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My work with the children of service families overseas
January 20, 2019 Children, Drama in Education, Education, Storytellingbirthday storyteller, birthday storytelling, early years, early years storyteller, early years storytelling, event storyteller, event storytelling, events, eyfs, eyfs storyteller, eyfs storytelling, festival, festival storyteller, festival storytelling, foundation, foundation storyteller, foundation storytelling, gallery, gallery storyteller, gallery storytelling, interactive storyteller, interactive storytelling, international storyteller, international storytelling, libraries, library activities, library events, library storyteller, library storytelling, literature festival, literature festival storyteller, literature festival storytelling, museum, museum storyteller, museum storytelling, nursery storyteller, nursery storytelling, participation, positive feedback, primary school, primary school storyteller, primary school storytelling, school storyteller, school storytelling, SEN, sen storyteller, sen storytelling, sensory stories, special educational needs, special educational needs storyteller, special educational needs storytelling, storyteller, storytelling, storytelling in Germany, storytelling in Guernsey, storytelling in UAE, storytelling overseas, value, value storyteller, value storytellingjohnkirkstoryteller
I have just been updating my calendar for March and as ever my schedule is bonkers. March begins in Warrington in the first 15 days I'll go to Glasgow, Plymouth and Slough. I'm also heading back to Paderborn for what maybe the last time.
I have been visiting Bishops Park School in Paderborn, Germany for the past three years to work with the children of service families. It has always been a real highlight and privilege to spend time with the military community and I have always been made to feel very welcome by the staff and children.
In a lot of ways it's just another day at the office but it's the little differences that make my time in Germany special. For instance, the school day starts and ends earlier than a British school day so having reached my hotel bed at midnight I am in front of the children at what feels like 7.30am! Then there's the fact that you are quite clearly working in a German building in a German town but as soon as you walk through the door you know you are in a British school whose population reflect the many nationalities who serve in our armed forces. For the children it's there normal but when you think that whilst I prance about in the school hall the parents of the children I'm entertaining may be in some far flung dangerous corner of the world in the name of our national safety I find it very humbling.
The school has been really supportive and I have been able to do some crazy and ambitious stuff with the children. Some of the sessions were from my regular repertoire (eg The Hundred Mile an Hour Dog and The Mad Hatter's Tea Party!) but we've also done other stuff including a huge narrative poetry workshop and tiny sessions for children with additional needs and through the staff I've been introduced to some really high tech ideas. A lot of what I do is about access and exposure to high quality performance and storytelling. It always pleasing to be able to share a story or run a project with a small school but to work with a group of children so far from home who might not otherwise have such an experience is wonderful and I feel that I am a better storyteller and person for having had the opportunity.
The MoD previously announced that Germany is to close in 2019 and that service families were to return home or be redeployed around the world. I recently read that Paderborn may remain open until 2023 but I don't know if I'll be a part of the school's future plans. Would I like to carry on going back? Of course but then, you know, there are schools in other parts of the world too… how does The Enormous Crocodile in The Falkland Islands, Shakespeare in Cyprus or Greek Mythology in Brunei sound to you, because to me it sounds amazing!!
I work in schools, museums and libraries in England, Scotland and Wales and have led storytelling sessions at the Guernsey Literary Festival and Sharjah Children's Reading Festival. If you looking to book a storyteller for an overseas school or festival or for work with international students in here the UK, contact me.