In an era where gadgets dominate people’s attention, storyteller Sita Srinivas has been captivating children’s imaginations for two decades. Weaving a narrative tapestry, she recently took a bunch of children into the world of an Appalachian folk tale Jack and the Robbers at the Miyawaki Storytime event held last weekend at Visakhapatnam Public Library.
Sita’s journey into storytelling began unexpectedly, during her time teaching students with behavioral difficulties. Faced with a restless child who resisted doing his work, Sita discovered the power of stories as a tool for engagement. By weaving tales, she managed to capture the child’s attention, soothing his restlessness and saw a gradual transformation in his classroom behaviour.
Her involvement with the Library Board of Singapore marked the beginning of her storytelling odyssey. Upon returning to Visakhapatnam, her passion for storytelling blossomed, fueled by a desire to instill a love for reading and listening to stories among children, particularly those who lacked access to books.
Over the past one year, she has unveiling the magic of storytelling every first and third Sunday of the month, captivating audiences young and old alike, at Visakhapatnam Public Library.
Sita’s storytelling repertoire spans a wide array of tales, chosen with care. “The manner of storytelling is as crucial as the tales themselves,” says Sita, who engages the audience with various techniques of storytelling of expression, rhyme, rhythm and repetition. Each story session is followed by activities such as puppet shows, worksheet analysis, sequencing of scenes, drawing imaginary scenes - to enhance children’s recall and retention.
At the end of the recent session on Jack and the Robbers, she encouraged the children to depict a series of images from the story to reinforce sequencing and comprehension.
Beyond artscaping, she utilises storyboarding techniques and encourages children to develop stories through pictures or enact sequences, fostering bonds. She also introduces diverse topics such as marine life, animals and geography in a playful manner.
Miyawaki Storytime is an initiative of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School. It is held every first and third Sunday of the month at Visakhapatnam Public Library and is open for all.
