SUNY Oswego class participates in 7th annual storytelling weekend

OSWEGO, N.Y. — The 7th annual storytelling children’s weekend was one for the books. The storytelling performances were created and adapted by students taking Professor Jonel Langenfeld’s storytelling class.

Langenfeld said this class teaches students how to use storytelling to teach or share a particular subject. With the final project being a group storytelling, the students get to pick a book from any library and prepare it as a “live” story.

“I want them to understand that storytelling isn’t just reading the book,” Langenfeld said. “It’s about bringing it to life.”

One of Langenfeld’s students, Deanna Dicosimo, said she loves the class and the whole storytelling process was very beneficial.

“It really felt like I was teaching the kids because even with stories, all stories have morals and lessons, so it was a nice way to convey a moral or a lesson to tiny children,” Dicosimo said. “It was a great experience and really builds my confidence up with talking to children and in front of crowds.”

Dicosimo also said that Professor Langenfeld was able to bring her fe

llow classmates and herself out of their comfort zones.

“We joined this class all being separate and not knowing each other, but we ended up super close,” Dicosimo said.

The students of the storytelling class will continue to participate in this event with a performance set for each fall and spring semester. It will showcase new and exciting stories.