Dear Parent/Guardian,
We have just started a project called a Telling Bee. Over the next few weeks our students will be collecting stories from friends, family, neighbours. With the permission of these tellers, the students will re-tell their stories in class, write them down (or dictate them) and contribute them to a book that will be published. This wonderful book will contain a story from everybody at our school, from children to teachers to caretakers to Principal.
The motto for The Telling Bee comes from a Portuguese proverb: First you listen, then you talk. The Telling Bee teaches students to be good listeners. You can help them excel by answering their Telling Bee questions. No story will be published without the written OK of a parent or guardian.
When the stories are published, we hope you'll come and celebrate your children's great achievement by joining us at the Festival and Book Launch.
The Telling Bee program was started by storyteller Dan Yashinsky. He is the author of Suddenly There Were Footsteps and The Storyteller at Fault and the editor of Tales for an Unknown City, Next Teller — A Book of Canadian Storytelling, Ghostwise, and At The Edge.
We're looking forward to hearing and reading the stories our students bring in, the stories of our community!