Storytelling in Nine 90/90/90 Schools in South Texas

A free-lance storyteller working in schools, I would like to offer storytelling programs in 2012-13 to nine of the most challenged schools in south Texas which support their students the best, namely “90/90/90" schools. (90% minority, 90% free lunch, yet scoring over 90% on state standards tests.)

The Specifics: What will the $3,000 fund?

Mileage, lodging, expenses and probably a partial performance fee. I will research which elementary schools in south Texas (San Antonio to border) meet the 90/90/90 formula as defined by Dr. Sean Kearney, TAMU-SA. I will contact them and schedule a date with nine of them to provide 2 – 3 storytelling sessions in their school library.
(By storytelling, I do not mean reading books aloud, rather the live delivery of traditional folktales, fairy tales, legends, ghost stories, etc. in the oral narrative tradition, human to human.) Oral storytelling promotes literacy and language skills as well as cultural understanding and insight; it stimulates imagination, compassion, and higher order thinking as part of a rich, shared experience.

Discussion

A vote for Mary Grace's 90-90-90 program is a vote for supporting the fine art of storytelling in schools. Please take the time to vote for this fine project.

by glendabonin

11 months ago | Reply

Thanks, Glenda! That's exactly the way I see it!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

This is a great proposal, and I'm certain that this storyteller will do it justice. It will make a difference for many, many kids. Good luck.

by mmcphie

11 months ago | Reply

I'll certainly be giving it my best shot, mmcphie!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

I'll certainly be giving it my best shot, mmcphie!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

This is a great proposal, and I'm certain that this storyteller will do it justice. It will make a difference for many, many kids. Good luck.

by mmcphie

11 months ago | Reply

I vote YES!!! I love the idea of promoting the love of story telling, reading, communicating especially within the dual language sphere. These kids deserve something a little special and Mary Grace is that special teacher/writer/person.

by Lita

11 months ago | Reply

I think they deserve something special, too, Lita; both the kids and the amazing teachers and principals who make these schools so successful!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Brilliant idea!

by Entelechies

11 months ago | Reply

Thanks, Entelechies! These are schools where I know the stories of our many cultures will be well received and used again in class activities and discussions by teachers. That's just the kind of schools they are, and that makes GOOD's money and my sweat equity (for a storyteller, should I say "spit" equity?) will be an investment!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Storytelling effectively done in-person by a skilled teller can change lives. Mary Grace has the passion and the skill to be that life changer for these children. I hope that her proposal is selected. Tim

by timothy b.

11 months ago | Reply

In this part of Texas, the story of La Llorona is alive and well and a part of people's lives. It is beautiful and magical to see how it sustains them even after they get a bit older and know it's not a factual tale, just true in other ways--in the way of knowing what to avoid in seeking a life partner, for example. Stories so enrich our lives! Keep your fingers crossed for me, Tim!--Mary Grace

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Awesome idea. Would love to see this happen.

by ptactor

11 months ago | Reply

By voting, you're doing your part to make it happen! Thanks, Pat!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Awesome idea. Would love to see this happen.

by ptactor

11 months ago | Reply

'twould be nice to see storytelling as a regular part of the curriculum in all the elementary schools: I learned "history" in school, starting as a five year old and beginning with the ancient myths and legends of the Celts. It awakened a fascination for these old stories which has become a lasting passion. I never forgot those early lessons, the power and the richness of the stories. As always and in every generation, stories are a way to pass on not just a culture's history, but its values, its importance, also. I credit those early lessons with my love of writing and later choice to become a journalist and storyteller.

by jane.mcdaniel.14

11 months ago | Reply

That love shows in everything you do, Jane! I surely agree with your mention of stories passing along our cultural and family values. You just can't help but tell a story in the way that makes it true to your heart.

