Forum 2: Storytelling young children

We started storytelling a bit late in the year, but we did start. After experiencing and analysing so many books and TV shows for children, we should be able to place storytelling in the classroom context and try to identify its pros and cons. That's the aim of this forum. So tell us, what do you think? Can you share one pro and one con of this activity?

Leave your commment below and join in the discussion.

Disney's princesses’ beauty

Students: Alvarez, Gilda and Giribaldi, Mariela


When we were a little girls we used to spend hours watching TV. At that time there weren’t so many cartoons as there are nowadays since cable TV wasn’t really popular so our mothers used to buy us movies that, according to them, were appropriate for us. Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are some examples. We could stay in front of the TV for hours, watching those beautiful princesses. We remember that we wanted to be just like them, and we didn’t understand why we couldn’t. Why none of those women look like us or like any ordinary women? In fact, they do not look like any real women at all. We didn’t understand it then, but we do now.

All around the world millions of girls grow up watching this type of films, just like we did. They may not be aware of it, but these series of movies, coincidentally all from The Disney’s company, portray the physical characteristics a woman should have for society. Furthermore, their female protagonists are a clear reflection of the stereotype of women socially accepted.

Throughout its history, Disney has accommodated to the beauty standards accepted in society at different times. There may be some variations between the movies used to be shown a few years ago and nowadays, but they still have the same pattern. The princess and the frog (2009), for instance, portrays a girl from an ethnicity different to the white protagonists people is accustomed to see on this type of films. But, even though Disney has incorporated a black protagonist in order to show social integration, this ‘new’ princess still follows the beauty standards accepted by society; a slim and stunning figure, perfect faces and gorgeous hair.

There is a wide scope of variety when talking about discrimination and it can be due to different factors: religion, ethnicity, social position, nationality or physical aspect among others. The message this black princess, Tiana, transmits is integration and no discrimination. But discrimination is still a subliminal message: not ethnical but physical. All the princesses created by Disney have the same characteristics : beautiful and outstanding faces, perfect hair and skinny bodies are common ground for them, independently from their origins and skin colour. Some examples are Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) or Jasmine (Aladdin), among others. For this company, a fat or an ugly princess is unthinkable.

At different times, beauty in women has changed according to society. That’s how it is possible to notice some differences between the protagonist of Snow White from the original version and other princesses from later films like Tiana (The princess and the frog). While the first one seemed to have a healthier figure according to how women were considered at that time the second one shows an extremely slim figure impossible to get for any real woman. Although it is the desirable figure expected to be shown by the audience.

The pattern Disney follows has been the same since its beginnings and it will probably continue because that is what society expects to see: what is socially accepted, especially, when talking about physical appearance. The most important point when watching these movies is to be really aware of this hidden message and to rescue the real importance of each person. It doesn’t matter what a person looks like. What really matters is how this person nourishes our lives.

What are we going to do with prejudice today, Ferb?

Students: Busto Riquelme, Daniela and Graziano, Eleonora

“I know what we’re going to do today, Ferb!” is the phrase that for sure, many people who have children around them have heard at least once. Phineas and Ferb, the cartoon created to win over young fans with the adventures of brainy Phineas and his mostly silent stepbrother, Ferb, lets children imagination run wild with the character’s desires to make their summer vacations as much exiting as they can. But considering the way that certain characters are depicted, not too much is said about the treatment of racial and gender roles in this cartoon meant for children. Phineas and Ferb is a TV show which portrays American heroes, villains with foreign and strange surnames, and stereotyped women who are concerned with superficial matters.

Phineas and Ferb makes clear differences showing disparity among the characters’ ethnicity. It’s no coincidence that Phineas is portrayed as a talkative and outgoing American boy who leads the group of friends while his British stepbrother Ferb is presented as a shy genius who hardly ever speaks and for that reason is committed to follow Phineas’ commands.

