Storytelling is a powerful medium through which profound truths are taught, and values such as honesty, courage and generosity are instilled. Stories music and dance have been used as educational tools for centuries in my home country Ghana.

1. NAME
My name is Hannah
I am an author, International poetry award winner, live – story teller and public
speaker. My most recent children’s story book Panda’s Song has been
converted to a stage production.
AUTHORITY
Storytelling is a powerful medium through which profound truths are taught,
and values such as honesty, courage and generosity are instilled.
Stories music and dance have been used as educational tools for centuries in
my home country Ghana.
Life- affirming stories help children to learn essential life skills for personal,
emotional and social development. They discover their own uniqueness which
helps them to be confident in making good choices.
Name 3 problems.
Some busy working parents limit story time to bedtime and miss opportunities they could use
to create their own Life-Affirming Stories at other times of the day.
Busy working parents may find storytelling and story creation daunting if it has not been part
of their childhood.
They also forget that children have as much a need to be listened to as to be talked to.
The old saying ‘Children are to be seen and not heard’ still prevails in some busy working
households.
They think that expensive toys and gadgets can replace time spent with their children,
forgetting that children recognise time spent with them as being loved.
They do not know that creating Life-Affirming Stories could be a safe way of discussing
difficult issues and learning to solve problems.

2. For the past ten years I have had the privileged of working in over forty schools
in Shropshire with teachers and head teachers who are passionate about
maintaining and protecting good values.
My live-story sessions together with story-creating workshops have helped
thousands of children learn to use good listening skills, confident speaking
skills and problem – solving skills.
Workings in groups to create a story teach children to learn about team work.
Children have creative imagination and intrinsic values which make them see
problems more clearly in a story.
They also learn to respect the contribution each person makes and deal
politely with opposing points of view, while making relevant contribution to
the story. They learn the basic rules and skills for good listening and behaving
in a supportive way.
I use picture cards and cultural artefacts that help children explore their
knowledge and views on different cultures. They analyse how this affect their
attitude on a daily basis and learn to be aware of their own and other people's
feelings and take responsibility for themselves when they know that their
behaviour affects other people.
They discover similarities and differences that help them appreciate an
inclusive and supportive community.
Children enhance their listening and speaking skills when they take turns to
narrate or dramatise their stories to the whole schools. They learn to listen,
understand and identify the key points in each story. This has enhanced their
social confidence and group bonding.
Children appreciate good values when they discover their own uniqueness and
learn to use their hidden talents.
I have published 4 inspirational poetry books and 5 children story books.

3. My latest children book P-S: promotes confidence, friendship, unity in
diversity and self acceptance. Accepting each person and themselves as
important members of their community brings joy to everyone.
This book has now been converted into stage production.
My goal
The positive feedback from head teachers about the changes in behaviour of
some of the children following my workshops and live-story sessions plus what
the children say, has inspired me to take what I do in schools to the family
table or the front room of busy working parents.
My upcoming book Let Your Child Surprise You, will help busy working parents
to discover their children’s creative imagination, emotional intelligence and
improve their own listening and communication skills. Children have a need to
be heard, and nothing gives them more joy than a positive and creative
interaction with their parents.
I will also run workshops for busy working parents to use my methods to
create life-affirming stories with their children. They will see the confidence of
their children grow. It will also help them relax after a busy day’s work not to
mention the positive memories they will create.
My big picture
I would like an introduction to film production companies such as BBC or
Disney to adapt my Life-Affirming Stories into animation for children’s
television channels for a wider audience.
I believe that confident, thoughtful children grow into confident thoughtful
adults. Supporting this work, and change the future for many children.