The Transformative Power of Oral Storytelling
Actress, singer, and storyteller, April Armstrong visited our Lower School students in their morning assembly and told — and sang! — the story of “The Sandpiper and the Whale,” a traditional Marshall Islands folktale about a boastful whale and a clever sandpiper who get into an epic existential argument. Their squabble escalates into a gigantic gathering of whales and sandpipers that almost drains the ocean, threatening the whole world — until some ingenious birds save the day. Our students were captivated by the humor and surprising twists in April’s story. She also shared “Crocodile and Hen,” in which a hungry crocodile tries to eat a hen, but she keeps calling him “brother.” He asks a lizard for advice and eventually realizes they’re all “family.” It was funny, warm, and our Lower Schoolers loved the conclusion of the tale. April was accompanied on guitar and percussion by legendary musician and composer Mario E. Sprouse, who matched music to each moment — a light and airy sandpiper, a sneaky, squeaky crocodile — so the stories really came alive. She finished with a singalong of “Tingalayo,” a fun Caribbean children’s song about a mischievous little donkey who doesn’t behave like a donkey is expected to behave. Our students loved this one, and clapped and sang along!
Later in the day, April joined our 2nd Grade classes to give a storytelling workshop that included improvisational games, advice on how to tell a riveting story, and practice for connecting with an audience through eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, voices, sound effects, and fun and interesting dialogue. Our student risk takers rose to April’s challenge for them to perform by creating their own funny scenes, and they had us on the edge of our seats and laughing out loud. We recommend you ask them to tell the story of their experience with April — you could be in for a treat too!
