A few years ago, I was telling stories at the Oshkosh Correctional Facility where our state's worst offenders are kept. I was taken to a room inside the prison where there was a nice sized audience of men. One big man was to introduce me. I was told he was in prison for life, with no chance of parole. In a state without capital punishment, that was the worst sentence he could get. I told to the prisoners who loved, it turns out, ghost stories. They were a fine audience.
Afterwards, the fellow who introduced me talked to me about children's books because he wanted to order some for his children, who he seldom saw. Then he asked, "Were you scared?"
"No," I said, "I've told to preschoolers."
But even children aren't all that difficult to entertain. What does bother me is when I have to share my stage with technology because something always goes wrong.
Yesterday, I spoke at the Neenah Public Library to an audience of mostly senior citizens about my summer travels. I was told that some of the elderly were hearing impaired so I must use a microphone. My CD of digital photos would have to go through the libraries laptop rather than my notebook computer. I tested the material and I was set to go....I thought.
Ten minutes into my talk, the microphone went out. I spoke loudly for the remaining time. Ten minutes later, the computer quit and we had to reboot. All the while I kept talking and telling stories about my trip then we caught up with the photos later.
Later, the audience said I had done a fine job but the fact remains, I would rather tell stories and sing songs for any group as long as no is technology involved.
Afterwards, the fellow who introduced me talked to me about children's books because he wanted to order some for his children, who he seldom saw. Then he asked, "Were you scared?"
"No," I said, "I've told to preschoolers."
But even children aren't all that difficult to entertain. What does bother me is when I have to share my stage with technology because something always goes wrong.
Yesterday, I spoke at the Neenah Public Library to an audience of mostly senior citizens about my summer travels. I was told that some of the elderly were hearing impaired so I must use a microphone. My CD of digital photos would have to go through the libraries laptop rather than my notebook computer. I tested the material and I was set to go....I thought.
Ten minutes into my talk, the microphone went out. I spoke loudly for the remaining time. Ten minutes later, the computer quit and we had to reboot. All the while I kept talking and telling stories about my trip then we caught up with the photos later.
Later, the audience said I had done a fine job but the fact remains, I would rather tell stories and sing songs for any group as long as no is technology involved.
In a world of ADA (1990) captioning and technology for ESL folks, hearing impaired folks, and just multi-modal learner folks is only going to increase. We at FVTC have a 'closed captioning initiative' that will require us to caption all media. The days of old fashioned storytelling might be ending in order to accommodate all 'differently abled' people. TM
ReplyDeleteI've heard that storytelling will die out since television, and we still carry on. There is something so immediate about it. We do occasionally have signers in the big festivals, and every so often,I have to use a mic for the hearing impaired, but the stories carry us along. Try a storytelling festival some time, they are awesome.
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