MENDON – Superintendent Maureen Cohen and Principal Liz Garden are pleased to share that students at the H.P. Clough School sharpened their storytelling skills under the guidance of a nationally recognized writer.
Motoko, a multimedia Japanese storyteller based in Western Massachusetts, visited the fourth-grade students one day each week for 10 weeks. Motoko helped students to create “trickster tales,” stories that feature characters — often talking animals — who trick others to get what they want or to escape harm from someone more powerful.
Each week students worked on a specific skill or technique, such as using sensory language, crafting exciting dialogue, and making sure their stories had a moral. Students also worked on perfecting their initial drafts, and created illustrations for their stories.
The students’ work was celebrated at a community event in the school cafeteria on April 11. Two students from each class presented their stories to parents, school community members, and guests. Audience members then visited fourth-grade classrooms, where students could share more stories.
Student Kaylee Vogt said, “I hope next year’s fourth graders get to have this same experience that we got!”
Motoko has been featured in numerous storytelling festivals across the United States. Her story CDs have won a Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award, a Storytelling World Award, and a National Parenting Publications Award.
The Mendon-Upton Regional School District received a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council STARS Residencies program to support this learning opportunity. STARS Residencies support efforts that bring students and teachers together with practicing artists, scientists, and humanists to create rich cultural experiences. These residencies help youth build confidence, discover hidden talents, explore the natural world, understand their place in history, and rise as leaders in their community.
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