“Teaching as a calling and a call within a calling” – Storytelling: Interview with Yeleswarapu Gayathri – Part 1

Could you talk about your career?

I have been teaching English since 16 years. Teaching was not in my career plan. It has been a passion now. Day by day I take up an assignment of teaching English not as a subject but as a language. Storytelling has become a major part of English teaching – using art, music, dance as my tools in the classroom teaching. I have been living in Nellore, Andra Pradesh since 2006.

I don’t believe in four wall teaching. I often take my classes in the garden or in the playground. Mostly classes are kinetic and radiating energy. They are playful, active and energetic.

Could you talk about the International storytelling sessions you have been doing?

I got introduced to the Chennai Storytelling Festival during Covid days. I found it online – a space where people can register and share stories – adults and children. I was a listener for a few years. After I did the storytelling course at Philosophical Practitioners Association of India and Story Arts Foundation conducted by Story Arts Foundation Founder Deepa Kiran. Deepa Kiran is my inspiration and she guided me through my teaching and storytelling activities. I participated in an adult storytelling session at the Chennai Storytelling Festival. I have an upcoming event for children at Chennai Storytelling Festival. The sessions are such that people can sit and listen too. We didn’t know how two hours passed with people from all over the world narrating stories – Africans, Americans etc,. everyone was in different time zones.

During my session, I started my introduction as being from Nellore, India. I was proud to be Indian. I was proud to be Indian in an international story festival. It was just smooth flow. They appreciated me for keeping up the time. I finished my story with a question. They said, “you finished an international storytelling session with a question not a moral.” All were feeling the narrative was great. I felt so happy to be there.

What was the theme of story?

The theme was the hope of living. We don’t have to wait for a great power to come from above. It comes to you at the right time and right place.

Why would you recommend storytelling as a practice to teachers?

I feel storytelling won’t work beyond language teaching contexts through there are people working in storytelling for maths, science etc. In English language teaching, storytelling can move children to sit in class and listen to values practicals.