Meetings
Story Circle meets alternately from 7-9 pm on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, at the William K. Sanford Library in Colonie, and from 6-9 pm on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, at the Guilderland Public Library, to share works in progress.

Every other month, from 6:00 to 7:00 at Guilderland, we have a topic for panel/round table discussion. In the list below, the facilitators for the meetings are given. Click here for our facilitator guidelines.

Our 2008 Meetings

Tues. Jan. 15 7-9	Colonie
Wed. Feb. 20 6-9	Guilderland: Louise Koenig -- How to Find a Story
Tues. Mar. 18 7-9	Colonie
Tue. Apr. 15 6-9	Guilderland: Topic TBD NOTE: we're in Guilderland on Tuesday this month. Topic TBD
Tues. May 20 7-9	Colonie
Wed. June 25 6-9	Guilderland: Fran Berger — Body Work for Storytellers NOTE: we're in Guilderland a week later than usual
Tues. July 15 7-9	Colonie
Wed. Aug. 20 6-9	Guilderland: Dee and Frank Wind — Visual Aspects of Storytelling
Tues. Sept. 16 7-9	Colonie
Wed. Oct. 15 6-9	Niskayuna: Fran Combs Berger and Kate Dudding -- Using a Mic Due to scheduling difficulties at the Guilderland Public library, we are meeting at the Center for the Forest Preserve/Association for the Preservation of the Adirondacks (AfPA), 897 St David's Lane, in Niskayuna. 6:00 PM - Arrival and tour house and exhibit 6:20 PM - Workshop: Using a Mic, hands on practice 7:00 PM - Story Swap, sharing works in progress 9:00 PM - Tellabration Update 9:10 PM - Adjourn
Tues. Nov. 18 7-9	Colonie
Wed. Dec. 17 6-9	Guilderland: Same Story, Different Voices At the Holiday Round Table we have fun with a traditional tale. This year's tale is Cinderella. Claim your cultural version at the October meeting or email talesntunes@earthlink.net. Bring your tale and your favorite holiday treat to share.

DIRECTIONS:

The William K. Sanford Library is located at 629 Albany Shaker Road, just off Northway Exit 4, and 1/4 mile east of the intersection of Wolf Road and Albany Shaker Road.

The Guilderland Public Library is minutes from the southern end of the Northway (I-87). Take Rte. 20 West at the end of The Northway (Rte. 87). The library is located at 2228 Western Ave., one mile west of the intersection of Rte. 155 and Rte. 20, on the left, beyond the Elementary School. (518) 456-2400

The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks, 897 St. David's Lane, Niskayuna New York, 12309:
From I-87 Northway Exit 6 Rte 7: West Schenectady/Latham, take Rte 7 (Troy Schenectady Rd) west toward Schenectady, about 5+ miles. You go through a lighted intersection at Pierce Road, about 3/4 mile later you'll see Bellevue/Ellis Woman's Hospital on your left, the next street is Vrooman. If the traffic isn't too heavy you can take a left on Vrooman. Vrooman comes to a "T" at St David's Lane and the AfPA is directly across the intersection to the left. Or if traffic is heavy, go to the next light, where Rte Sven and Union Street divides, before the divide there's a left hand turn/light into St David's Lane. AfPA is about 1/2 mi down the road on the right.
From I-90, Exit 25 onto I-890: Exit 7 on I-890, go east on Rt. 7. After several lights, (about 2.5 mi)Rt. 7 intersects with St. David's Lane on right side at light (church on opposite corner). Turn right on St. David's Lane. Vrooman Ave comes in at left. Just after this intersection, slow and turn right into the Center

A Process for Critical Response

To guide our responses to stories told at our meetings, we are using Doug Lipman's coaching method. Here is a very brief summary of Doug’s coaching method, provided by West Virginia storyteller Granny Sue Holstein. Granny Sue highly recommends it to storytelling guilds for improving and strengthening a teller’s performance.

The Four Part Coaching Process

1. Listening: Close, attentive listening that shows the teller that he/she has complete attention. This is displayed as body language and facial expression that reflects the active listening process.

2 Appreciations: Given only when the teller request them. These can be global (I love the way you tell that story) to specific (You projected that child’s confusion so well). Appreciations end when the teller signals that he/she has heard enough.

3. Suggestions: Given only when the teller requests them. Suggestions are notcritiques or criticisms. they offer an idea the teller might want to try (Have you thought of......), note a reaction to the story (I didn’t understand the part where.....), or ask a question to clarify a point (Why was the mother so angry?). Most importantly, all suggestions must be positive. The teller decides which to accept, reject or save for later consideration.

4. Wrap-Up: The teller’s opportunity to ask questions of the listeners about the story. (Was that part clear to you?), or anything else the teller might want to know.

An important element of the process is that the teller decides when the process stops. For example, the teller could opt to stop after appreciations, or anywhere else in the process. The teller is in control, assisted by the facilitator. All present must be “active” listeners for the process to work effectively.

To be added to our mailing lists (US mail and/or email), for more information, or for comments, please call (518-786-1271) or write to us.