Each activity during the Language and Literature workshop revealed something new and delightful. The second session with nine batches of children at Vidya Pratishthan's English Medium School, Baramati, is over!"What did you learn during today's session?" I asked them.Promptly, a child responded, "We learned that there is so much to read! So many stories!" … [Read more...]
Drama
Children love to act. All of us love to act, or Dumb Charades would not be such a popular game.One thing I stress during all my workshops is the importance of copyright. I insist that children don't just rip images and articles off the internet, print them and use them. In keeping with that idea, I usually use my own stories during workshops, in addition to traditional tales from around the world.A story I love is a Japanese tale of Amaterasu, the radiant one who lights up the sky. Her brother Susanowa ravages the earth with storms, so Amaterasu hides in a cave. The gods are desperate to bring light back to the world, so they call Uzume, the god of laughter and joy. Uzume begins to dance, and the gods roar with laughter. Curious, Amaterasu peeks out - the first streaks of light appear. She catches sight of her own brilliant reflection in the mirror opposite, and she emerges some … [Read more...]
Little Red Riding Hood
In the first session of a workshop, particularly one with a heavy name like "Language and Literature Workshop", I like to start on a light note. Humour is a great place to begin, and I turn to an all-time favourite - Roald Dahl.This time, I chose five of my favourite poems - "The Crocodile", "The Porcupine", "The Tummy Beast", "The Anteater" and "Little Red Riding Hood". I divided the participants into groups of five, and gave each group a poem to read. I gave them ten minutes to read and understand the poem, and then asked them to perform a little skit based on it.(Spoiler warning: This blog post spoils the punchline of Roald Dahl's "Little Red Riding Hood".)In Dahl's version of "Little Red Riding Hood", after the dutiful comments on Grandma's big ears and big eyes, Little Red Riding Hood says, "... what a lovely great big furry coat you have on." To this, the irate wolf replies, … [Read more...]
Language and Literature Workshops in Schools
Moving on from reading workshops in libraries to Language and Literature Workshops in schools is a lovely step! Working with 250 children was a whole new experience for me ... … [Read more...]
Imagine and Innovate: A Workshop on Books for Children
It's just three days away! Date: Saturday, 28th February, 2015. Time: 11 am - 1 pm Fee: Rs 500 per child Age-group: 8-13 Venue: The Cultural Centre, Pune To register: Send an email to tcc@prelocate.com with your name and contact number. [Email subject: Imagine and Innovate Workshop] Visit the Facebook event page for more details. … [Read more...]
Imagine and Innovate: A Workshop on Books for Children
Workshop Outline: How do books come alive? What happens in the mind of the writer, and how does it finally reach the hands of the reader? "Imagine and Innovate" explores each step of the journey: from the idea to the making of the book. Children will come together to create a story, design and make a book, and learn what copyright is. It will be a morning of imagination, creativity and learning: a writing workshop for all children aged about 8-13. Overview: 1. A memory game to get to know one another. 2. Make up a story together; design your own book. 3. Learn about publishing, copyright, and the options for children who write. Date: Saturday, 28th February, 2015. Time: 11 am - 1 pm Fee: Rs 500 per child Age-group: 8-13 Venue: The Cultural Centre, Pune To register: Send an email to tcc@prelocate.com with your name and contact number. [Email subject: Imagine and … [Read more...]
Mythical Maze – Workshop II
The Mythical Maze Reading Challenge is nearly over!After Reading and Role Play and Idioms Are My Cup of Tea, today has Myths from around the World and Myths and Fables.I showed the little ones a map of the world. These children are in the age-group 5-7.We were reading a 'story from Arabia', Where There is Will. "Do you know where Arabia could be?" I asked.One child stood up. "I think it is here," she said, pointing to the entire Gulf region."Good!""Do you know how I know?""How?""See, this is India. Over here, this sea is called the Arabian Sea. So the Arabian Sea has to touch Arabia, right?" … [Read more...]
Idioms are my Cup of Tea!
That was the title of my last workshop at the British Library.We tried translating "It's raining cats and dogs" to Hindi and Marathi to giggles, shouts of laughter.We compared the literal meaning of "He kicked the bucket" with its figurative meaning.We performed the Herculean task of linking mythology with idioms, and then the children spilled the beans about the fact that most of their knowledge of Greek mythology came from Percy Jackson. When it came to Norse mythology and Biblical terms, their knowledge collapsed like a house of cards and they commented, "We have a long way to go and a lot to learn. We're just knee-high to a grasshopper!" A crossword puzzle proved to be their Achilles heel, but we continued to see the glass as half-full, as the children and I got on like a house on fire! … [Read more...]
Reading Workshop in Viman Nagar
Here's what's next!Reading Workshop for Children Age-group: 8-12 years Venue: JustBooks, Viman Nagar Dates: 29th and 30th December, 2014 (The last workshop of the year!) Time: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm Fee: Rs 500 … [Read more...]
Back from Baramati
My lovely workshop at Baramati has come to an end.One child made a card - out of a recycled wedding card.Another child naively told me, "This is Harsh's gift from class V A."Children shared what they had learnt. And one girl gave me a letter. Here's just a little part of a three-page long letter that made me feel warm right down to my toes.The next workshop is just around the corner. Sunday: British Library! … [Read more...]