Though several different cultures are presented throughout the show, those who are not American are shown as inferior. Take for example Baljeet; he is an Indian boy who is always bullied by Buford, an American Caucasian boy. Also Stacy Hirano, the only major Asian character, always lets her Caucasian friend, Phineas and Ferb elder sister, Candance, make decisions. Although it’s clear that foreigners are inferior in a way they are useful to Ferb in his commitment: destroy the villain character in the show, whose surname is coincidentally from German origin, the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz

Phineas and Ferb has girls among its fans, however, it gives a picture of superficiality in female characters. “I’m Lindana, I wanna have fun”, the title of the greatest hit in the protagonists’ mother singer career is an example of what girls think is the way of spending life, just having fun doing superfluous things . In the other hand it is clearly shown that Phineas and Ferb’s idea of having fun is doing interesting things such as inventions which are used to help someone in need or to help themselves.

But having fun, going shopping in order to cheer their friends up when their crushes don’t pay attention to them, talking and giggling are not the only things girls are interested in. They also care about love and sensitivity matters. Candance regularly goes to humiliating lengths to impress Jeremy. And of course, her favourite play is called “Princess Sensitivity”. Isabella, another love-struck female, seems to be motivated by her attraction to Phineas rather than to the sense of adventure.  

This programme is meant to be seen by children between 6 and 10 years old, so anything that is shown in it is sent out to millions of kids. For that reason, it’s important to be careful with which messages children are going to get. Do we want them to learn that Caucasians are superior to other cultures or that women cannot take the lead and are committed to follow men desires? Clearly, this show typifies its characters by ethnic groups and gender. So, do you know what TV show to watch today?

Five Elements, One Result: Friendship

Student: Marilú Gimalsky

‘To have a friend, be a friend.’

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a cartoon created by Lauren Faust, the writer and director of The Powerpuff Girls and Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, who wanted to make not just a TV show for young girls, but also for their parents to enjoy. The show starts with the main character Twilight Sparkle. She comes from Canterlut, the principal city of Equestria. Twilight Sparkle, together with five other ponies that represent the values of friendship, binds to use The Power of Friendship to triumph over a prophecy of doom. She sends daily reports to Princess Celestia about how friendship helps her and her friends. In that way each episode leaves a moral about friendship. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a TV show with a good way of teaching children the values of friendship.

Twilight Sparkle is sent to Ponyville town to learn about the importance of making new friends. The princess tells her that foreigners can be friends too. ‘Bridle Gossip’ is the ninth episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, season one. In this episode, Twilight Sparkle and her new friends, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy meet Zecora, a mysterious zebra who lives in The Everfree Forest. She seems to be different because she has stripes and all Ponyville is afraid of her. All ponies are hiding in their houses. The five new friends of Twilight Sparkle are hiding too. She doesn’t understand the reason why all of them are afraid of Zecora. She explains to her friends that Zecora is like a pony but she was born with stripes on her body. She clarifies that the zebra is different in her appearance but inside her she is like everyone. If they all want to have more friends, they have to be friends. This includes foreigners or strangers. Friendship is one of the simplest ways to meet others whether they are strangers or foreigners.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a great cartoon where the most important value is friendship. This value is taught to children with a very clear vocabulary, a very good use of language and without using words too difficult to understand. As each pony represents a positive value, honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity and loyalty, the five elements of harmony, children can identify them while looking at the cartoon. The show displays a fantastic way in which the ponies help each other. In the show, honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity and loyalty together with the spark of Twilight Sparkle create the magic of real friendship. These positives values are shown in the ponies’ actions. They are always helping known and unknown ponies to resolve their problems. As Twilight says to Celestia’s Princess in one of her daily relays: ‘‘Dear Princess Celestia: Today I learned that teamwork is one of the finest values of friendship’. For that reason, to work as a team is a great positive value too and children learn this positive value while watching the TV show. Not only the show displays how to help each other but also how to work as a team, the Friendship team.

Friendship is the union of the most important values that any person can learn. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a great programme which teaches how to have friends and it teaches how to be a friend too.

The Antenna Controversy

Authors: Lidia Figueroa & Valeria Muscato

When television made its appearance in our homes in the ‘50s, the parents of those times gladly trusted the content of TV shows. Programmes not only entertained but also transmitted the social values that families expected. Nothing was questioned because the stories seen on TV were similar to everybody’s life. But things are changing and the TV programme Teletubbies is a clear example of this because some parents do not trust in its content as they used to. Therefore, Teletubbies’ content is no apt for grown-up conservative minds as it goes against traditional sexual models.

