Bronxville Elementary School Students Learn the Art of Storytelling
By Plamena Quintavalla, Bronxville School Reporter for Syntax
Jun. 21, 2017: Students in kindergarten through second grade at Bronxville Elementary School welcomed master storyteller Jonathan Kruk to their school for a series of interactive workshops. Kruk, whose visit was made possible through the Lecture Series, which provides students with educational and arts experiences that enrich the curriculum, engaged the students in the storytelling process.
He shared several fables with the kindergartners, including "Where Are Little Bear's Dancing Pants," "Rabbit and Turtle," the original story of "I Want a Pet," which challenged students to guess what animals appeared as a possible pet, and another original tale, "Wake Up Sun," which asked students to create their own versions of how to wake up the sun.
Through active listening, first-graders used their hands, faces, and voices to tell the stories of "Mouse and Lion," "Big Fish, Small Pond," and the original story of "Barkface and Rootnose," which is about friendship prevailing over fighting. The students discussed their favorite parts of the stories and how each story changed from beginning to the end. Students in second grade, who are studying fairy tales as part of the curriculum, were treated to a number of classic stories, including "The Frog Prince," "Puss in Boots," "The Girl Who Touched a Star," "Tom Tot Tat," "Giant No-Heart," and "The Tailor's Tale."
"He really helped them use their imaginations in a creative way to see how many different ways the same problem could be solved," said first-grade teacher Stacy Bilgoray, whose students have been learning how to use descriptive words in their own writing. "I hope they can use their experience with [Mr. Kruk] to implement some of these elements into writing their own fiction stories."
Chaired by teachers Dianne Aronson and Kendall Fousek, the Lecture Series programs are funded by the support of parents and made possible through the volunteer efforts of Bronxville faculty members.
Pictured here: Bronxville Elementary School students with storyteller Jonathan Kruk.
Photo courtesy The Bronxville School
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Link to Village of Bronxville One Square Mile Monthly Newsletter
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