Kathaastu! Creating Stories...

A course for 10-12 year-olds... (Grades 5, 6, 7)

Objective

The objective of the course is to open the participants’ minds to look at and respond to the

ordinary, everyday world differently.

In formal structured learning, children’s attention is often caught up in giving the correct

answer. This course endeavours to provide their young minds the space to stretch their

creative muscles while giving them a chance to enhance their perception and expression by

engaging with stories in multiple ways. Learning about the key elements of creating a story

as well as how to sculpt stories with specific tools, will form part of the experience.

Why Stories?

The experience of engaging with stories provides layered experiential learning, though they

are often appreciated only for their entertainment value. The facilitator's lifelong experience

of connecting with stories is deeply woven with all her work and has made her realise its

immense worth in learning at the cognitive as well as the affective levels. Research shows

that even students with low motivation and weak academic skills are more likely to listen,

read, write and work in the context of storytelling.

Why Create?

Creation, no matter at what scale, provides a slice of fulfillment to our fantastic human mind

while being a celebration of our spirit. It makes us pause, observe, wonder, play, believe,

empathise, emote and share. All these elements are explored in this course. It enables us to

weave a tapestry with what we observe in the outer world and our inner world of thoughts,

feelings, ideas and impressions. Each one of us can experience the excitement and

satisfaction of creating something which has our unique personal stamp.

Masanobu Fukuoka, the father of natural farming, said -- "The ultimate goal of farming is not

the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings." This is a very small

step in that direction… through stories instead of farming!