The colourful characters of this programme named Tinky Winky, Laa-Laa, Dipsy and Po made people feel annoyed due to the fact that they do not know what sex they are. None of us know the truth but there is a hidden symbolism in the antenna that each of the characters has on their heads. Laa-Laa, the yellow Teletubby, is a female and she has a curly antenna which symbolizes, according to Berit Kjos who is a respected researcher in educational issues, the evolution of the universe. Po is also a female and her antenna is a circle. Dipsy, the green Teletubby is a male and his antenna is straight, needless to say what body part of men it represents. But the most controversial character is Tinky Winky the purple Teletubby, although he is a male he carries a red purse which is – in general – associated to women. The antenna on his head is the biggest of all, its shape is a triangle pointing down and it has a feminine connotation because it symbolizes a female womb.  According to this explanation, people who may be offended can deduce that Tinky Winky is a homosexual. Furthermore, members of the homosexual community claim that they are represented through the purple colour, because in the 1920s the purple colour indicated an effeminate style. Besides during the years 1950s and 1960s homosexuals were called “lavender”.

In addition, conservative people can also argue the relationship between the characters as they show emotions and feelings openly. These people consider this kind of behaviour confusing for the youngest viewers of the TV programme presuming  the homosexual connotation of the characters.

The TV programme Teletubbies is a mirror that reflects our changing society and children do not care about homosexuality because they are naturally immersed and see things through innocent eyes. However, conservative adults may not accept this new society that leaves behind old stereotyped conceptions.

We’re going a Bear Hunt (review)

We’re going a Bear Hunt
Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
Walker Books

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, written by Michael Rosen, who has been writing for children since 1970, and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, an illustrator of many classic picture books, is an exciting action storybook for those readers who can enjoy the adventurous narration of a family going on a bear hunt. Not only is the story line stimulating but tension towards the end of the story is charmingly chilling enough for the youngsters.

The book tells the story of a family and their dog going through different settings, such as wavy grass, or a swirling snowstorm, in order to get to the cave and hunt a bear. However, once they arrive there, they get scared and run away going all the way back because the bear chases them.

As the adventure starts, the characters sing a catchy song that is repeated every time the pages are turned. This, together with the exclamation they let out when a new obstacle is faced, will be attractive for children. What’s more, the onomatopoeias used to show the characteristics of the different places along the adventure, makes it more appealing.

Helen Oxenbury uses black-and-white and watercolor cartoon drawings, which show literalness with the narration. In order to create drama, she chooses grey color scales which go along with the expression on the characters’ faces. When the family goes through the obstacles a colorful image fills the whole page creating a riskier atmosphere.

Rosen and Oxenbury’s story is absolutely hunting, not only for children but also for adults. This is one of the stories that you would remember for the rest of your life. Don’t miss it.

The doorbell rang (review)

The doorbell rang
by Pat Hutchins

Cookies are not enough in the classic story for children The doorbell rang by Pat Hutchins. Funny and intriguing at the same time, this lovely story shows and highlights the importance of sharing, even when the risk of being left with no much for yourself is implied. A moral lesson that goes straight to the heart and soul.

This story is set in Ma’s kitchen. Ma has made a dozen of delicious cookies for Victoria and Sam. “You can share them between yourselves” says Ma, and it seems as if the children had no problem with that, till the doorbell rings, and rings, and rings. Several friends start to arrive at each ring. The cookies will have to be shared between more people!  Therefore, each child has fewer cookies to eat. But then, the final ring brings a surprise for the children and Ma as well.

A noticeable characteristic of the book is the use of repetition. The phrase “No one makes cookies like Grandma”, among others, is repeated throughout the whole narration. This book may be really useful when children are starting to learn Maths, especially problem solving, because, as the story develops, they would have to calculate how many cookies correspond to each child. Besides, the book may be interesting for both, children and parents; children may feel interested about the beautiful and colourful drawings that illustrate this book whereas parents may feel interested in the message the book shows us: the importance of sharing.

The doorbell rang tells a funny story about friendship and values. But “funny story” doesn’t mean “empty story”. We highly recommend it since through a simple argument, the possibility of reflecting upon life and moral values takes place at each page, again for both children and parents.