This was the first year I have experienced the story telling contest in my two and a half years at Happy Marian. This contest was an excellent way for children to express themselves and conquer their fears.

When preparing my students I felt it was very important to let them know that the contest was not about memorizing, but about telling the story in their own way. I think at such a young age this was very hard for them, but after a lot of hard work the story started to sound like their own.

When teaching kids it's extremely important to make everything you do fun, so when I was telling the story myself, I made sure to make huge actions and silly voices! I asked them questions like “What do you think a wolf sounds like?” and “is he angry and loud, or soft and sweet?” This way they thought it was very funny and it took the pressure from winning the contest, to really just doing their best and having fun. It also helped them to understand the story, and give it a little more personality. You have to almost over compensate when showing a child how to do actions and voices as they will only be able to pick up 70% of what you are doing. If they see it's ok for you to act silly, they won't be so shy and will think it's ok for them to act that way.

After the kids were finished I could see the relief in their eyes! They were so happy that they were finished, yet they were so proud of themselves for accomplishing their goals. They were able to see that it wasn't about winning but just doing the best you can.

As a judge of the contest and someone who has spoken a lot in public, I know that this was very challenging. At the same time, I also believe this is a much needed skill to have throughout your life. I encourage every student that has the chance to join this contest in the future, it is a great way to build confidence and prepare kids for future challenges.

民權校區 J3 Teacher
Kassandra Kirkham
University of Victoria