stories to tell to children-第19章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



are　after　all　merely　single　manifestations　of

degree　and　quality　of　culture；　of　taste；　and　of

natural　gift。　　No　set　rules　can　bring　charm　of

voice　and　speech　to　a　person　whose　feeling　and

habitual　point　of　view　are　fundamentally　wrong；

the　person　whose　habitual　feeling　and　mental

attitude　are　fundamentally　right　needs　few　or　no

rules。　　As　the　whole　matter　of　story…telling　is

in　the　first　instance　an　expression　of　the　complex

personal　product；　so　will　this　feature　of　it

vary　in　perfection　according　to　the　beauty　and

culture　of　the　human　mechanism　manifesting　it。



A　few　generally　applicable　suggestions　may；

however；　be　useful；always　assuming　the　story…

teller　to　have　the　fundamental　qualifications　of

fine　and　wholesome　habit。　　These　are　not　rules

for　the　art　of　speaking；　they　are　merely　some

practical　considerations　regarding　speaking　to

an　audience。



First；　I　would　reiterate　my　earlier　advice；　be

simple。　　Affectation　is　the　worst　enemy　of　voice

and　enunciation　alike。　　Slovenly　enunciation　is

certainly　very　dreadful；　but　the　unregenerate

may　be　pardoned　if　they　prefer　it　to　the

affected　mouthing　which　some　over…nice　people

without　due　sense　of　values　expend　on　every

syllable　which　is　so　unlucky　as　to　fall　between

their　teeth。



Next　I　would　urge　avoidance　of　a　fault　very

common　with　those　who　speak　much　in　large

rooms；the　mistaken　effort　at　loudness。　　This

results　in　tightening　and　straining　the　throat；

finally　producing　nasal　head…tones　or　a　voice

of　metallic　harshness。　　And　it　is　entirely

unnecessary。　　There　is　no　need　to　speak　loudly。

The　ordinary　schoolroom　needs　no　vocal　effort。

A　hall　seating　three　or　four　hundred　persons

demands　no　effort　whatever　beyond　a　certain

clearness　and　definiteness　of　speech。　　A　hall

seating　from　five　to　eight　hundred　needs　more

skill　in　aiming　the　voice；　but　still　demands　no

shouting。



It　is　indeed　largely　the　psychological　quality

of　a　tone　that　makes　it　reach　in　through　the　ear

to　the　comprehension。　　The　quiet；　clear；　restful；

persuasive　tone　of　a　speaker　who　knows　his

power　goes　straight　home；　but　loud　speech

confuses。　　Never　speak　loudly。　　In　a　small　room；

speak　as　gently　and　easily　as　in　conversation；

in　a　large　room；　think　of　the　people　farthest

away；　and　speak　clearly；　with　a　slight　separation

between　words；　and　with　definite　phrasing；

aiming　your　MIND　toward　the　distant　listeners。



If　one　is　conscious　of　nasality　or　throatiness

of　voice；　it　certainly　pays　to　study　the　subject

seriously　with　an　intelligent　teacher。　　But　a

good；　natural　speaking…voice；　free　from　extraordinary

vices；　will　fill　all　the　requirements　of

story…telling　to　small　audiences；　without　other

attention　than　comes　indirectly　from　following

the　general　principles　of　the　art。



To　sum　it　all　up；　then；　let　us　say　of　the　method

likely　to　bring　success　in　telling　stories；　that　it

includes　sympathy；　grasp；　spontaneity：　one

must　appreciate　the　story；　and　know　it；　and

then；　using　the　realising　imagination　as　a

constant　vivifying　force；　and　dominated　by　the

mood　of　the　story；　one　must　tell　it　with　all　one's

might；simply；　vitally；　joyously。







CHAPTER　V



SOME　SPECIFIC　SCHOOLROOM　USES　OF　STORY…TELLING



In　Chapter　II。；　I　have　tried　to　give　my　conception

of　the　general　aim　of　story…telling　in　school。

From　that　conception；　it　is　not　difficult　to　deduce

certain　specific　uses。　　The　one　most　plainly

intimated　is　that　of　a　brief　recreation　period；　a

feature　which　has　proved　valuable　in　many

classes。　　Less　definitely　implied；　but　not　to　be

ignored；　was　the　use　of　the　story　during；　or

accessory　to；　the　lesson　in　science　or　history。



But　more　distinctive　and　valuable　than　these；

I　think；　is　a　specific　use　which　I　have　recently

had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　exemplified　in　great

completeness　in　the　schools　of　Providence；

Rhode　Island。



