Helen Wise

Helen Wise tells many contemporary stories as well as traditional folk and fairy tales. Often programs include one of her own stories of life growing up in a Southern family extended enough, organized enough and self-conscious enough to annually elect a president, vice-president/social/program chair, treasurer and secretary! Perhaps this is why many of Helen’s stories are filled with laughter and invite listeners to actively participate in the telling. Helen has also worked as a teacher, costume designer, stage director with children and youth, and curriculum writer. Her belief in narrative as the way we all create meaning from the fragments of our knowledge and experience has led her to develop teacher workshops on using stories throughout the disciplines.

Helen has worked extensively in Trenton, building school-wide K-5 storytelling and story writing residency programs. Her own experience in a multicultural family and her ten plus years on the staff of an international heritage camp give her a personal sensitivity and breadth on multicultural and racial issues in literature and life. Helen earned her B.A. in English Literature and B.F.A. in Theatre from St. Andrews College, her Teaching Credential from Claremont Graduate School, and her M.A. in English Literature from Clark University. She is certified in NJ for K-8 and secondary English.

Performances:

Stories of Wit and Wisdom

Growing Up

Gifts

Of Folk and Fairies

Workshops for Teachers

Hows and Whys of “Telling” Stories

How To Have a Storytelling Week in Your Class or School

Stories Across the Curriculum

Classroom Residencies

Telling Our Personal Stories

Teaching Students to Tell

From Storytelling to Story Writing