Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand Aug / Sept 2017: The Kids & Family Issue | Page 52

SAMANTHA ASKS:
What was the most
defining moment of
your teaching career?
Do you remember the teacher who stayed with you long after
class to explain concepts you did not understand? Or the one
who taught you kindness and wisdom? Most of us, even well into
adulthood, look back fondly on our favorite teachers from our
younger years. In this edition of “Samantha Asks,” we have featured
some defining teaching moments from an educator’s perspective.
THE POWER OF
STORYTELLING
Anna Manuel, Storyteller and kinder-
garten teacher at Heads and Tales,
Wells International School
52 WANDERLUST
When children listen to a story, watch
it come to life, become a part of it,
see and appreciate the characters’
strengths and flaws, they begin to
feel a sense of power, completion
and connectedness.
As a storyteller, one teaching ex-
perience stands out for me. I was
invited to tell a story to the Grade
1 classes in our school. I chose
“Giraffes Can’t Dance,” the tale of
Gerald, a clumsy giraffe who found
out that everyone can dance “when
they find that music that they love.”
After the performance, I invited
the first-graders to come to my kin-
dergarten class and read to us. One
boy immediately raised his hand and
volunteered, so I asked him what
he’d be reading to my five-year-olds.
He chose “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr.
Seuss and explained, “Usually I have
trouble reading, but I can read this
one. I think everybody can read, if
they find that one book that they
love. Just like the giraffe in your
story.”
A week later, this boy came to
my class and brought his book
and his props and told his story,
proving the power of reading and
storytelling.
SEEING STUDENTS
MAKE CHANGES
FOR THE BETTER
Sanya Makarin, Teacher at Nonchai
Municipal School
The teaching experiences that have
been most meaningful for me are
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