What’s not to love?!
- Christopher Smith
- Jun 23
- 2 min read
A reflection on the experience of Shared Reading and our Facilitator Training written by Susan Connell...
I love books and love reading. I enjoy reading with others, especially something new. The discussions shared through the experience of reading aloud a short story and a poem are exciting, stimulating, surprising and great fun. It ignited in me a much greater appreciation of the short story as a literary form.
I decided to take part in the Shared Reading facilitator training because I loved the idea of sharing my love of reading with others. I am a retired teacher and always loved reading out loud. I am a voluntary reader at Radio 2RPH (Reading Print Handicap). The opportunity to share my skills while enjoying the company of others and being stimulated in turn by their life experiences, is very rewarding.
The training was wonderful. It was well structured, stimulating, friendly and life affirming. It opened up a world of literature in a short space of time that could be shared with others. Chris Smith as leader and trainer was excellent. His group management skills were gentle and life affirming and as our role model he inspired confidence that I too, could facilitate a group.
I really enjoyed the joy of learning with the other trainees in the facilitator course. We connected on a level where, stimulated by great writing, we shared thoughts, memories and feelings in a safe, warm and respectful setting. We’re meeting up again soon as a group because we loved it so much as well as each other’s company.
I have started to attend a group already with a view to sharing as a facilitator. I would love to see more groups being established as it seems to me that Shared Reading NSW is a best kept secret. I certainly knew nothing about it before the article in the paper. The training also revived my love of the short story which I am happily indulging in right now.
I would definitely recommend the Shared Reading training to others. It is such a wonderful opportunity to share some of the great literature yet requires no pre-reading from the participants and no expectations. Nor does it require any special qualifications from the facilitator other than a love of reading and enjoyment in the company of others. The facilitator prepares the story or poem with appropriate stopping points to stimulate free discussion. There are no right or wrong answers. There are no essays to be written. There are new ideas to share with others and to make a morning, afternoon or evening memorable for yourself as well as for your shared readers.
The most valuable things I learnt included there are no right and wrong ways to interpret what we read. That people bring life experiences to a piece of literature - the short story or poem be it joy, fun or sadness. I also learnt that the best bit is sharing with those people and just being with them. A cup of tea and a biscuit and reading a great story or poem together – what is there not to love!
For more information and inspiration from Shared Reading and our Life the Universe & Stories blog,
コメント