In Part 1, I talked about storytelling, true stories, “It happened like this” stories. I had always read aloud to children, but telling them my stories was different. It turned out that I had discovered another pathway to language and literacy, with a bonus of children bonding with their teacher. Children then began to tell their own stories as well. This was big!
Part 2
Storytelling is important to young children because oral language is the key to reading readiness. It’s also a key to academic success. Think about it; in early elementary school the primary source of instruction is oral. At school, I tell stories every day at lunchtime. They are true stories from my childhood and adulthood. Everyone knows “Jennie stories”. Decades after children leave my class, they still remember those stories. Over the summer, I thought I would share some of those with you, and perhaps encourage you to tell your own stories. Yes, it matters. This is the first story I told to children:
The Peanut Man Story
“It happened like this.” When I was in first and second and third grade, there was a man who lived in my town, Dr. Tyler. He was really old. He was short, heavy, and he had white hair and a white beard. Who do you think he looked like? Yes, Santa Claus. I thought he was the real Santa Claus.
But, Dr. Tyler was not Santa Claus. He was a peanut farmer. His peanut farm was quite big, and over the summer he grew plenty of peanuts. I’ve never seen peanuts growing. Have you? In the fall, he picked them all. He had hundreds and thousands of peanuts, all in shells. Then one day he would come to school. No one knew when he was coming. The principal didn’t know. The teacher didn’t know. He would just show up. We could hear footsteps in the hallway and the classroom door would burst open.
This is where I stand up, pretend I have a big sack over my back, open it up, and then begin to make grand movements of scooping up and throwing giant handfuls of peanuts.
There he stood, saying nothing, carrying a big sack of peanuts over his back. Now he really looked like Santa Claus! He dropped the heavy sack onto the floor and the teacher yelled, “It’s the Peanut Man. Duck”. Everybody dove under their desks. Then he took his big hand, scooped a huge handful of peanuts, and threw them across the classroom, hard. We covered our ears and closed our eyes. He did this again and again, throwing peanuts everywhere. It sounded like pelting rain. The peanuts were hitting the desks, the chalkboard, the lights…everything in the classroom. Suddenly the sound stopped. Everything was empty. We heard footsteps, and the door slamming shut.
The teacher said, “Boys and girls, the Peanut Man is gone. You can come out now”. Wow! The whole room was covered with peanuts everywhere. The floor was so full that you stepped on peanuts wherever you walked. They were in the lights on the ceiling, too. We spent the rest of the afternoon picking up all the peanuts, putting them on our desks in a big mound, cracking the shells, and eating them.”
Storytelling bonds teachers, parents and grandparents to their children, passes down interesting and funny stories, and creates memories. It’s important! My next few posts will be the favorites of children in my classroom, such as “The Bat Story” and “The Raccoon Story”. Summertime fun for me to tell you my stories, and for you to read them.
Stay tuned for Part 3.
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
Reblogged this on charles french words reading and writing and commented:
Here is part 2 in Jennie’s excellent series “When Teachers Tell Their Stories”
Thank you, Charles!
“Do you know the Peanut Man, the Peanut man, the Peanut Man…” (Who lives down Butter Lane.)
Haha! That’s so funny! 😀
I like the Peanut Man story, but I am eagerly anticipating ‘The Bat Story’, as I love bats! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
Oh, my! Well, thanks to the bats story, I’m still afraid of them. Post coming soon. 🦇
That’s funny, Pete. I have a strange fondness for them too. They are actually very helpful to us and when I lived in Arizona and New Mexico, we had lots of them.
We have lots of them in this area, and they roost in the Oak trees in the garden. I love to sit and watch them fly around my head at night, Anne.
I help them when I can too. 🙂
https://beetleypete.com/2015/06/18/the-beetley-bat/
What a cool story for the children to hear and a great memory for you. How many other folks can relate a true story about a peanut man? I look forward to the other stories. I hope you are having a super summer.
Thank you, Darlene. Can you imagine some old man coming into a school unannounced and throwing peanuts everywhere – in today’s world? It was so much fun and quite scary. 🙂 More story adventures to come.
That’s exactly what I was thinking as I read it!
