For thousands of years stories have been our most powerful way of communicating. Stories are embedded in our religions, books, films and teaching.
For Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky, his love of storytelling began with his refugee family telling tales of their journeys to Australia.
In Brief
For Primary & Secondary, Levels 3-6 (years 3-10)
JAN’S STORY WORKSHOP is all about storytelling: how stories work and to inspire students and teachers to use stories in their work.
Format
Jan’s Story Workshop is available in two parts, each 60 minutes, but can be varied according to the needs of the school.
In Part One Jan tell stories and talks about storytelling, and in Part Two students themselves tell stories, with Jan’s coaching.
So it can be a one or two-hour session, depending on how much ‘hands-on’ work the students will do.
Group Size: Max. 30
Cost
$300 per one-hour and $450 per two-hour workshop.
10% discount for extra workshops on same day.
A travel/accom. Loading may apply in some locations.
Description
For thousands of years stories have been our most powerful way of communicating. Stories are embedded in our religions, books, films and teaching.
For Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky, his love of storytelling began with his refugee family telling tales of their journeys to Australia.
As a teenager he boasted a prodigious repertoire of jokes – our most basic form of three-part story structure.
Then, growing up in the Dandenong Ranges he spent lots of time swinging a pick with the local ‘old blokes’ who during ‘smoko’ would spin yarns of tramping on the dole during the Great Depression or being a guard at the Cowra Breakout during WW2.
Later Jan got interested in mythology and theatre, and oral history with such people at Phar Lap’s strapper, Tommy Woodcock, and later again began script-writing documentaries for radio and television, bringing a basis of story to all these projects.
For more details of Jan’s story projects, click here. (Content page 54)
Part One
Incorporating all his storytelling influences, in this workshop Jan goes back to the original storyteller – the person around the campfire, with only his voice, body, a musical instrument and an occasional prop – and he tells various stories – Australian Dreaming stories, Greek myths, outrageous yarns, personal tales, song stories and parables from around the world – and talks about how stories work: their structure, and their purpose in showing us how to express ourselves and live our lives.
Part Two
The workshop can stop at this point, or go on as Jan guides students in the telling their own stories, either orally or in writing; assisting them in structuring, sticking to the theme and fleshing out the detail.
Curriculum – VELS
Whilst there’s no subject called ‘storytelling’ in curriculum, storytelling is the oldest, most versatile and entertaining way to educate. The telling of stories can be applied to any curriculum area at any level.
Teachers can take elements of this workshop to use in their teaching. Students can take tips from Jan’s storytelling to use in their class work or assignments.
Jan will leave students and teachers with suggestions as how to use stories in class.
