Jordan Miller Program Audio

Audio from the Jordan Miller Program is under each photo... click the link to listen, right-click to download (save link as...)

1. Jerry Johnson, Jordan Miller Chair, welcomes attendees
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Beth Gallaway, Metrowest, explains the LSTA funded Metrowest After School Storytelling Grant
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Tony Toledo, Storyteller, discusses storytelling with youth
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Tony leads a storytelling exercise
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Daryl Mark, Cambridge Public Library, talks about Make 'Em Laugh, Make 'Em Cry
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Bonnie Rankin, Chelmsford Public Library, talks about The After School Storytelling Troupe
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Arjun Balaji, teen storyteller, Chelmsford MA, shares what the program meant to him
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Arjun tells a story

LSTA AfterSchool Storytelling Program Grant Program Resources

Talk with YA and Children’s Authors

Janet Ruth Young – The Opposite of Music

Why she chose to write a book and how…some advice to potential writers

• Woke up one day in May 2001 and she did not want to go to work…
• She felt that she had not lived up to her original dreams of becoming an author
• She had a story running through her head because her family had a history of mental illness.
• She had a little voice telling her to revisit this idea.
• She made a plan to quit her job and work on her novel
• She created a small manuscript and submitted for evaluation –
• She won the Penn NE Award for new writers
• She worked in “micro-chapters” and assigned herself one of these a day
• The titles began as "The Scientists" and ended up as "The Opposite of Music"
• She submitted her book as an independent writer but used many books to help her along the way.
• She polled the publishers to get a feel for her ideas
• While the publisher was interested, she need to work on revisions
• The tone had to be tweaked and the voice must be true to her characters
• She had tried to not preach but the publisher believed that half the book was missing
• She made revisions…and then time went by…and she was eventually rejected
• She made a new plan…to submit to more editors and more publishing companies
• But this time she placed time constraints on the publishers
• Finally she received an offer and negotiated for the best possible contract
• But more revisions were asked for…more than she was willing to concede
• Ultimately, she learned that she had to compromise…but her book was published!

Susan Lubner – Noises at Night & Ruthie Bon Bair: Do not go to bed with wringing wet hair

• She writes children’s picture books
• She loves to write in rhyme
• She published 2 short stories in college
• But got a “real job” after school
• She took a course or workshop on writing children’s stories
• Sold her first short story to a magazine
• She showed the manuscript of her first book, only 350 words on 2 pieces of paper
• Then she held up the large stack of papers involved in the revisions
• Words are kept to a minimum in writing picture books
• The only descriptions are one necessary for the storyline
• Her first book was sent out 30-40 times
• Ideas- everyday occurrences, watching nature, her reading or watching of the news, visuals, personal experiences with embellishment,
• Even though these stories are short…sometimes they take years to write…
• Suggest being part of a writers group to help develop their stories

Then the group was treated to a reading of Ms. Lubner’s book Ruthie Bon Bair… complete with her Ruthie “head of hair” on her head. It was enjoyable to hear her wonderful rhymes out loud.

Jordan-Miller - story telling

Well, this session just wrapped up and I have to admit that while I started with my computer on my lap typing away, I soon closed the lid and just enjoyed listening and participating in the program. Beth Galloway began the program by explaining about a grant that she received that would allow for the development of a program to introduce the art of storytelling to middle school students. I know, I know... you are thinking that story telling is only for little children. But lets be honest about what story telling really is...It is public speaking! If we can make teenager more comfortable speaking in front of a group this will ultimately make them more comfortable in front of a classroom doing an oral presentation and eventually in front of a business meeting.

Tony Toledo, a professional storyteller, grabbed our attention with a couple stories of his own. He began by telling us that he had just had his wisdom teeth out. While that may no sound so interesting in this blog...well you should hear him tell it! It just proves that any subject can be used to tell an story...it just depends on how you tell it. When he had a group of adults envisioning his wife wearing his wisdom teeth as earrings..."as the only pair of $800 earring he will ever give her" the group was not only laughing but sold on the importance of storytelling at any age.

As an audience, we also got into the action by participating in one of the icebreakers used in the program. First we were instructed to tell the person next a story about "how we got one of our scars". Wow, does this open up many wonderful stories. Some of the audience even shared their stories with the group. Another suggestion for icebreakers was to have the students tell a story about how they got their name.

The highlight of the meeting was a young man named Arjun who attended the program in Chelmsford. He shared his appreciation for the program and how this program has made him more confident (These benefits cannot be ignored in this age group that notoriously suffers from extremely low self-esteem and identity issues). And then he told his story. If you can picture this group of 30-40 librarians being enthralled by one young boy telling his blended fairytale about a pig named Jack who climbs a beanstalk and rescues a sleepy but beautiful pig...then you will have envisioned only a small picture of this session. He was animated, funny, articulate, and creative. And the reason that this program exists. I could see the pride in the face of his librarian, as well as Beth...who initiated this program.

So, I may not have every note from this session but I have tried to capture just part of the magic that happens when you introduce such a powerful medium for sharing to a new generation. While I feel like the bulk of this conference has been stressing technology (and I have learned a lot in that department), I was glad to see a low tech program that brings us back to our human roots.

I would encourage any young adult librarian or media specialist to ask Beth about this program.