Storytelling and Basic Puppetry Workshop in Lucena City

Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!

My workshop in Lucena City last June 30 with 50 day care workers was a lot of fun!

We started out with a group game that got everyone talking in no time. I love a room that is functionally noisy! The game afforded the participants some time to loosen up and relax. In groups, they continued on working for their group cheer. When they presented their group cheer, it was about "things" Lucena is known for: Tinapa or Smoked Fish; Chamy - regular, special, tamis-angjang (It is a local noodle dish, pancit as we call it in Tagalog) Perez Park, Buena Vista; Pasayahan. It was during this activity when I learned that Lucenahin is what they call people who were born and who grew up in Lucena.

The morning session rolled on with input sessions on Storytelling and why we tell stories; the four macro skills in communication arts and how storytelling contributes to its development; different strategies and techniques in storytelling; and puppetry. During lunch break, I had an opportunity to sign books courtesy of Lampara Books, publishers of my books: My Daddy! My One and Only; A Tale of Two Dreams; Dear Nanay; and STAR (Start Right Reading) Kindergarten Series.

Easy to do puppets for busy teachers and day care workers.

In the afternoon, we had workshops on the different strategies in storytelling. From read aloud sessions, participative storytelling, kamishibai, draw and tell stories to group storytelling like Readers Theatre, the participants of the workshop plunge into each activity like children, ready to learn and to have fun.  But I can tell that participants had the most fun in the puppetry workshop. They had a wonderful time creating their own puppets. The easy to do puppets I showed them can be used for small to medium sized groups of children. Plus, the materials we used were also easy to find and inexpensive.

Head Librarian of Lucena City Library, Miled G. Ibias

The workshop was made possible by the librarians of the Lucena City Provincial Library. It was the library's 63rd founding anniversary. Two years ago, the Lucena City Provincial Library was awarded as the best in the country. Sadly, I had little time to stay in Lucena that I missed to visit the library.

Now, this gives me reason to return to Lucena.

The Lucena provincial librarians were also in full force that day. Finally, I met face to face friends in FB like Ms. Ria Salvador. I appreciate the help they gave me during my workshop.

These librarians  support the day care workers by not only providing books and reading spaces for children in day care, but also empowering them to read and engage these children in literacy activities, like storytelling and puppetry. Thank you to Miled G. Ibias and her team of librarians for making me a part of their project! Mabuhay tayong lahat!