A Day of Stories and Song To Write, To Tell, To Sing, To Share

Assemblies | Classroom Workshops | Meet the Author | Family Concerts | Conducting A Fundraiser | Teacher Workshops

A day long visit by Bill Harley to your school will leave students energized about writing, and excited by the performing arts. Bill's ideas will leave teachers primed with dynamic new ideas and exercises. By the end of just one school day with Bill, everyone (even the grumpiest custodian) will be smiling!

Bill's visit to the school includes performances for the whole school (usually two separate shows divided by age groups), workshops for selected groups of students and/or teachers, and a "Meet Bill in Person" autograph session for interested students, staff and parents.

"He's a one man cultural resource ... teachers and children alike were captivated by his tales and the small group settings allowed the kids to understand how one can use the talents they have and achieve something!" Amy Kerby, Millard, Nebraska

Assemblies
Bill's performances are an upbeat combination of story and song that have earned him the reputation as one of the best storytellers in the country! As an author of five children's books and fifteen award-winning tapes of stories and songs, Bill really knows how to reach students and teachers!

Across the country, hundreds of schools use his material in language, music, and drama programs. A teacher in Tucson Arizona recently wrote: "Including Bill's music and stories in my classroom is a reminder that true learning is effortless. Bill's work is wonderfully inspirational - a gift to educators and the planet."

Classroom Workshops: Story to Book
Bill's workshops focus on the nitty-gritty aspects of his work. Bill offers insight into the writing process, reminding everyone involved that stories and songs require work and perseverance (He's got the editors red marks on his drafts to show it!). In addition to his insights on how stories are written and polished, Bill also brings along rough drafts of artwork and proofs to show the actual process involved in making a story into a book and what a book looks like before it's actually printed and bound. Students are left with the clear understanding that writing is a challenge and a joy.

"Dear Bill, I was happy to see that you make mistakes just like me!" Todd, Grade 3. "Bill Harley's warmth, energetic and fun performances and workshops brought our students up close to poetry, stories and songs." Margaret Wright, Librarian, Jackson, Mississippi "The response to your visit to Melville School last month was overwhelmingly positive! Children laughed, teachers smiled and everyone enjoyed the humorous and insightful tales you told both in your performances and in your workshops. We've had performances by many wonderful artists since I have been involved in the Arts-in-Education program, but none that has touched us in quite the same way as you have." Laura King, Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Meet the Author
During the lunch hour or directly after school, Bill will make himself available to meet students, teachers and parents for a signing session. Participating schools may pre-order books and tapes for Bill to sign that day and earn 30% of all sales for your school. A signed book or tape is a permanent reminder to students and staff of the day spent with Bill - a reminder that will keep giving a little of Bill's magic for a long time.

Family Concerts
Bill is available for family concerts either as a solo act, or with an accompanist. Armed with his guitar, songs, stories and slightly off center mind, Bill is a stellar and special performer. Tailoring his show to the audience before him he offers a variety few performers can match.

"With his remarkable memory and great gift for communication, Bill Harley contributes a new dimension of understanding and enjoyment of the lives of children and adults (he) has the uncanny ability to reaffirm life for listeners, be they five or fifty. Humor, empathy, intelligence, and reality all radiate from Bill; if he is performing near you, be sure your family is part of the audience." Excerpt from All Ears, Penguin Books

Conducting A Fundraiser Using Bill Harley
Using Bill as the "draw" for your fundraiser can be especially rewarding for your organization. Here's how it works. Using your non-profit status, you will be able to advertise a Bill Harley Concert on local radio stations, TV stations, cable companies and newspapers for free. As a non-profit entity, you may also be able to arrange a location for free.

An average price for Bill Harley Concert tickets should be around $10.00 for an adult. Depending on the size of the venue, you may sell as many tickets as the location will hold. You keep that money collected for your organization and simply pay Bill his normal performance fees thereby netting a substantial profit for your organization!

Bill Harley Workshop Descriptions
The following workshops are available for conferences, festivals and teacher in-service days.

Teacher Workshops: A Love of Story
Bill offers workshops to interested teachers after school which focus on two aspects of his work - storytelling and writing. He gives teachers simple hands-on experience in telling stories which they can use themselves or use with students in their classrooms. A serious student of story, Bill offers teachers a better understanding of how and why story works and how to encourage students to explore the wonderful world that story offers. Perhaps most important, Bill's Workshop for Teachers honors the best of what they do, and leaves them energized to keep doing their job.

Storytelling From the Beginning
In the beginning is the story - we can add movement, voices, props, puppets, or fireworks but none are as important as the telling of the story. This workshop offers basic advice, encouragement, and practice in the telling of the stories, with an emphasis on telling the story in your own way, appropriate to your own setting. In a whirlwind tour of the many aspects of storytelling, Bill will give insights on telling stories, using personal stories, the effect and functions of storytelling in the classroom, storytelling games you can use in your class and lots of encouragement. And of course, a few good stories to pass on.

Song and Story - A Natural Combination
Song and story go hand in hand - one starts where the other stops. Yet many of us are afraid to use our voices or the music that is in us in our storytelling. In this workshop we will explore the connection between song and story, do some simple exercises, and give practical suggestions on how to use music in your storytelling.

Finding Your Own Style
All accomplished storytellers have spent a great amount of time and work developing their own style, or finding their own voice, which sets them apart from other tellers and performers. It is the most difficult and rewarding part of being a good storyteller. In this workshop, we'll take a look at what steps you can take to develop a personal style, once you know how to just "tell a story". Some simple exercises and much food for thought - for storytellers with some experience.

How to Think Like a Kid
Are adults and children the same species? Sometimes it seems they have nothing in common, but with a little effort, adults can find a way to reach kids just where they are. In this workshop, we'll do some exercises to "think like a kid", and focus especially on using personal experiences to help in the creation of new material and enhancement of the stories you already tell.

Zippers Galore
A zipper song is a song where one or two words change each verse, and you get a whole new verse - thus we "zip" one word out and zipper a new one in. They're simple and adaptable to all sorts of uses, and they're meant to be sung by a crowd. In this workshop, we'll learn a bunch of zippers songs, sing some you've probably known your whole life, look at the art of getting a group to sing, and give some simple thoughts about how to make up your own "zippers".

The Power of Story
Better to tell a story than give a lecture. Why? Because stories - telling them, listening to them and using them - are at the heart of being human. Why do stories work? How do we use them? In this wide ranging workshop, Bill will offer his insights into the nature of story and its ability to transform. He will take a look at how stories, both traditional and original, are structured and you'll come out with some practical knowledge on how to tell your story a little better, whether it's in the classroom, library, over the water cooler, or when you're pulled over by your friendly neighborhood constable for doing 45 in a 35 zone.

From Page To Voice And Back Again
How are the written and spoken word different from each other? What happens when a story on the page is told out loud - or - when an oral story is written down? Bill, an author and storyteller, caught between the worlds of orality and literacy, offers some of his insights and experiences.