systems
Within the early elementary student community, Interactive Storytelling’s programing affects positive change within the students’ learning process by developing their skills in the following areas: Celebrating Differences, by applauding and supporting vastly different creative output and approaches; Thinking Creatively, by encouraging students to think beyond normal answers; creating new words, sounds, movements and shapes never before heard or seen- answers that may have been previously dismissed as silly or wrong; Respect and Listening, by emphasizing the importance of hearing and supporting each other’s creativity and expression and by exchange, being supported and heard; Group Collaboration, by expecting students to work in a group to create one character and one story, in support of one concept. Interactive Storytelling further impacts the overall curriculum of the classroom and the school by fostering development not only in improved and successful group collaboration, but by exploring the areas of writing and spelling, listening, art, and teacher development.
Measuring Success
Interactive Storytelling’s success measured by student’s creation of engaging stories and the resulting immediate effect on self-confidence and imagination that is inherent in any creative endeavor (particularly in a first time creative endeavor). In addition, Interactive Storytelling also strives to result in long term student skill development in strong critical thinking, creative problem solving and in an overall appreciation of ideas and art. Furthermore the workshops hopefully give teachers brief respite and support and a demonstration of new, creative ways to approach curriculum. This program strives to reaching children that have yet to explore their creativity, to see them encouraged by their success in outlandish expression, physically and intellectually. In addition, fostering new avenues for early childhood creativity energizes and encourages the artists working in the workshops and, hopefully, the teachers involved as well.
The Skinny
Interactive Storytelling uses the unlimited imagination of children to unlock their ability to think critically and creatively, thereby revealing to students and teachers new ways to connect to their curriculum. Furthermore, the workshops give a boost to student’s self-confidence and bolster their sense of the importance of being respectful and being respected in return. The demonstrated enthusiasm that children have for creating is remarkably energizing to all the artists involved and very often buoying to the teachers as well. Finally, fostering a trust and exuberance for the arts in young children is paramount for the survival of artistic expression and for the development of creative thought in all areas of education.
Coleman Crenshaw 