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Mary Grace is a very well prepared professional and I have heard her perform many times in the professional story telling events. She would be a great gift to these children in South Texas schools. Lucy Greer Burton, San Antonio

by Lucy Burton

11 months ago | Reply

Lucy, I got to go to one 90/90/90 school last year on a Target grant, before I'd even heard of Dr. Kearney's formula. It was clear by looking around that they met the first two 90's, and two years of banners at the front door announced "Exemplary School," meaning over 90% passing. The atmosphere at that school was just the best! You can just tell that, if anything is having an impact on the community, that amazing school was! I just couldn't help but want to do it again--to invest energy where I know it will do some good, and then hope other schools and principals will want to make the giant effort to really make their schools work, too!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Mary Grace has a special talent for storytelling. It is amazing to watch the children's expressions as they hang on to every word Mary Grace says. Children and parents will be asking to hear more stories. Not only is Mary Grace's storytelling educational, but it's also good old fashion family togetherness.

by carlarocsoc1

11 months ago | Reply

Carla, Thanks for bringing up the family aspect of storytelling. I was thinking it would be neat to do an evening family program of some kind too, if it worked with the school schedule.

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

When Mary Grace tells a story, all chairs scoot toward. She tickles your funny bone, captures your heart, and always leaves you wanting more. What a wonderful gift for our students!

by Cathy Rosenthal

11 months ago | Reply

Thanks, Cathy! I am so hoping to be able to do this project! I may find a way to do part of it no matter what!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Sounds like a great program Mary Grace!

by beagle150

11 months ago | Reply

Thanks for your vote--and your vote of confidence!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

I can think of no more effective means for teaching language than storytelling. I've told stories in Latin American countries, in English, to kids who speak Spanish, and I was astonished at how much they understood, and how much discussion the stories sparked among them. Also, when they saw how I struggled with rudimentary Spanish, it gave them courage to try out their conversational English. I hope you get to do this and report back to those of us in this field to let us know how what we can do to help this 90/90/90 thing happen in our communities.

by tangibles

11 months ago | Reply

Yes! Let's start a revolution! ;-) When I first heard Dr. Kearney's 90.90.90 formula (schema? designation?) I thought, "That should be a grant qualifier!" You know they use their money and other resources wisely, otherwise they would not be able to accomplish so much! I think they deserve whatever we can give them, and this is what I can do!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Yes, oral storytelling can raise test scores and help students be more academically sucessful. But perhaps the most important thing is that they help sstudents develop empathy--which is the true foundation of all ethical behavior. This project deserves strong support from everyone.

by iMagine68

11 months ago | Reply

How true! And my secret reason for loving this artform!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

For many years now, I've had the good fortune to bring storytelling programs to poor rural schools. I've experienced the palpable hunger and appreciation for stories and storytelling. I've seen how it builds communication, and strengthens relationships. What a brilliant idea to use the 90/90/90 formula in deciding where to offer these storytelling programs... and idea worth supporting!

by storytellerscampfire

11 months ago | Reply

Dr. Kearney's formula grabbed me when I first heard it, too! And, having heard it, it now seems so self-evident that these are the schools to watch and learn from in all of our educational endeavors. They are excellent models for people training in public school administration, which is the department of TAMU-SA in which he teaches.

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

6/17/2012--I’ve learned a lot since submitting my idea to GOOD! For one thing, Dr. Kearney has explored and studied south Texas 90/90/90 schools and the strategies of their principals from his base in the graduate Department of Educational Administration at TAMUSA, *BUT* he did not originate the idea and does not claim credit for doing so. I hope my admiration and enthusiasm for what he has done in this region has not embarrassed either him or the idea originator, Dr. Douglas Reeves, presently at the Leadership and Learning Center at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Mary Grace will paint amazing pictures with words in these children's minds. She is an outstanding storyteller. What a worthy program this is! I hope to hear that it receives a grant.

by shellykt

11 months ago | Reply

I've definitely learned from some of the best, haven't I!!?

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Mary Grace is the perfect teller to bring storytelling into south Texas classrooms. Not only will the students learn from her storytelling, but teachers will learn, too. Story is an excellent way to build students' language arts skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). It is also a powerful way to deliver content knowledge. This laudable project gets my vote! Brava, Mary Grace.

