Networking with School Librarians from across Harare

What a fabulous time we had at the US Embassy Public Affairs Section. School Librarians from over 10 schools attended a short sharing and learning session. I had been invited to talk about what we are doing at Harare City Library as well as share my experiences of story telling with the group.

I was rather nervous.

I had no need to be. Everyone was keen and eager. I used the star apple story as group work and what fabulous ideas we had to localise and adapt it for our children here in Zimbabwe and the different age groups (there were primary and secondary school in attendance). Thanks so much to the Scottish Storytelling Center in Edinburgh for sharing their resources so freely online as well as Bea Ferguson from whom the story activity was adapted (who in turn heard it from David Campbell........)

The apple became a green egg with a ball inside for the younger children..and a planet with lots  of people inside (or was it a space ship???) for the older children. How imaginative is that. And the protagonist in the story went on so many adventures on the way to solving the mystery, I cannot wait to hear this story retold at the schools. I hope I get a chance to visit - my day job is getting in the way of all this FUN :D

Some pictures below.

Taking the group through what we are doing at Harare City Library

Group work to discuss the Star Apple Story

Listening to the story being retold in the group before presenting the highlights to the whole group