Monika Riihelä, 2001, Stakes Helsinki Finland (ISBN 951-33-1191-0)
The Storycrafting method is a Finnish invention that promotes
equal possibilities for the participants in a dialog (Riihelä
1991). It is an easy but yet strict method for creating stories in
solidarity, for listening, and for documentation. The method helps
creating and sharing unique, novel narratives and gives the floor
to the client, the other person, especially to the children. UN's
declaration of Rights of the Child emphasises children's rights
for participation. In order to follow this statement, one needs to
examine the dialogue among children and adults in institutional
settings, and issues that prevent and enhance children's
participation. When the Storycrafting method was developed, the
emphasis was on changing children's position in the society. With
Storycrafting method, children can be heard the way children want
to be heard: children can choose the words, drawings, and acts
they want to use to express themselves.
In Storycrafting you ask:
Tell a story that you want. I will write it down just
as you will tell it.
When the story is ready I will read it aloud. And then if you want you can correct
or make any changes.
The adult writes down the story on a separate piece of paper,
preferably in capital letters so that the child is, as early as
possible, able to read the story. It is important to write down
the story exactly as the child tells it. It is easier to write
down the story of a child that uses standard language than of one
using slang or colloquialisms. One has to control one's own desire
to change the spoken language and correct mistakes made by the
child. The purpose is to make it clear to the child that the adult
is specifically interested in the child's own story. The aim is to
inspire the child to tell about his or her own world and thoughts.
The story can be included in the group's common story file or the
children can include it in their personal files. The adult can ask
the child to give her a copy of the story. It is important to give
the feeling that the children have a copyright on their work and
that it is not only being used for the purposes of the adult.
More about the Storycrafting method
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