Liam Farrell Story Teller - The Story Teller

Format of School Visit
Poetry Ireland Safety Certificate
For school visits I usually cater for the full school, right from Junior Infants up to Sixth Class. I do this in four separate groups/shows. I do the Wolf Show for Junior Infants up to and including Fourth Class and for Fifth and Sixth Class I do the Talk on Writing.

I take individual classes, or groups of classes according to age and the size of the school. While there is no strict upper limit on the number of pupils attending each show, I find the best results are had by keeping a similar age profile. Like Junior and Senior Infants together, First and Second Class together, Third and Fourth Class together for the Wolf Shows and Fifth and Sixth Class together for either the Talk on Writing or as an alternative for them part of the Wolf Show and a Questions & Answers session, depending on the requirements of the teachers.

Talks and shows can be done in the classroom or a school assembly hall. For the Wolf Show the children should be seated in rows in front of me and not in a semi-circle or circle around me, preferably facing the door through which I make my entrance. This is because in a semi-circle or circle I can’t see all the children’s faces at the one time and they can’t all see my facial expressions at the one time. In these circumstances I am unable to judge accurately how well my show is going down, so as to adjust my delivery accordingly. At least one teacher must be present at all times. I do not work with children unsupervised. If the teacher leaves, I leave.

It would be advantageous but not totally necessary to have my books read to the children from Junior Infants up to Fourth Class beforehand, as it is a stand alone live show. The Wolf Show is based on the antics of the characters in my first book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf.

The number of shows can vary slightly in smaller schools, or two and three teacher schools. But the details can be sorted either in advance or on the day.

I normally arrive at the school before the start of class. This gives me an opportunity to talk to the teachers beforehand and answer any questions they might have. I also like to show the wolf mask I will be wearing for the first part of the show to the Junior and Senior Infant teachers. This way the infant teachers have the opportunity to show the mask to the assembled infants before the start of the show. Or for that matter any of the other teachers who have any special needs children can bring the children to the staff room to meet me in front of the other teachers and to see the mask and the costume and that I am a real person just dressed up in funny clothes. I want my storytelling to be a pleasant experience for all the children that see my shows and hear my tall tales.

Preferred Outline Timetable of Shows

I normally begin with Junior and Senior Infants together for the first show as near to the start of school as is convenient for the teachers. Next I do First and Second Class together. These shows are pitched at their particular levels of understanding and sense of humour.

I normally have these two groups/shows done before the first break at whatever time that is. I work around the school breaks.

Then usually between the two breaks (that is little lunch and big lunch) I take Fifth & Sixth Classes together for the Talk on Writing. Time wise it slots in nicely here as it takes up the full time between these two breaks. This talk is based on commercial writing with a view to getting the children published and paid for their work. (For further details see the Talk on Writing hyperlink.)

After big lunch I usually do Third & Fourth Class together for the final Wolf Show. This show does take a little bit longer for them, as it is pitched at their particular level of understanding.

Special Note: I prefer to do Junior & Senior Infants together for my first show, as they are fresh at this point and they are also the first ones to go home. So should there be any delays like the Parish Priest turning up or the swimming bus being late or whatever can happen including the fire alarm going off, then I can work right up to the close of school. So everybody gets to see me before I go home.

Library Visit Format

This can take the form of either a school visit to the library to see the show during the school term, or an out of school term show during the school holidays, or after school hours. The show or shows may be all done in the one library, or even necessitate travel between two or more libraries on the same day. The logistics of getting me between venues in city areas is the responsibility of the libraries involved. Remember I am unfamiliar with the local traffic situations, or one-way street systems. Getting lost in a city when tied to time can in my experience be very easy. So I need a local guide.

The logistics and timing of travel between rural libraries should be worked out in advance with the considerations of distance, speed limits, convenient parking, local traffic and road situations like road works being considered. Being late or lost is not a considered option for me. So again depending on local solutions to local problems a tour guide may or may not be a preferred option.

While there is no strict upper limit on the number of children attending my show, I do find the best results are had by keeping a similar age profile. My Wolf Show is suitable for Junior Infants up to and including Fourth Class primary school children. The show is not really designed or scripted for pre-school children as they are too young and may find it unsuitable for them. The show may also be too young in content for older fifth and sixth class children, as they are normally “too cool for their shoes.”

Like with the schools the children should be seated in rows in front of me and not in a semi-circle or circle around me, preferably facing the door through which I make my entrance.

For the Talk on Writing I will need a usable flipchart and markers.

Talks and shows can be done on the library floor or in a suitable utility room. At least one member of the library staff must be present with me in the room at all times. Parents are welcome to stay for the Wolf Show or the Talk on Writing, but in this instance they do not qualify as responsible adults, as they can and often do get up and leave during the course of the event. So there must be a member of the library staff present, as I do not work unsupervised with children. If the librarian leaves, I leave regardless of parents being there.

UPDATED 09/05/11