how to tell stories to children-第4节
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earlier book。 They are re…telling； dramatization； and forms of seat…work。 All of these are a great power in the hands of a wise teacher。 If combined with much attention to voice and enunciation in the recital of poetry； and with much good reading aloud BY THE TEACHER； they will go far toward setting a standard and developing good habit。
But their provinces must not be confused or overestimated。 I trust I may be pardoned for offering a caution or two to the enthusiastic advocate of these methods；cautions the need of which has been forced upon me； in experience with schools。
A teacher who uses the oral story as an English feature with little children must never lose sight of the fact that it is an aid in unconscious development； not a factor in studied； conscious improvement。 This truth cannot be too strongly realized。 Other exercises； in sufficiency； give the opportunity for regulated effort for definite results； but the story is one of the play… forces。 Its use in English teaching is most valuable when the teacher has a keen appreciation of the natural order of growth in the art of expression： that art requires； as the old rhetorics used often to put it； 〃a natural facility； succeeded by an acquired difficulty。〃 In other words； the power of expression depends； first； on something more fundamental than the art…element； the basis of it is something to say； ACCOMPANIED BY AN URGENT DESIRE TO SAY IT； and YIELDED TO WITH FREEDOM； only after this stage is reached can the art…phase be of any use。 The 〃why〃 and 〃how；〃 the analytical and constructive phases； have no natural place in this first vital epoch。
Precisely here； however； does the dramatizing of stories and the paper…cutting； etc。； become useful。 A fine and thoughtful principal of a great school asked me； recently； with real concern； about the growing use of such devices。 He said； 〃Paper…cutting is good； but what has it to do with English？〃 And then he added： 〃The children use abominable language when they play the stories； can that directly aid them to speak good English？〃 His observation was close and correct； and his conservatism more valuable than the enthusiasm of some of his colleagues who have advocated sweeping use of the supplementary work。 But his point of view ignored the basis of expression； which is to my mind so important。 Paper…cutting is external to English； of course。 Its only connection is in its power to correlate different forms of expression； and to react on speech…expression through sense…stimulus。 But playing the story is a closer relative to English than this。 It helps； amazingly； in giving the 〃something to say； the urgent desire to say it；〃 and the freedom in trying。 Never mind the crudities；at least； at the time； work only for joyous freedom； inventiveness； and natural forms of reproduction of the ideas given。 Look for very gradual changes in speech； through the permeating power of imitation； but do not forget that this is the stage of expression which inevitably precedes art。
All this will mean that no corrections are made； except in flagrant cases of slang or grammar； though all bad slips are mentally noted； for introduction at a more favorable time。 It will mean that the teacher will respect the continuity of thought and interest as completely as she would wish an audience to respect her occasional prosy periods if she were reading a report。 She will remember； of course that she is not training actors for amateur theatricals； however tempting her show…material may be； she is simply letting the children play with expression； just as a gymnasium teacher introduces muscular play；for power through relaxation。
When the time comes that the actors lose their unconsciousness it is the end of the story…play。 Drilled work； the beginning of the art； is then the necessity。
I have indicated that the children may be left undisturbed in their crudities and occasional absurdities。 The teacher； on the other hand； must avoid； with great judgment； certain absurdities which can easily be initiated by her。 The first direful possibility is in the choice of material。 It is very desirable that children should not be allowed to dramatize stories of a kind so poetic； so delicate； or so potentially valuable that the material is in danger of losing future beauty to the pupils through its present crude handling。 Mother Goose is a hardy old lady； and will not suffer from the grasp of the seven…year…old； and the familiar fables and tales of the 〃Goldilocks〃 variety have a firmness of surface which does not let the glamour rub off； but stories in which there is a hint of the beauty just beyond the palpableor of a dignity suggestive of developed literatureare sorely hurt in their metamorphosis； and should be protected from it。 They are for telling only。
Another point on which it is necessary to exercise reserve is in the degree to which any story can be acted。 In the justifiable desire to bring a large number of children into the action one must not lose sight of the sanity and propriety of the presentation。 For example； one must not make a ridiculous caricature； where a picture； however crude； is the intention。 Personally represent only such things as are definitely and dramatically personified in the story。 If a natural force； the wind； for example； is represented as talking and acting like a human being in the story； it can be imaged by a person in the play； but if it remains a part of the picture in the story； performing only its natural motions； it is a caricature to enact it as a role。 The most powerful instance of a mistake of this kind which I have ever seen will doubtless make my meaning clear。 In playing a pretty story about animals and children； some children in a primary school were made by the teacher to take the part of the sea。 In the story； the sea was said to 〃beat upon the shore；〃 as a sea would； without doubt。 In the play； the children were allowed to thump the floor lustily； as a presentation of their watery functions！ It was unconscionably funny。 Fancy presenting even the crudest image of the mighty sea； surging up on the shore； by a row of infants squatted on the floor and pounding with their fists！ Such pitfalls can be avoided by the simple rule of personifying only characters that actually behave like human beings。
A caution which directly concerns the art of story telling itself； must be added here。 There is a definite distinction between the arts of narration and dramatization which must never be overlooked。 Do not； yourself； half tell and half act the story； and do not let the children do it。 It is done in very good schools； sometimes； because an enthusiasm for realistic and lively presentation momentarily obscures the faculty of discrimination。 A much loved and respected teacher whom I recently listened to； and who will laugh if she recognizes her blunder here； offers a good 〃bad example〃 in this particular。 She said to an attentive audience of students that she had at last； with much difficulty； brought herself to the point where she could forget herself in her story： where she could； for instance； hop； like the fox； when she told the story of the 〃sour grapes。〃 She said； 〃It was hard at first； but now it is a matter of course； AND THE CHILDREN DO IT TOO； WHEN THEY TELL THE STORY。〃 That was the pity！ I saw the illustration myself a little later。 The child who played fox began with a story： he said； 〃Once there was an old fox； and he saw some grapes；〃 then the child walked to the other side of the room； and looked up at an imaginary vine； and said； 〃He wanted some； he thought they would taste good； so he jumped for them；〃 at this point the child did jump； like his role； then he continued with his story； 〃but he couldn't get them。〃 And so he proceeded； with a constant alternation of narrative and dramatization which was enough to make one dizzy。
The trouble in such work is； plainly； a lack of discriminating analysis。 Telling a story necessarily implies non…identification of the teller with the event； he relates what occurs or occurred； outside of his circle of conciousness。 Acting a play necessarily implies identification of the actor with the event； he presents to you a picture of the thing； in himself。 It is a difference wide and clear； and the least failure to recognize it confuses the audience and injures both arts。
In the preceding instances of secondary uses of story…telling I have come some distance from the great point； the fundamental point； of the power of imitation in breeding good habit。 This power is less noticeably active in the dramatizing than in simple re…telling； in the listening and the re… telling； it is dominant for good。 The child imitates what he hears you say and sees you do； and the way you say and do it； far more closely in the story…hour than in any lesson…period。 He is in a more absorbent state； as it were； because there is no preoccupation of effort。 Here is the great opportunity of the cultured teacher； here is the appalling opportunity of the careless or ignorant teacher。 For the implications of the oral theory of teaching English are evident； concerning the immense importance of the teacher's habit。 This is what it all comes to ultimately； the tea
