On Writing: The Art of Story Blog

When Frank and I worked with the adjudicated teenagers at Palama Settlement, we included movies in our curriculum.  “Little Miss Sunshine” was cool (although the kids thought Grandpa was the main character because he of course was their favorite, which can be attributed to his substance abuse issues and foul language) and although I frowned upon adding to their daily quotient of violence, Frank insisted upon “Kill Bill” and of course they loved that too.

One absolute from the kids was that they did not want to see any film in black and white.  It had to be in color or they refused to watch it.  Taking this as the dare it was intended to be, I forced them to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life,” in all its original black and white glory.  They sat stock still for the whole two hours and twelve minutes.  They laughed.  They cried.  They learned it’s okay to be flawed and it’s even better to overcome that flaw.  They learned the transcendent power of story.  All in black and white.

I just came from the Hawaii Women’s Fund Tea and Champagne Event because they gave Learning for a Lifetime a grant for Girls Day at Palama Settlement.   Board members Barbara Kozlovich, Donna Ambrose, Kristin Jackson and I drank champagne in the daytime!   

 It was so great to see these amazing women, all devoted to making the world a better place.  Not too long ago, a woman needed to marry well.  You were considered a failure if you were unmarried at twenty-two.  So you got a low-paying job as a teacher, or —as in the case with my people—you became a nun.

 Things have changed.  Women have choices.   All the women I know have ability and opportunity.  Also, some of them married well.  (For sure, their husbands married well.)  In any case, women today do not have to join a convent if no one will marry them.  That’s a good thing.  And yet, look.  Even with all our opportunity, women do good works.  At Learning for a Lifetime, we keep an eye on the kids who have nobody looking out for them.   Gwen and Momi stopped by to read stories.  Suzan taught about fractions and money one day.  Rayna brought the Hawaii Potters in to run a free pinch pot workshop.   When we help these girls, we give them the tools to turn around and help the next generaton, and the next.        

 Mother Theresa said, “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”  And sure enough, that’s what the Hawaii Women’s Fund is all about.  On behalf of girls everywhere, thank you for making Wednesday Girls Day at Palama Settlement.   And thanks for the champagne!

A few years ago, after a long career helping professional writers tell their stories, I decided to teach children the classic art of storytelling.   I taught middle school kids and adjudicated youth and little kids too.   I wrote the curriculum based on my belief that “If you can write your own life story, you can write your own happy ending.”  Kids need to know how to see themselves as the heroes of their own life stories.         

In March 2007, when our Kids Talk Story program won a federal contract through No Child Left Behind, my partners and I were thrilled.  We’d teach writing to kids who really needed it.  We hired and trained teachers.  We printed brochures and amassed huge quantities of notebooks, colored pencils, awards ribbons, scissors, glue, etcetera and etcetera.  The hardest part?  We learned how to do all the paperwork that comes with a government contract.   Yikes.

Since then we’ve provided Kids Talk Story to hundreds of children in need.  Not only do our students love learning how to write, they show an improvement of 16% in their test scores after only 20 hours of tutoring.  Wow, what a high.  Kids Talk Story really worked. 

And the other programs worked, too.  Now remember, these are expensive, well-known programs including Kumon, Mathnasium and yes, Kids Talk Story.  Each eligible child receives upwards of a thousand dollars in free services.  It’s an amazing deal provided by our government to those children who need it most. We’re a proven success and yet, like other providers, we find that only a small percentage of students take advantage of the program.  Why? 

When the Feds launched No Child Left Behind, they put the power in the hands of the parents.  The parents must choose a program and sign a paper.  The parents must make sure the child attends.  Unfortunately, as it turns out, low income parents often lack the skills to take advantage of what’s being offered.  Perhaps they don’t speak English.   Some work three jobs just to keep food on the table.  Some, sadly, shouldn’t be parents at all.  At the very least, they’re not able to make educational decisions for their children. 

Most of us understand the negative value of “teaching to the test.”  Most of us would like to have the arts back in the schools.  The good news in all of this is that in my travels throughout the Hawaii schools, I’ve met many wonderful teachers and administrators.  The people on the front lines know what they’re doing.  And as the Department of Education under President Obama continues to detangle NCLB as we now know it, I for one hope the educators can be freed to educate as they see fit.