This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Switzer Elementary students learn new ways to tell their stories

Visitors Marie Sims and Kevin Collins shared African culture and customs such as storytelling, drumming and dance with students at Switzer Elementary recently.

Marie Sims, a member of the National Association of Black Storytellers, enacted the part of a “griot” – a traditional West African storyteller or chronicler of a people’s history, ancestry and cultural development. 

The storyteller’s role was especially significant before the time of written records. During slavery, griots’ oral history served to connect Africans who were brought to the American South from different regions, speaking different languages.

Sims involved the students in games to demonstrate the importance of focus, eye contact, expression and firm voice to achieve effective communication. She encouraged them to practice being attentive listeners and to ask their parents, grandparents and older relatives about their own family history and traditions. “Find out about great-grandma’s pie or cake recipe from grandma,” she suggested. 

A storyteller in his own right, fifth grader Djuro Stamevski attested to the power of an interesting tale when entertaining his younger sister and brother. “Sometimes I tell them funny stories or ones that are kinda scary,” he said.

Kevin Collins, a percussionist and 2010 national VSA (Very Special Arts) Educator of the Year, brought with him an extensive collection of African drums constructed from wood and animal skins along with instruments made from gourds. 

As he led groups of students in performing intricate drumbeats, Collins pointed out that in addition to enlivening celebrations, drums were used in Africa as a means to communication across distances. For that reason, he explained, drums were banned in some parts of the South to prevent slaves from “talking” to one another.

He noted that other instruments that were widely used in Africa and the South, including the banjo and fiddle, have grown in popularity in the U.S. and cultures worldwide. 

Student Ellie St. John especially enjoyed pounding out the drumming patterns with both hands. “This is fun,” she said. “It’s like the rhythm is part of me!” 

At a school-wide assembly for staff, family members and fellow students, several fifth grade students joined Ms. Sims and Mr. Collins in a lively dance presentation of the traditional Ashanti folklore tale Anansi the Spider. 

“The program was a rich cultural experience for our students,” said teacher Colleen Tackett. “They enjoyed learning about the arts of storytelling and African dance and music, and how these arts have enriched the lives of African Americans throughout history and continue to enhance our lives today.”

The program met grade level content expectations in social studies, music, dance arts, visual arts, language arts and physical education while promoting cross-cultural understanding of diversity, as well as developing students’ critical thinking, creativity and reflection skills. 

It was made possible through an arts education mini-grant from Target secured by music teacher Nancy Cannava.

In a continuation of the “Ki Ntsamu Kiani Njeka Ta” (Now I’m going to tell my story) project, the fifth graders will interact via Skype in April with author and artist Faith Ringgold, best known for her painted story quilts. 

Ringgold’s artwork is in the permanent collection of museums including New York City’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art. She has also written and illustrated several children's books. Her first work, Tar Beach, won the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration and the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?