For 30 years, the Connecticut Storytelling Center has brought professional storytellers (teaching artists) into classrooms for repeated visits with support from The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut and the Barnes Foundation. Teachers and storytellers collaborated to connect this program with literacy curricula. Students heard multicultural folk tales and honed their listening, speaking and visualizing skills. Storytellers helped students learn to retell stories, role-play to better understand the characters, and discuss the problems presented in the stories (creating many possible solutions). 

Unfortunately, the climate at this time in New London schools does not allow for this program to continue. Principals want to relegate the program to the extended-day hours, where teachers are absent. This well-tuned art in education program is built to help students learn curriculum through the arts. Success is directly connected to the collaboration with teachers, who also learn skills. The arts, supposedly valued, are intentionally separated from curriculum time with teachers, defeating the purpose of arts integration. 

As a new school year begins, I want to recognize the students, teachers and administrators in New London Elementary Schools who have collaborated with us for so long. We will miss you. 

Ann Shapiro

Executive director, CT Storytelling Center

New London