🙂
What a great story. Reminded me of my adventure with ‘Chubby Daddy’ when I was a kid
Chubby Daddy? Sounds like a fun guy?
That’s a great story, Jennie. I wonder if that’s what the squirrels think when they seem me and Maddie coming out to sit 😉
Haha! At least you and Maddie deliver the peanuts one at a time. You don’t pelt the little guys. 🙂
When my grandkids were younger my husband and they made up a series of big sister little brother tales to pass the time on long car rides. They love remembering them still.
That is wonderful! The fact that they still fondly remember says it all. 🙂
I dare say today the peanut man would be tased or worse. Good story though.
Indeed. Probably hauled off to jail accused of child abuse and triggering peanut allergies. 🙂
Ha ha ha.
😀
I do love these kinds of self told stories, Jennie! ❤
The kids adore them. 😍
I’ll bet they do!
I suppose what with allergies and so forth you’d need a health and safety check and risk analysis today but delightful idea
I know! It would never happen today. Kids are missing out on so much fun. 🙂
Exactly. The freedom to throw peanuts across classrooms ought to enshrined in the constitution.
Yes! 😀
Awesome post.
Thank you!
What fun!!
Thanks, Anneli!
What an awesome story. I share stories from my life, but nothing this exciting!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
harvesting peanuts is tough work
great post!
Yes!
What a fun story even though a little scary but kids like scary don’t they? My children and grandchildren liked my Mickey Monkey story it changed every time I told it and that was every night with my youngest and every time the grandkids stayed over…They remember as I used to sing Lily to sleep if she wouldn’t go down she was given to me I have the most beautiful video of her when she was a little older singing her dolly to sleep (with) a lisp but she had the actions…I am sure your children will remember those stories forever 🙂
How wonderful, Carol! Yes, kids like scary. Thank goodness you have that video of Lily. Storytelling is the best, whether the story is real or pretend. Great memories, indeed!
Oh my goodness! What a grand, extraordinary figure to have in your childhood, Jennie. I can just imagine the children’s eyes as you began acting out the throwing of peanuts.
You are a marvel. Hugs on the wing!
Teagan, Dr. Tyler did his Peanut Man event when my mother was a little girl. Wow! He was really old. I will never forget this. Yes, the children’s eyes were saucers. Wish you were a fly on the wall! 😀 Thanks and hugs, Teagan.
Oh Jennie, you are an endless fountain of creativity. How wonderful for you and for the children you get to work with each year. Children do need to relate not only to fictional characters, but to real life people and what a great way to teach them.
Thank you, Anne. The ‘real life’ is incredibly important for children. When it comes to teacher storytelling, children feel relieved, almost empowered, because if their teacher was scared, worried, messed up (long list), just like they feel… then they know it will be okay.
That is true wisdom, Jennie. I never honestly thought about sharing some of our own fears, etc. and that is a fantastic way to teach them that it works out ok in the end. Thank you forever.
You’re welcome, Anne. It’s a good thing to share with children. Best to you.🙂
Wonderful way to get the curiosity flowing and the excitement. 🙂
Thanks, Debby. 🙂
A wonderful memory. Today, a SWAT team would probably tackle him and haul him away in cuffs. That must have been a blast when he visited and I bet your listeners were wide-eyed while listening to your story.
Yes, today he would have been hauled away! It was definitely a blast, and still a striking memory. Quite a popular story. 🙂
A great story, Jennie. How times have changed. The Peanut Man would even get into a modern school now.
Yes, such a huge change from those (fun) days.
I’m glad I’m catching up with you here and didn’t miss these. I love these stories. They make me feel like a kid in a classroom. 🙂
Thanks, Marlene. I’m glad, too. 🙂
Hi Jennie
How lovely to be telling your own stories…as a volunteer classroom/reading assistant for Year 2s (6-7 year olds) in the UK, I know they will just love it. And they will love it when people listen to their stories too. I find that children are very keen to talk to any attentive adult who will take the time to listen.
You are absolutely right. How wonderful to be a reading assistant in a classroom. 🙂
For me, it’s the best most satisfying fun!
For me, reading aloud to children is the best part of my day!
I think that teaching is essentially a performance…good teachers are good communicators who literally enthuse their audience…and that’s clearly what you do.
I think you’re right, and thank you!