Some　four　years　ago；　the　assistant　superintendent

of　schools　of　that　city；　Miss　Ella　L。

Sweeney；　introduced　a　rather　unusual　and

extended　application　of　the　story　in　her　primary

classes。　　While　the　experiment　was　in　its　early

stages；　it　was　my　good　fortune　to　be　allowed　to

make　suggestions　for　its　development；　and　as

the　devices　in　question　were　those　I　had　been

accustomed　to　use　as　a　pastime　for　children；　I

was　able　to　take　some　slight　hand　in　the　formative

work　of　its　adoption　as　an　educational

method。　　Carried　out　most　ably　by　the　teachers

to　whom　it　was　entrusted；　the　plan　has　evolved

into　a　more　inclusive　and　systematic　one　than

was　at　first　hoped　for；　it　is　one　from　which　I

have　been　grateful　to　learn。



Tersely　stated；　the　object　of　the　general　plan

is　the　freeing　and　developing　of　the　power　of

expression　in　the　pupils。



I　think　there　can　be　no　need　of　dwelling　on

the　desirability　of　this　result。　　The　apathy　and

〃woodenness〃　of　children　under　average　modes

of　pedagogy　is　apparent　to　anyone　who　is

interested　enough　to　observe。　　In　elementary

work；　the　most　noticeable　lack　of　natural

expression　is　probably　in　the　reading　classes；　the

same　drawback　appears　at　a　later　stage　in

English　composition。　　But　all　along　the　line

every　thoughtful　teacher　knows　how　difficult　it

is　to　obtain　spontaneous；　creative　reaction　on

material　given。



Story…telling　has　a　real　mission　to　perform　in

setting　free　the　natural　creative　expression　of

children；　and　in　vitalising　the　general　atmosphere

of　the　school。　　The　method　in　use　for

this　purpose　in　Providence　（and　probably　elsewhere；

as　ideas　usually　germinate　in　more　than

one　place　at　once）　is　a　threefold　GIVING　BACK　of

the　story　by　the　children。　　Two　of　the　forms　of

reproduction　are　familiar　to　many　teachers；　the

first　is　the　obvious　one　of　telling　the　story　back

again。



It　is　such　fun　to　listen　to　a　good　story　that

children　remember　it　without　effort；　and　later；

when　asked　if　they　can　tell　the　story　of　The

Red…Headed　Woodpecker　or　The　little　Red　Hen；

they　are　as　eager　to　try　it　as　if　it　were　a　personal

experience　which　they　were　burning　to

impart。



Each　pupil；　in　the　Providence　classes；　is　given

a　chance　to　try　each　story；　at　some　time。　　Then

that　one　which　each　has　told　especially　well　is

allotted　to　him　for　his　own　particular　story；　on

which　he　has　an　especial　claim　thereafter。



It　is　surprising　to　note　how　comparatively

individual　and　distinctive　the　expression　of

voice　and　manner　becomes；　after　a　short　time。

The　child　instinctively　emphasises　the　points

which　appeal　to　him；　and　the　element　of　fun　in

it　all　helps　to　bring　forgetfulness　of　self。　　The

main　inflections　and　the　general　tenor　of　the

language；　however；　remain　imitative；　as　is

natural　with　children。　　But　this　is　a　gain　rather

than　otherwise；　for　it　is　useful　in　forming　good

habit。　　In　no　other　part　of　her　work；　probably；

has　a　teacher　so　good　a　chance　to　foster　in　her

pupils　pleasant　habits　of　enunciation　and　voice。

And　this　is　especially　worth　while　ill　the　big

city　schools；　where　so　many　children　come　from

homes　where　the　English　of　the　tenement　is

spoken。



I　have　since　wished　that　every　city　primary

teacher　could　have　visited　with　me　the　first…

grade　room　in　Providence　where　the　pupils　were

German；　Russian；　or　Polish　Jews；　and　where

some　of　them　had　heard　no　English　previous

to　that　year；it　being　then　May。　　The　joy　that

shone　on　their　faces　was　nothing　less　than

radiance　when　the　low…voiced　teacher　said；

〃Would　you　like　to　tell　these　ladies　some　of

your　stories？〃



They　told　us　their　stories；　and　there　was

truly　not　one　told　poorly　or　inexpressively；　all

the　children　had　learned　something　of　the　joy

of　creative　effort。　　But　one　little　fellow　stands

out　in　my　memory　beyond　all　the　rest；　yet　as

a　type　of　all　the　rest。



Rudolph　was　very　small；　and　square；　and

merry　of　eye；　life　was　one　eagerness　and

expectancy　to　him。　　He　knew　no　English　beyond

th