Paul David Jackson

My approach is very much Hands on. I Start by using a method of inclusion. Chairs are arranged in either a circle or semi circle. My introduction is conversational rather than the session being a lecture. My roll is to offer as much of the techniques of storytelling, as I feel is appropriate. I believe firmly that every storyteller should be encouraged to find their own ‘Story voice’ and part of my teaching approach is to help develop that individual style. I will give a brief description of what storytelling means to me, how I see it used in today's society, but after that the focus is entirely on the course participants.At the end of the session I will provide information to back up what has been covered as well as a recommended reading list and any helpful contacts.

Firstly they will be introduced to a range of techniques for storytelling.Then throughout the rest of the workshop, they will have the opportunity to experiment with these techniques, such as ways of making a story your own, the use of gesture, changes of pace and so on. They will also have a hands on session of working with story structures, and experimenting with narrative paths going from narrator to protagonist. There will also be time set aside to look at six of the main archetypes in story; Mother, crone, child, trickster, hero and Devil. At who and how they are and their role in stories.

I use shared conversation and experiences to brake down initial barriers as well as perhaps playing an instrument, say an african Harp or Tibetan singing bowl. I use a process I call- ‘your story my story’ Where the ownership of a true personal story changes from the teller to the listener. The listener then becomes the teller and takes on that story. I also ask participants to play with language and imagination in two different ways. Firstly in pairs, one is asked to describe a journey for a protagonist, the listener’s job is to interject with the question” tell me about” Which widens the width of what the Teller is ‘seeing’. The second part is more to do with Verbal and imagination gymnastics, where the listener throws to the teller suggestions/inclusions. The Teller has to include these ‘suggestions’ before continuing on the narrative path. My techniques are often to do with finding the emotional response to a situation within story and ultimately for the participants to find their own voice. We will also look at the roll of silence and eye contact as a form of the audience experiencing moments in story as if it is just for them, and asking; “what is going on here”?

Firstly, the power of story itself. It has universal pattern’s to it that we all can hear, even if its been told in a language that we don’t ‘understand’ but I'm also inspired by the way listening to a story awakens in us the sense of who we are, what makes us weep, what enrages, what heals. So I am inspired by not only the emotions in story but also what lies beneath the story.

I enrolled on a number of courses listed below; ‘93; St donat’s Art & Storytelling Centre,South wales. Beginers 5 day course. Run by Pomm Clayton, leading member of the company of storytellers. The course explored the structure of story and how to develop a particular narrative in preparation for telling.94 st donats Art and storytelling centre, South wales 5 day course for experienced tellers. Course tutors Helen East, movement and physical storytelling and John Wright, Specialist in the study and use of Archatypes, through the Mask, voice and gesture. 95; St Donats; Expearianced storytellers course With Abbi Patrix. A five day study of story structure, getting to meet Protagonists, development of story performance through voice, music and theatre. 95 Cricciath North Wales 5 Day workshop.The study of the Norse Gods through Mythology. Entering the place of the Gods by imagining being back at the moment of Creation, then developing story through that. 96 North Wales Cricciath The Journey through the Holy Grail. Tutors Hugh Lupton and Eric Maddern. Breaking the Grail story into fragments, and basing most of our study through Chretien de Troyes Arthurian Romances. Our aim was to find the Human voice of the story and retell it. 97 Cricciath North Wales: Irish Mythology. The Study of Fionn and the Fienna and the Land of the ‘Tir Na nOg’. Discovering the way of the ‘Living Teller’ . Storytelling has remained an art form in Ireland and part of the aim of this 5 day workshop was to see how that tradition survives and what effect that has had on ‘Living memoury’ That the Tellers tell it as if they had been there. 98 Cricciath North Wales; The Masks of God. A study of the Totem animal within us as storytellers. Our main study was through the writings of Joseph Campbell and his Books; The Masks of God. I was also Tutor on this 5 day course, helping to discover the inner and outer Totem and constructing for each storyteller a Mask of their Animal. Over the years I count as part of my training experience, the telling and retelling of stories in schools for all Key Stages. They teach you to listen to them listening, to widen and narrow the narrative path, to explore the powers of silence and the use of Language and of course the Voice. I have been fortunate enough to have visited well over a thousand schools since 1994, and still there is so much to learn.

Mainly in two areas: 1 Running storytelling workshops for adults in education since 1995. Mostly for teachers, assistants and librarians in the form of twilight sessions. Commercially developing Story workshops for writers, performers and storytellers. also as a module in college courses and for development of performance for professional storytellers. 2 Working in education/ the classroom for all key stages since 1994, either as a storyteller but also developing art through story including demonstrations of techniques for such things as construction in clay, modrock, and card technology.

An article for the development of story for SFS society monthly magazine.

SFS Storytelling Society ( active member) Norfolk Contemporary Arts Society ( as a professional Sculptor) First Question (Co-operative for practitioners working in education)