Storytelling: Oral Narrative In History, Culture and Society
EDUC 309

Registration notations:
1-  This course is now accepted as a General Undergraduate Requirement in the area of Communication Block B.  (This course was previously listed as Library Science 309.)
2-  If you try to register and a message tells you that the "reserve is closed" this means that the student limit for your class standing is full and you will need to put your name on the waiting list on my office door...Miller Hall 264E. 
3-  Currently, only 3-4 sections of EDUC 309 are offered per year.  Additional sections for future quarters may be influenced by the number of people on the waiting list...so please put your name down on the list if you are interested in taking Storytelling during  future quarters.
***
4- An additional section of EDUC 309 has been added to Fall quarter 2007.  See below.

Course Description: 
Current trends and interdisciplinary applications of storytelling.  Selection, adaptation and presentation of stories for various settings and audiences, with focus on the history of oral narrative traditions, cultural perspectives, and societal impact.

In addition...
This course will offer students practical instruction in the traditional art of storytelling as it relates to numerous interdisciplinary fields.  The class will look at how this ancient art form can be used to enliven classroom learning, improve public communication skills, build communities, sustain cultural and family groups, strengthen corporate communication, enhance environmental education, provide creative entertainment, etc. 
In this performance-focused class students will learn how they can become more imaginative and confident storytellers and communicators in a wide variety of settings.  Demonstrations of storytelling will be provided and students will have several opportunities in class to tell folktales as well as their own personal experience stories and cultural/family narratives.

A note for Freshmen:
Even though this course is listed as a GUR option for Communication Block B, first year students are advised that this is an upper division course with a fairly intensive (but enjoyable) workload that entails the self motivation, individualized direction of study, and personal involvement that is expected of more mature students.  Freshmen are very welcome in this class...we hope you will enjoy being in this lively, thoughtful and challenging educational setting. At least you won't be bored or feel that you are one of too many in a mass lecture course!

Course Instructor:
Rosemary Vohs  Phone: 360-650-6446  Email:  Rosemary.Vohs@wwu.edu

Course Times:

 ***Additional section added in Fall 2007 :  
- Monday evenings - 5:30-8:00pm plus additional time for fieldwork and coaching. 
- Available for regular WWU students as an alternatively scheduled class.
*(Note that this course is being run through Extended Education and Summer Programs and therefore extension tuition rates apply.)
- This section is particularly appropriate for community members, teachers, and others who have work commitments or other schooling during the day, or for those who will be commuting. 
- This section will be team-taught by Rosemary Vohs and Doug Banner. Doug is an award-winning educator, former elementary school teacher and principle, and a long time storyteller and musician. Rosemary and Doug have been storytelling colleagues for many years, are co-founders of the Bellingham Storytellers Guild, former co-chairs of the 2004 National Storytelling Conference, and each have their unique strengths in the field of storytelling.  The combination of these two instructors will make for an inspiring class.
Rosemary.Vohs@wwu.edu  or 360-650-6446
Doug.Banner@wwu.edu or 360-820-9631

- Registration information for additional evening section of EDUC 309:
Extension tuition rate applies.
Contact 650-3308  or 650-3650 for more registration details or for an over ride code to get into the class.
(Do not contact instructors for registration questions.  Instructors will be happy to answer your questions about course content.)

Course Materials:

Some of the following are PDF documents which require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. 
If your computer does not have this, you can click on the icon and download the program for free.

Syllabus (PDF)...with dates for MWF spring '07 class
Bibliography - Storytelling Books (PDF)
Bibliography - Storytelling Books with call #s from Wilson Library - WWU
Bibliography - Folk and Fairy Tales  
Bibliography - Wordless Picture books (PDF)
Bibliography - Storytelling in the Classroom (PDF)
Storytelling on Video

Additional materials available from instructor.  Copy write restrictions prevent all class materials from being readily available via internet.

For further information regarding the Storytelling course, please refer to the syllabus or contact the instructor Rosemary Vohs at 650-6446 or  Rosemary.Vohs@wwu.edu