by jmoreillon

11 months ago | Reply

Thanks, Judy! You are "right on!" about storytelling, and I'll try to live up to your kind words about me!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Our first language is oral, from it comes listening, communication, and creativity. Storytelling -- and Mary Grace -- enrich all of that resulting in both literacy and imagination

by LoiS-sez

11 months ago | Reply

That is definitely the goal, Lois! To imagine a world different--and better--than the one in which you find yourself! There is nothing like shared stories to stimulate visions of ways of life other than one's own! Just as those brief stories called "commercials" stimulate you to see yourself in a better car after a better shampoo, stories help you see yourself as kinder, wiser, more clever, luckier, or more powerful, just by being true to yourself! Then, you can become what you imagined. Stories help you "be the change you want to see in the world"!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Awesome ! Thanks for sharing this. As a former public school classroom teacher with a reading specialist certification, and having had the pleasure of being part of an audience to your storytelling many times, I couldn't be more delighted and encouraged at the idea of your making inroads into these 90/90/90 schools to share your art. I know what a gift it will be to these students, and how likely it will be to encourage a love of words & a lifetime relationship with performance & creative arts. It is my pleasure to support your proposal with my vote. Stephanie Sepaugh, San Antonio

by stephanie.sepaugh

11 months ago | Reply

Thanks so much for sharing my request on FB, Stephanie!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Mary Grace is one of the most talented storytellers in the great state of Texas. She works magic in schools, so this idea is one worth backing. Please join me in voting for this project! Laura Wiegand Texas Commission on the Arts

by lwiegand

11 months ago | Reply

Thanks, Laura! I truly cherish the support you and TCA offer to me and to all us storytellers!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

Mary Grace.....this would be excellent I would love to be listed as a possible teller if needed.

by Elder Stone

11 months ago | Reply

Thanks, Elder!

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

I'm curious to know if oral storytelling aligns with Texas' State Standards in Language Arts or Social Studies. If so, I think teachers would love this kind of enrichment.

by time

11 months ago | Reply

I'm not sure how the new STARR testing will affect our state standards, but here are some of the elementary Language Arts and Social Studies TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) that storytelling supports:…listens attentively and engages actively in a variety of oral language experiences; listens to gain or increase knowledge of his/her own culture, the culture of others, and the common elements of cultures; develops an extensive vocabulary; uses a variety of strategies to comprehend selections (read) aloud; responds to various texts; recognizes characteristics of different types of texts; listens actively, purposefully, critically, and appreciatively…. In addition, stories support such Social Studies skills as predicting and sequencing, and one skill for second grade is "Tell folktales."

by marygrace.ketner

11 months ago | Reply

I will vote for miss mary grace. I have personally seen the good that stories offer, over and over.

by mike.myers.73997

12 months ago | Reply

Indeed you have, Mr. Mike! Thanks!

by marygrace.ketner

12 months ago | Reply

Mary Grace has the passion, work ethic and most importantly the skills to make this a positive and rewarding experience for all of the schools.

by dianna.waite

12 months ago | Reply

Aw, shucks, Dianna! >>blush<< I'll definitely give it my best!

by marygrace.ketner

12 months ago | Reply

Your idea sounds a really imaginative way to bring something to schools that would appreciate it but woould find it difficult if not impossible to fund. I presume your stories would feed into the latest test requirements as well - I've heard that children who experience live storytelling improve their test scores in literacy quite remarkably, V.Gard (former English teacher)

by VJG

12 months ago | Reply

Thanks so much for that observation, V.Gard! It's true that funding is a stress, and even grants are usually offered as "matching grants," meaning the schools still have to come up with half the amount, so it is difficult for them to justify the time spent filling out applications. A conversation with an Oklahoma storyteller this weekend showed promise of upcoming research which may bring some science to the often observed but not studied phenomenon that well-storied children become well-read adults!

by marygrace.ketner

12 months ago | Reply

Thanks, Gail! The type of research you have done truly plays out in our south Texas school where many are learning everything in their second language!

by marygrace.ketner

12 months ago | Reply

As a person who has done research in this area, research shows improvement in vocabulary and comprehension. An excellent proposal.

by Gailtells

12 months ago | Reply

Dear friends, I'd love to tell you more about this proposal! I am eager to pursue the goal of opening up south Texas to more story listening and storytelling experiences, and this project will allow me to "write the grant" for some schools which are educating their children responsibly and with exemplary results, yet still aren't normally able to even consider funding arts and cultural experiences. I've been in just a couple of these schools--on grants written by others, of course--where the principal and teachers give a proper build-up and follow up to programming and make the very most of whatever comes their way. And isn't that *why* their students learn readily, *why* they have such high ratings in spite of the challenges? One school even invited the parents to attend, for, she said, "The parents don't have many opportunities for cultural experiences, either!" I'd want to encourage inviting parents among the schools I contact, too. Thanks so much for considering my project!--Mary Grace

by marygrace.ketner

12 months ago | Reply