Students Learn the Art of Storytelling
By YVONNE NAVA
Updated 3:45 PM EST, Fri, Nov 6, 2009
Dr.Raouf Mama, an English professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, knows how to captivate his audiences.
He has mastered the art of storytelling, a tradition in his native West Africa. Now, Dr. Mama is sharing his passion and talents with the students at Conard High School.
“In the years of my childhood, storytelling was the only source of entertainment at home. There was no TV. I had no books,” said Dr. Mama. "People would come and visit and in the evening there would be storytelling after the evening meal."
Dr. Mama conducted two workshops to teach local high school students how to tell amazing stories.
“I think it's great. You can be creative and be yourself, talk about anything you like, turn any story and people just enjoy to hear it,” said Jovanny Espinal, 16.
“A lot of us aren't really familiar with live storytelling, especially from his culture but he's able to open us up to that,” classmate, Natalie Green added.
Dr. Mama says the elements of a good story are all the same: “You have to express yourself clearly, and simply and eloquently. You don’t have to use big words just tell the stories as you feel it.”
These are words of wisdom that these students from Conard and the Reach Alternative High School seem to be taking to heart.
“Perhaps when I become a teacher, I'll use it to engage my students and teach them a little something I learned,” said Espinal.
“I’d love to be songwriter, I do that right now, it's kind of like letting it all out,” student Sam Moffet said. Sam plays bass in a band after school.
For Dr. Mama, the potential for these students is endless.
“Among them, there are poets and storytellers and actors and performers and all I am trying to do is nurture to empower them to be the best they can be,” said Dr. Mama.
The Conard students presented their own stories at a special presentation Thursday night. The Reach Alternative High School kids will be visiting local elementary schools to share their stories.
First Published: Nov 5, 2009 7:51 AM EST
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