BOCES ID
1204
For
K-2, 3-5, Middle school, High school
Categories
Creative Writing, Storytelling, Theatre
Curriculum
ELA, Science, The Arts
Costs
1/$495, 2/$820, 3/$1145, 4/$1470
Residency and multiple day per diem rates are reduced. See Rona for details.
Travel extra (can be split amongst clients for shows booked for the same or adjacent days if lodging available), block booking available. Public Librarians please contact Rona for pricing.
Dates Available
Year-round
Program Theme
Rona Leventhal is the real deal! She knows how to engage kids, families….and adults!. She understands schools. She’s an Educator. And she’s lots of fun! Hey, she’s a Storyteller, what do you expect?!
Program Description
Performances
With loads of multi-cultural tales tucked in her back pocket, her school and family performances are participatory, engaging and lots of fun! She’ll have you tapping your feet, swaying in your seats, making funny noises, singing and laughing as she shares tales from the serious to the silly, from the mysterious to the monstrous! Storytelling addresses a large range of academic skills from vocabulary, attention span, listening skills, auditory memory, sequencing, inferencing, social-emotional growth and more.
Performances Include:
- Hot Diggity Dog: Stories to Rattle Your Bones! (Also called “Travelin’ Shoes: A Multi-Cultural Storytelling Extravaganza!”)
- Earth Celebrations!
- Goblins and Giggles and Haunts, Haints and Hollers (Creepy stories year round!)
- You….Me….We: Stories That Bring Us Together!
- Feelin’ Proud: Stories About Self Esteem
- Go Girls!
- Wondrous Wonder, Marvelous Marvel: A Story-Movement Playshop (Pre-K to 6)
- The Prince of Pirates and The Witch of Wellfleet (ages 15 through adult). A classic Cape story that takes a hard look at Puritan New England through the eyes of story.
- Have a theme in mind? Talk to Rona!
CONTACT RONA FOR A FULL LIST OF PERFORMANCE TITLES
Workshops and Residencies
As a Teaching Artist and with roots in education, she calls storytelling “Living Literacy”(c), which develops what she calls “The Imagination Muscle”(c)……an essential component, she believes, to inquiring and creative minds. A certified teacher, she is known far and wide for her infusion of improv movement and theatre into her programs! She is passionate about offering an engaged approach to teaching using the arts, providing a positive experience with language and learning. Rona is deeply committed to working with teachers towards curricula goals. Rona is available for short-term workshops or longer residencies.
- Community Storytelling: Kids Telling Stories (to other kids)!
- Story Toolbox: Making Stories From Scratch!
- Writing With Storytelling In Mind: Improved story WRITING using story TELLING as a guide!
- It’s your Story – Tell It!
- History Alive!
- Improv Theatre
- Team Building
CONTACT RONA FOR A FULL LIST OF STUDENT WORKSHOPS AND RESIDENCIES
Organizational Approval
Rona is an approved Teaching Artist and Performing Artist with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, New England Touring Roster, Hartford Performs, The Connecticut Storytelling Center and BOCES.
Teacher Professional Development and Adult Workshops
Rona is a sought-after Workshop Leader for adults and teachers, having produced a Summer Storytelling Institute for seven years. She is a favorite at the Mass. Teachers Association conference and New England Library Association conference. She is an approved “Professional Development Provider” through the Massachusetts Department of Education.
All residencies listed above can be done a professional development workshops.
Also:
The Art of Storytelling
Story Bag: Tales That Teach
And More!
CONTACT RONA FOR A FULL LIST OF PD TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
RONA IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR:
* Environmental Education
* Team Building
* Adult Performances
* Conference Keynotes, entertainment or Creative MC’ing
* Religious Organizations
* Individual and Group Coaching
* Organizational Consulting (www.activateconsulting.net)
Rona’s Other Accomplishments
Rona has two CD’s: “Into the Dark: Stories From the Shadows (Creepy Stories for Adults and Fearless Teens)” and “Raps, Rhythms and Rhymes: Stories to Tap, Rap, Shake and Sing” (for families)! Coeditor: Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope: Stories of Peace, Justice and the Environment
(Storytelling World Honors Award); Coeditor, “Ten Reasons to Use Storytelling in the Classroom”.
Website
Phone
(413) 586-0624
Address
PO Box 855, Northampton MA 01061
Testimonials
Performances for Kids
“The kids LOVED your performances! I’ve heard from so many parents that their kids were excited to come home and tell them about the stories they heard from you! We look forward to having you again next year!” Teacher, Shorewood Hills, Madison, WI
“Wonderful Show! What a great idea having a storyteller..…Rona was engaging and the stories interesting! Thank you for the Family Fun Night! Excellent event and great presentation…we had a lot of fun! Do this again!” Parent, Four Corners School, Greenfield, MA
“Rona is everything a live storyteller should be: adaptable, funny, professional and never boring! Rona is an extremely lively and engaging storyteller. We were spellbound for the entire hour.” Librarian, Thayer Library, Braintree, MA
“Such wonderful stories retold with imagination and energy! Lots of audience participation – great fun!” Librarian, Somerville, MA
School Residencies
“This residency definitely met my expectations…….we were able to complete what we began—the creation and telling of stories! My students are improving as writers as a result of our time together. The warm-ups helped them create, then deepen their characters. The Art of Questioning helped them hone their stories. Likewise, the Art of Questioning was the most valuable thing for my teaching practice. I plan to teach that from the very beginning of the next school year. Everything you did with us is material I might use in my teaching!” Patti Bassett, Teacher
“I heard so many wonderful things from teachers and kids about your storytelling programs at our school. You really made an impact here!” Principal, Randall Elementary, Madison, WI
“It was a pleasure (having you at our school). Comments from staff were very positive. Teachers were excited that your presentations fit in so well with Writer’s Workshop.” Kathy Buckley, Principal, Hinsdale Elementary, MA
Professional Development Workshops
“Definitely should have this presenter again! She was terrific and the program was enjoyable and so very helpful to me as I go back to my library!” New England Library Association Conference (NELA)
“Excellent! Really took me out of my comfort zone – in a very good way! Valuable exercises for educators and librarians” NELA
“Love Rona’s kind spirit and all of the exercised she gave us – best storyteller! Love this workshop!” – MTA Conference (Mass Teacher’s Association Conference)
“Excellent intro into storytelling – how to go about it, reasons for doing it, relaxing when you do it. Fun, interactive, useful for all kinds of school staff – not just classroom teachers. Thank you for a great morning!” – MTA Conference
“When I saw Rona teach I was convinced we had the best person in her area of expertise than anyone else in our ten-year history. She is a sensitive teacher who inspires students to learn and participate.” Lee Pogonowski, Director, Creative Arts Laboratory, Columbia University