Voice & Diction Practice #1: The Fox and the Crow (Click Here.)

Voice & Diction Practice #2: The Fox and the Grapes (Video Only)
For the Text, Click Here.

Voice & Diction Practice #3
"Vive L'Amour/ Midi File" Used to Retell and Sing An Aesop Fable
In An Original Composition by
Professor J. Richard Green

            

Student Video Presentations Will Be Posted Shortly Here.

The Life of Aesop

The Univ. of Mass. at Amherst Aesop Fables In Traditional and Modern Versions Teach New Maxims

1/2 across the USA in less than a minute. Speed and the internet propose a new world-view; is it the rabbit's or can the turtle still win the race ;-)

Describe listening skills and study habits after completing the worksheet found when clicking here.

 

Voice and Diction Practice #3:
The Turtle and the Rabbit
as Composed
and Retold by J. Richard Green


JRGreen's First Video, http://www.profgreen.tv/cuentos01.rm (1999)   
 
(Click On The First Verse Below To Sing Along):

If Turtle and Rabbit decided to race,
who do you think would win?
Well, Turtle heard Rabbit tell Fox he was slow,
and, that made the turtle angry!

 
     
 

Turtle told Rabbit, “Ask Fox to be judge.”
Fox said to Turtle, “Tomorrow you’ll run.”
Turtle replied, “Draw the Start/Finish line,
and I’ll be there at nine.”
 
     
  The rabbit/turtle ;-) just laughed, Saying,
“You’re out of your minds,
you both know that I’m the fastest!
You know Turtle’s slowest and can’t win the race,
he’d better not think about trying!”
 
     
 

But Turtle kept cool and just looked in his eyes, saying:
“Rabbit, I know you, I won’t compromise.
I really should warn you now,
don’t be a fool, withdraw while you still have time.”
 
     
  But next day at nine, they were both at the line,
with the fox there to measure the time.
The fox fired the pistol
and they both started running,
but Turtle was left far behind.
 
     
  When Rabbit had run for a minute or two,
he looked for the turtle, but nothing appeared,
so Rabbit decided to take a short snooze
until Turtle came into view.
 
     
  Well, Turtle kept walking
and soon he arrived
where the rabbit was taking his snooze.
So, Turtle just quietly kept right on walking,
and soon he had won the race.
 
     
  When Rabbit awoke he jumped up with a start, saying,
“Oh, my! What’s happened! I’d just meant to rest!
but then he saw Turtle had crossed over the line
leaving poor Rabbit far behind.
 
     
  So what do you think that this fable is teaching,
about the best way to win.
while “Slow and Steady Wins the Race,”
in this version, it’s also clear,
that vanity isn’t the best way to win,
you’ve got to be strong
and choose strategies too,
so as you begin to see dreams can come true,
just make sure that they work for you.
 
     
 
www.profgreen.tv
Copyright 1992-2009 Five Aesop Fables as composed, retold and sung by Professor Richard Green

 
 
Some Examples of Old
 Clichés and New Maxims:
The Old Clichés: New Maxims:
1. You are what you eat, (wear, drive, live in, do.) 1. You are what you think and whom you love.
2. Keep your nose to the grindstone. 2. Enjoy the journey, enigma, etc.
3. Children are like lumps of clay and parents are the sculptors. 3. Children are like seedlings and parents are the gardeners.
   
 

 

The Fall 2009 Semester, New Years Resolutions

Instructions:

After listening to and reciting the fable above, read the poem by Richard Eyre below. As you read this poem, think about your New Year’s resolutions. Download the Flyer, "Future Plans," by clicking here. Listen to the Audio on "Future Plans," and prepare to make your own recording on a Video entitled "My Future Plans."

Take this opportunity to learn about the Jewish New Year at www.jhom.com/calendar/tishrei/about.html and watch the video on "What's Your Wish For the Jewish New Year," by clicking here. How do you celebrate the New Year? Prepare to talk about resolutions, changes and innovations you want to bring about in your own life. Listen to stories that are listed at www.storyarts.org/theatre/index.html, and recorded on cassette tape, and on video, to develop your ideas. Describe old clichés and maxims on attitudes that might have been used to teach the lesson your story teaches. What new lessons does your story teach in your own re-telling or new version of the story. How does your version reflect the changes that you want to bring about in your life? Sum these lessons up in maxims to replace old clichés. (Add to the list above on old clichés and new maxims to contribute new ideas.)

"Kintaro Walks Japan," Taught Us to Walk A Kind of Aboriginal Australian Walkabout, Explain!

Stress!

Hurry and worry.

Aggravation and frustration.

The world does it to us, doesn’t it?

Fast pace, big demands, high expectations,

Congestion and competition.

No.

We do it to ourselves. We do it in our minds.

We let the world in

and we put the pressure on ourselves.

How you feel and how you live does not depend

on what goes on around you.

It depends on what goes on inside you

particularly, inside your head.

(Remember Pope Benedikt when he arrived saying that we've got to open our hearts and our minds, not just our hearts, but our minds too.)

The world is a hard place to change

And, this Speech class doesn’t suggest

That you change any of it.

This is a class about changing your mind,

About casting out some old, stress-producing attitudes

or clichés,

And replacing them with softer, more mellow maxims.

This is not a how-to class,

it is a how-to-think class.

The old clichés that this class throws out

are more than quaint, old sayings.

They are symbols of old thinking or wrong thinking

that detract from the joy of life.

The new maxims proposed are symbols of new attitudes

that are designed to enhance joy.

Richard Eyre

Washington D.C., 1994

Adapted for use in Speech Communication

with J. Richard Green ever since 1/1/96.

Teachers will enjoy adapting "Comparing and Contrasting Fables," at The Kennedy Center ArtsEdge marcopolo website.

 
 

 

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