The art of storytelling is as old as
speech, but it continues at homes as
well as in the classrooms, although
at a less frequency than in the good
old days. Teachers use the art of
storytelling to communicate, to
entertain, and to pass on
information to the students. When a
story is told, the students feel an
immediate bonding between their
teacher and themselves. It is a
magical tool that connects learning
with learners, and teachers with
their students.
As such on the 16th of
April, 2010, the trainees and the
lecturers gathered in the Centenary
Lecture Theatre to witness the
Inter-Collaborative group
Storytelling contest. The sixteen
storytellers, eight in Dzongkha and
eight in English, narrated stories
on various educative and
value-oriented themes such as
‘knowing how to teach’
‘unconditioned love’, ‘cause and
effect’, ‘jealousy,’ ‘friendship,’
and so on and so forth. Each
contestant artistically unfolded
their story in their most unique
manner, and won the audience’s
heart. New realizations dawned as
laughter, mirth, amusement, and
sadness wove into the evening with
each new story. The impact on the
audience was varied. Some bemoaned
the waning of the wonderful culture
of storytelling while others
realized the power of it in the
teaching profession.
This activity, in a way, has linked
‘Theory to Practice’, the current
college theme. Storytelling is one
of the strategies which the student
teachers learn in their pedagogy as
an effective tool to teaching
learning. Teachers of English have
to use this strategy to develop
children’s language skills, while
the others may use for various
intents. The storytelling contest
provided an opportunity for the
participants to practice the skill,
while it was an opportunity for the
others to see the various styles and
approaches of storytelling.
Lastly the program concluded with
the awarding of the prizes and
certificates for the best story
tellers in both the categories.
Sonam Lhachen & Kinley Wangdi
III EP