how to tell stories to children-第5章
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st not make a ridiculous caricature; where a picture; however crude; is the intention。 Personally represent only such things as are definitely and dramatically personified in the story。 If a natural force; the wind; for example; is represented as talking and acting like a human being in the story; it can be imaged by a person in the play; but if it remains a part of the picture in the story; performing only its natural motions; it is a caricature to enact it as a role。 The most powerful instance of a mistake of this kind which I have ever seen will doubtless make my meaning clear。 In playing a pretty story about animals and children; some children in a primary school were made by the teacher to take the part of the sea。 In the story; the sea was said to 〃beat upon the shore;〃 as a sea would; without doubt。 In the play; the children were allowed to thump the floor lustily; as a presentation of their watery functions! It was unconscionably funny。 Fancy presenting even the crudest image of the mighty sea; surging up on the shore; by a row of infants squatted on the floor and pounding with their fists! Such pitfalls can be avoided by the simple rule of personifying only characters that actually behave like human beings。
A caution which directly concerns the art of story telling itself; must be added here。 There is a definite distinction between the arts of narration and dramatization which must never be overlooked。 Do not; yourself; half tell and half act the story; and do not let the children do it。 It is done in very good schools; sometimes; because an enthusiasm for realistic and lively presentation momentarily obscures the faculty of discrimination。 A much loved and respected teacher whom I recently listened to; and who will laugh if she recognizes her blunder here; offers a good 〃bad example〃 in this particular。 She said to an attentive audience of students that she had at last; with much difficulty; brought herself to the point where she could forget herself in her story: where she could; for instance; hop; like the fox; when she told the story of the 〃sour grapes。〃 She said; 〃It was hard at first; but now it is a matter of course; AND THE CHILDREN DO IT TOO; WHEN THEY TELL THE STORY。〃 That was the pity! I saw the illustration myself a little later。 The child who played fox began with a story: he said; 〃Once there was an old fox; and he saw some grapes;〃 then the child walked to the other side of the room; and looked up at an imaginary vine; and said; 〃He wanted some; he thought they would taste good; so he jumped for them;〃 at this point the child did jump; like his role; then he continued with his story; 〃but he couldn't get them。〃 And so he proceeded; with a constant alternation of narrative and dramatization which was enough to make one dizzy。
The trouble in such work is; plainly; a lack of discriminating analysis。 Telling a story necessarily implies non…identification of the teller with the event; he relates what occurs or occurred; outside of his circle of conciousness。 Acting a play necessarily implies identification of the actor with the event; he presents to you a picture of the thing; in himself。 It is a difference wide and clear; and the least failure to recognize it confuses the audience and injures both arts。
In the preceding instances of secondary uses of story…telling I have come some distance from the great point; the fundamental point; of the power of imitation in breeding good habit。 This power is less noticeably active in the dramatizing than in simple re…telling; in the listening and the re… telling; it is dominant for good。 The child imitates what he hears you say and sees you do; and the way you say and do it; far more closely in the story…hour than in any lesson…period。 He is in a more absorbent state; as it were; because there is no preoccupation of effort。 Here is the great opportunity of the cultured teacher; here is the appalling opportunity of the careless or ignorant teacher。 For the implications of the oral theory of teaching English are evident; concerning the immense importance of the teacher's habit。 This is what it all comes to ultimately; the teacher of young children must be a person who can speak English as it should be spoken;purely; clearly; pleasantly; and with force。
It is a hard ideal to live up to; but it is a valuable ideal to try to live up to。 And one of the best chances to work toward attainment is in telling stories; for there you have definite material; which you can work into shape and practice on in private。 That practice ought to include conscious thought as to one's general manner in the schoolroom; and intelligent effort to understand and improve one's own voice。 I hope I shall not seem to assume the dignity of an authority which no personal taste can claim; if I beg a hearing for the following elements of manner and voice; which appeal to me as essential。 They will; probably; appear self…evident to my readers; yet they are often found wanting in the public school…teacher; it is so much easier to say 〃what were good to do〃 than to do it!
Three elements of manner seem to me an essential adjunct to the personality of a teacher of little children: courtesy; repose vitality。 Repose and vitality explain themselves; by courtesy I specifically do NOT mean the habit of mind which contents itself with drilling children in 〃Good… mornings〃 and in hat…liftings。 I mean the attitude of mind which recognizes in the youngest; commonest child; the potential dignity; majesty; and mystery of the developed human soul。 Genuine reverence for the humanity of the 〃other fellow〃 marks a definite degree of courtesy in the intercourse of adults; does it not? And the same quality of respect; tempered by the demands of a wise control; is exactly what is needed among children。 Again and again; in dealing with young minds; the teacher who respects personality as sacred; no matter how embryonic it be; wins the victories which count for true education。 Yet; all too often; we forget the claims of this reverence; in the presence of the annoyances and the needed corrections。
As for voice: work in schoolrooms brings two opposing mistakes constantly before me: one is the repressed voice; and the other; the forced。 The best way to avoid either extreme; is to keep in mind that the ideal is development of one's own natural voice; along its own natural lines。 A 〃quiet; gentle voice〃 is conscientiously aimed at by many young teachers; with so great zeal that the tone becomes painfully repressed; 〃breathy;〃 and timid。 This is quite as unpleasant as a loud voice; which is; in turn; a frequent result of early admonitions to 〃speak up。〃 Neither is natural。 It is wise to determine the natural volume and pitch of one's speaking voice by a number of tests; made when one is thoroughly rested; at ease; and alone。 Find out where your voice lies when it is left to itself; under favorable conditions; by reading something aloud or by listening to yourself as you talk to an intimate friend。 Then practise keeping it in that general range; unless it prove to have a distinct fault; such as a nervous sharpness; or hoarseness。 A quiet voice is good; a hushed voice is abnormal。 A clear tone is restful; but a loud one is wearying。
Perhaps the common…sense way of setting a standard for one's own voice is to remember that the; purpose of a speaking voice is to communicate with others; their ears and minds are the receivers of our tones。 For this purpose; evidently; a voice should be; first of all; easy to hear; next; pleasant to hear; next; susceptible of sufficient variation to express a wide range of meaning; and finally; indicative of personality。
Is it too quixotic to urge teachers who tell stories to little children to bear these thoughts; and better ones of their own; in mind? Not; I think; if it be fully accepted that the story hour; as a play hour; is a time peculiarly open to influences affecting the imitative faculty; that this faculty is especially valuable in forming fine habits of speech; and that an increasingly high and general standard of English speech is one of our greatest needs and our most instant opportunities in the American schools of to…day。
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