Artists Details

Art skills

Poetry, Puppetry, Story telling

Phase/sector

Early Years Foundation Stage framework

Prepared to work

Yorkshire

Heather Sharpe

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Statement

I am an experienced storyteller who takes the old stories – folk tales, myths and legends, from many times and cultures, and tells them anew for adults and children. I have worked extensively in primary schools and have focused frequently on nursery and reception classes. The stories are highly interactive and supported by puppets and artefacts relevant to the stories. I particularly enjoy the children’s spontaneity and love to encourage their innate love of language, power of imagination and natural creativity. I believe these talents, so often restricted in later school years, are to be cherished and nurtured as sources of emotional and intellectual literacy – true literacy. I create a story space, setting atmosphere with clothes, pictures, lights, artefacts and puppets. I establish story rituals, using poems and lanterns to help focus attention. Stories are interactive and often participatory. Sessions may be supported with small group workshops designed to stimulate stories, riddles, poems, songs and role play. All children are supported and enabled to make a contribution. I ‘scribe’ for the children then feed back and help to shape and structure their ideas. Written versions are made and may then be shared and extended by other children. I may work in collaboration with artists from other media.

Experience

art in education

2003 Storyteller - Stories and workshops. Colton Primary School, Leeds

2001 Storyteller/Workshop Facilitator - Storytelling and workshops. Pre-school Conference, Doncaster

2000 Storyteller - Extended storytelling project/workshops. Pied Piper Pre-school Playgroup, Silsden, West Yorkshire

1999 Keynote Speaker - Talk on literacy and the under 5’s. Childminders’ Association, Leeds

1997 Storyteller - Extended storytelling project, storytelling group for parents. Hunslet Nursery, Leeds

1986-2003 Storyteller - Extensive performances and workshops in primary/nursery. various institutions, Leeds district

qualifications

1977 PGCE, Leeds Polytechnic, Leeds

1976 BA Hons, English Literature, University of Leeds, Leeds

Projects

Storytelling, 1997 , Hunslet Nursery, Leeds
Open brief – tell stories – develop language – have fun. Over five weeks children heard a range of stories. Children listened in groups of approximately fifteen or smaller groups of two or three. more..."

Storytelling, 2000 , Pied Piper Pre-school Playgroup, Silsden, W Yorks
Brief: Tell stories to small groups of children. Develop language skills/listening skills.

Small groups of children listened to a story each week. Stories were supported by puppets and more..."

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