Workshops & Speakers Keynote Speaker: Laura Simms Why Are Stories Powerful?

Laura Simms has earned worldwide recognition and honors for her remarkable performances of traditional stories interwoven with personal narrative. She has created an irresistible style that bridges ancient oral tradition and performance art. Her warmth, depth of understanding, profound effect on listeners, diverse material, humor, gorgeous voice, and range of characterizations are legendary.

In her keynote address, Laura will explore the power of narrative to heal and transform us all. Telling her own inspiring family story about her son, Ishmael Beah (author of A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Child Soldier), Laura will help us understand the process of reciprocal listening and how it empowers our youth to strengthen their lives.

Laura has long been committed to spirituality, healing, education, women’s issues, human rights, and working with children. In 1999, she won the Sesame Street Sunny Days Award for her contributions to children of the world and has received many awards for her books, tapes, and projects.

After the events of September 11, 2001, she spearheaded the book Stories to Nourish the Hearts of Children in a Time of Crisis and, in the fall of 2003, created A Key to the Heart and Other Afghan Tales to benefit children’s educationin Afghanistan. Her newest book, Becoming the World, has served thousands of teachers worldwide in addressing issues of tolerance and resilience. Visit www.laurasimms.com.

Workshops
(choose two)

	Laura Simms Making Fairy Tales with Children: Finding the Hidden Story (afternoon only - large group workshop) Using elements of traditional fairy tales, the workshop offers a way to give children a dynamic sense of how a story is actually created. The focus is on developing the ideas that make the heart of a story blaze: transforming aggression into kindness, character, landscape development, and creative solutions to problems. Participants will go through the process experientially.
	K.R. Glickman and Tony Toledo Unseen Borders: Stories in Sign and Voice (afternoon only) Have you ever seen as well as heard stories? That is exactly what you will do when you watch K. R. Glickman sign her parts and hear Tony Toledo speak. From the Finnish tale of “Glove, Needle, and Squirrel” to the Italian tale of “How Poor Guido Paid His Debt,” you will laugh out loud and learn sign language at the same time. Listeners will also learn how a hearing dog alerts a deaf person.
	Nora Dooley Story Bridges: Story, Community, and Cross-Cultural Communication Nora will explore how to use folk stories and personal tales to promote healthy community and communication across cultural divides. Nora is a storyteller and children’s author. Her widely acclaimed picture books, Everybody Cooks Rice, Everybody Bakes Bread, Everybody Serves Soup, and Everybody Brings Noodles, are set in her former neighborhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Nora has also recorded five storytelling CDs.
	Motoko Bodystories: Mime and Movement for Storytellers A native of Osaka, Japan, Motoko will lead gentle exercises and theatre games. Participants will begin to grasp the basics of mime (defined as “physical eloquence”) and to explore their own physical expression. This workshop will help you “activate” your storytelling! Motoko has appeared on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and her CD, The Promise of Chrysanthemums, won several prestigious awards.
	K.R. Glickman Signing Your Life Away! Sharing Your Story the Deaf Way (morning only) When a deaf person tells a fishing story, the deaf listener often interrupts asking where the storyteller went to school. The deaf storyteller happily answers Clarke School, then proceeds with the tale. That is just one example of how deaf culture is different from hearing. K. R. will discuss storytelling the deaf way, then invite participants to share some stories. K. R. has been teaching American Sign Language to hearing people since 1980. She inspires folks to talk with their hands and hear with their eyes. She lives in Beverly, Massachusetts, with her husband, Tony Toledo, and hearing dog, Shana.
	John Porcino Bringing the Magic of Storytelling to Preschoolers Telling stories to preschool children is a wonderful challenge. For 25 years, John – who has been described as “a combination of Robin Williams, Pete Seeger, and Captain Kangaroo” – has been bringing audiences the gifts of laughter and insight. Participants will leave with at least one new story and a pocket full of excellent tricks to make preschoolers’ programs magical.
	Tony Toledo Learning How to Tell a Story (morning only) Tony tells a few tales to warm you up, then he talks about storytelling. You will choose a short story that grabs your eye, draw a storyboard to take the ideas from the page into your head, then practice it with a partner. When you leave this workshop, you will be a storyteller! Listeners of any age will enjoy Tony’s tales, but elementary students are apt to laugh at the right parts, clap loudly, and stomp for more.