Alice in Writer's Land: A Dream Quest for Schools Full of Stories, Heroes and Heroines, and Books

Alice in Writer's Land:A Dream Quest for Schools Full of Stories, Heroes and Heroines, and Books Angela Chalkiopoulou (bio) Through her innovative program, Angela creatively uses children's literature and storytelling to tackle important issues children face today in a fun and unconventional way. I watched her pupils enjoy the different tools (storytelling, painting, puppets and more) she used to address each theme, thus successfully enhancing their appreciation of books. —Marina Gioti, children's book author and illustrator Creating a school reading culture is vital for promoting lifelong reading, enhancing creativity, and improving academic performance. Angeliki takes her passion for reading into the classroom and creates an unforgettable experience for young students. —Marina Michaelidou Kadi, children's book author Click for larger view View full resolution Literacy has always played an important role in my life. I remember myself as a young girl with little or no interest in school subjects except for language arts. Introverted and shy, I thought myself incapable of "smart," A-grade answers. When my father introduced me to the magic of literature with his vibrant, humorous, theatrical presentations of poetry, stories, and heroes, that was the turning point to a more positive life, filled with self-esteem. These possibilities—of being free to follow your own path, of being capable of creating and being resilient with your cause, of being able to be wrong and at the same time being able to find the strength to try again—were offered to me by my quest in literature so that no matter what life put in front me, or how life tested me in my later years, I was able to find my cause and inspire myself and my children. This was before the modern "growth mindset" theories became popular. Years of continuous experimentation with educational programs focused on literature led me to the conclusion that literacy, especially today, is not just about the ability to read and write. Future literacy, as many scientists point out, is about fantasy, creation, resilience, change, inventiveness, empathy, and inclusion. [End Page 80] Successful future societies will be multicultural and share a common environmental conscience. They will need to embrace creativity as well as critical thinking. Sound familiar? Yes, this is what literature is all about. Presented with contemporary ideas, tools, and methods, it cultivates abilities and inspires endless possibilities. Schools here in Cyprus tend to be multicultural, so this offers the opportunity for a wider variety of stories, more heroes, more books. As for teachers? They are always open and eager to learn new ways of teaching human rights, empathy, friendship, community values, and more. Creating an educational program based on literary heroines and heroes—focusing on their inventiveness, creativity, and resilience—gave me the opportunity to develop a board game. The game is called "Literature Hunting / Find the Phrase—Find the Move." This board game enables teachers to easily and positively convey difficult messages to students while engaging them with stories and books. Click for larger view View full resolution The program consists of three steps, or presentations, for each grade level. Teachers choose a book from a list given to them concerning a theme they find crucial to explore with their students. The focus is on the hero or heroine and his or her response to challenges and adventures in the story. Observation, research, fantasy, and creativity all play key roles. Our main goal is to cultivate a love for reading. These are not "lessons," and no one is obliged to read or write. All students take part in the quest, as a challenge, a game, a creative process. Any reading or writing involved is an extra perk, away from any judgmental connotations of right or wrong—a process we hope will lead children to a path full of an everlasting love for stories. Click for larger view View full resolution Step 1—Research: Be a researcher. Kids are asked to listen to a radio podcast from our radio show Alice in Writer's Land. This is a children's literature show created by me, which is broadcast from Bobos Family Web Radio and has two heroes, Alice and the rabbit "What." In every episode...