The Storyteller
"There is more eye contact, audience involvement and imagination when a story is told orally. We all share in a magical moment."
Current Residence
Brussels, Belgium
Who am I?
I have taught every grade from kindergarten to eighth grade in four different countries for 16 years. A longtime reading enthusiast, I became a teacher librarian five years ago where my passion for oral storytelling was ignited.
I tell stories to all students in my elementary school and when my elder two sons were four and six they would ask for nightly stories with my mouth.
Where am I?
Born and raised in San Diego, California, I left the states in 2001 to teach in Norway for two years, then on to France for two years, followed by a move to Belgium where I met my now husband.
I am the elementary school teacher librarian at the International School of Brussels.
Why storytelling?
I have read stories all my life and always made read alouds a part of my classroom when I was a homeroom teacher. But after attending a storytelling workshop in 2015, I realized my library program was missing a storytelling component.
"The way students engage in an oral story is different from one read to them. We all share in a magical moment, one that only happens once and is never repeated exactly the same way again."
There is more eye contact, audience involvement and imagination when a story is told orally. It transcends the page, creating a living archive of the moment.
Bring the Story to Your School
I offer a limited number of storytelling workshops and oral narration sessions for international schools and educational groups.