Teach Literacy through the Arts in DC, MD, and VA

Wrapping up the school year

I've had an extremely full and rewarding year as a Teaching Artist with Story Tapestries, teaching music, drama, storytelling and more. I've been teaching after school at Maury Elementary since January and in that time, I have grown quite fond of two very sweet, often challenging, and ultimately inspiring groups of young children. Each week, I enter their afterschool classroom, where they have been running around, playing, reading, climbing all over each other and generally enjoying the freedom of their after school time. And here I come, with knowledge to impart and learning to facilitate. It's a difficult challenge for any out of school time program provider. We know that what we are doing is valuable, and we know it will be fun for the students, and we know that they will learn in spite of themselves...if only they will stay still or quiet long enough to hear us! But I feel lucky...the arts integration work that we are doing with Story Tapestries is exactly the kind of activity these students look forward to.  

I love it when they call me "the story lady" or jump up and down when I get there, asking what story we will do today. They LOVE hearing the stories, they can't wait to find out what happens next and act them out. They eagerly burn through art projects and bring them home, chatting all the way about the characters. They are learning story structure and character traits through these activities. They are learning that one event in a story leads to another and that actions have consequences. We explore setting and environment and build teamwork and respect by creating those settings together through movement and sound. And the music! They cannot get enough singing and dancing. Music helps tell the story, influences mood and reinforces key concepts. One of the teacher's aides told me that they wouldn't stop singing the song we learned while reading Stone Soup stories all week long. 

This week, we wrapped up our program by sharing performances of their favorite songs and stories with the other afterschool groups. I am so pleased to celebrate their success and progress with their peers! Your support is helping us to have this impact, and with your continued support, we will be able to return next year with even more programming! Thank you!!

Coming to a Library Near You!

Join us this summer for these free public performances: 

Parklands-Turner Library:

Monday, June 24

6:00 p.m.

1547 Alabama Ave. S.E.

Washington, DC 20032

Tenley-Friendship Library:

Wednesday, June 26

6:00 p.m.

4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20016

Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library:

Wednesday, August 14

1:30 p.m.

1630 7th St. NW

Washington, DC 20001

Rosedale Library:

Wednesday, August 14

4:00 p.m.

1701 Gales St. NE

Washington, DC 20002

Southeast Library:

Friday, August 16

1:30 p.m.

403 7th St. SE

Washington, DC 20003

We hope to see you and a friend at one of the upcoming performances! And if you are inspired by our work, please pass it on! We can't do this without you.