Pauline has now completed 2 sessions at Turriff Academy and has been warmly welcomed by staff and students

Session 1
During the first session introductions were given, Pauline performed 2 stories whilst pupils listened intently. Following on from this was a discussion around the origins and roles of oral storytelling within local culture. When pupils were asked ‘where do we get stories from?’ responses included film plots, the internet, google, newspapers, comics and ‘my granny’.

Session 2
The second session consisted of some further performances of stories by Pauline and a discussion around what is needed to create a oral story and how sometimes written language can create a barrier or a hurdle. pupils were encouraged to think of themselves as storytellers and were asked to come back with a story from a relative or other adult. Prompts were given to help with the homework including the following,

• “Can you tell me the naughtiest thing you did as a child or young adult?”
• “Tell me what it was like going to see a football match when you were younger. Was it different to how it is now? Were the chants different? What did the chants mean? Did you see anything interesting at the matches other than the game on the pitch?”
• “What was school like when you were younger? Did they still have the belt or other corporal punishment? Who was your least favourite (or favourite!) teacher and why? Are there any stories you can tell me about things that happened when you were at school?”
• Occupations “Tell me about your job. How is that job done now compared to how it was done when you first started working? Have things changed? Do you have any funny stories about things that happened to you while you were working?”
• “Do you have any stories about petty revenge?”
• “How did you get around when you were younger? Did you have far to go to get to school or your job or to meet your friends? How have things changed? Did anything happen to you when you were travelling around (whether just going to school or going far away on a trip) that would make a good story?”
• “Do you have any stories about food or drink? Food that I’d find disgusting? Things people don’t eat any more? Are there any foods that we take for granted that hadn’t been heard of when you were younger? Do you have any good stories about eating and drinking?”
• Technology! “We have so much technology to help us do everything today. How have things changed? Do you have any stories about old technology?”