All of my programs encourage reading, literacy and writing skills. Whether you choose Tall Tales, The Power of Peace or Eureka! your students will walk away with a better sense of how to communicate.
Because I am both a writer and a storyteller, I both encourage and engage children (and adults) in active listening. Active listening is a bridge step to reading and understanding
Not long ago, one of my stories, "The Pizza Boy" was selected for some of the standardized tests that our children take.
"Wow, that's great!" I thought. "The kids will be in the middle of the test, and they're going to stop and read my story."
Then I thought again. If the children are properly trained test takers, this is what they will do:
- Skip down to the questions and read them first
- Skim the story for answers
- Answer as many questions as they can (guessing if they have to)
- Move on to the next story as quickly as possible.
That's not reading or understanding. That's data mining.
In my programs, every one of my listeners hears the whole story. Beginning, middle and end. And they walk away knowing it in their bones.
-Mark Binder
