2007 BORN TO READ Conference, Keynote
First Lady Karen Baldacci introduced the conference and keynote.
John Porcino opened his presentation with a story.
Participants responding to John’s humorous “Have you ever…” questions.
John put a great deal of thought and feeling into his presentation.
- “This conference was well worth it. Great speakers, especially John Porcino.”
- “Keynote speakers were powerful and brought me to tears. There is a place for more music and Peaceable Stories in our world with children.”
John Porcino, a former preschool teacher, accidentally stumbled into a storytelling class 25 years ago. Thousands of performances and workshops later, his facility with and love for this art form has only deepened.
For his first appearance in Maine, John traveled from western Massachusetts to give his “Little Feet, Big Shoes” presentation at the Born to Read conference. From the moment he touched his lips to the instrument that heralded his first story, the audience was captivated. John’s energy was tremendous, but not frenetic or overpowering. It stemmed from a depth of feeling that made it all the more infectious for being so genuine—so human.
Not content to stand on stage and preach, John engaged the audience by posing a stream of questions and asking for a show of hands in response to each: “Have you ever finally gotten all the kids into their snowsuits to go outside, only to have one ask to go to the bathroom?” “Have you ever had a group of kids for which 100% of families have all the resources they need to give the children a good start in life?” This mix of humorous and serious questions demonstrated John’s understanding of what it takes to work with young children. While entertaining them with stories, he also made sure to show his enormous respect for his audience, thanking them for their work as early childhood professionals. Quoting Kahlil Gibran, he affirmed that “Work is love made visible.” Perhaps that’s why so many participants later commented that the conference reminded them “why we do the work we do.”
John is a performer, teacher, author, recording artist, and book editor. His publications include the book Spinning Tales: Weaving Hope: Stories of Peace, Justice and the Environment, the recording A Heck of a Way to Stay Warm: Stories and Songs that Kindle Winter’s Hidden Light, and several feature articles for Family Fun magazine.
“Why tell stories? This simple art has the potential to bring listeners of all ages the gifts of laughter and insight and leave them with nourished minds and spirits. You might be familiar with the well-known Zimbabwe saying, ‘If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.’ The lesser-known saying, ‘If you can talk—you can talk!’ points to how storytelling is the art of talk—an art woven into the fabric of our lives, an art that can be developed for a lifetime. A well-told story can open windows of imagination, affirm our similarities and honor our differences, release a delightfully good belly laugh, plant seeds of excitement for learning, and touch common chords of hope, joy, and sorrow.”
—John Porcino
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