ONCE a teacher, always a teacher. That at least seems to be true for the three volunteers bridging the generation gap with a bit of help from Andy during story time across the Great Lakes.
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Every week, the three former teachers (two were teacher librarians, one taught classical piano and guitar) and Andy step into story time at Great Lakes Library, entertaining preschoolers. Andy is a ‘member’ of volunteer Amanda Stewart’s family, and kids relate to him as they would with someone their own age.
“Kids love Andy,” said Amanda. “Even those few that are initially scared of him, end up loving him.”
The thing about Andy is that he is a puppet. Children find him fascinating.
“They seem to open up to him much more easily,” said Amanda, his carer. Amanda has been involved with puppets from a young age, and now looks after Andy along with the rest of her and her husband’s puppet brood in their puppetry showroom in Forster.
“Growing up, I was always encouraged to make things come alive. They really free up the imagination. Elderly people love them too, for the same reason”.
Amanda and Andy joined volunteers Rowena Chater and Helen Duggan at story time in the Great Lakes Library earlier this year. Helen has been taking story time since her retirement 10 years ago, and Rowena joined her three years ago when she similarly retired from teaching.
“It’s just lovely to see little faces looking up at you while you’re reading a book,” said Helen, who believes reading and interacting from an early age is an integral part of learning language and writing skills. “It’s also my granny fix.”
The group have also just begun a story time session at Foster’s Farmers Market, with Andy leading the way.
“Andy brings a different dynamic. Kids love talking to him,” Helen said.
Amanda credits the non-threatening characteristics of puppets with therapeutic qualities, such as helping draw out shy or withdrawn children, or those with autism.
“Puppets can create a lot of empathy in children,” remarked Amanda. “For some children, that’s a great beginning.”
As Andy’s voice, she also acknowledges that a puppet can get away with saying some things that a person cannot.
“They make anything funny. They’re a tremendous communicator.”
Volunteer Rowena thinks that Andy has brought in an extra element of energy to the story time sessions.
“We use more props in storytelling now, and I think it makes everyone more enthusiastic.”
Until this puppet grows up, it seems these three musketeers have found themselves a permanent mascot.
