What I learnt from taking & participating in the 5 day make & share a story basket challenge.

Yes, I have been MIA and have a good reason (this time). I have been busy with a beta challenge in Storybasketeers and then a paid one. The challenge was all about making and sharing a story basket. I created the challenge as I was getting so much interest in story baskets and questions. The challenge is a hands-on way to answer the questions like 'how do I share a story basket?' to 'how do you know what to put in a story basket?'. I went through one of the processes I use over 5 days to answer these questions.

From the beta challenge I learnt and tweaked what I was to share for the paid challenge. I made a story basket in both challenges as I love being an active participant and learning from others.

I introduced more question and introduction posts to get to know participants and connect. In the paid challenge I asked one question that really helped me to know what teachers need and are facing.

No surprises with answers of time, money and loss of resources. But what did make me pause was “Criticism from others when sharing”. It saddens me that teachers aren’t supporting other teachers. I could reassure her that the process I was going to share and support all with would been one where the story basket they created would be meaningful and creative. It was exciting to hear that this did happen and that other teachers raved about her group time where she shared her story basket.

The expectation or reality of teacher still buying resources concerns me as I know teacher do not earn all that much and I am conscious of this when I sell items on my page. I buy second hand where possible and upcycle. I try and by locally to and have found some great small business.

What I loved about taking and participating in this challenge was being able to celebrate with others on the making and sharing of their story basket and the inspiration I got from them. Participating also means that I commit to using the set time to create a new story basket and share it.

I will be doing the challenge again in July before opening the doors to Storybasketeers

In the meantime I am working on some new e-patterns for story baskets, Dear Zoo and The Rainbow Fish which I made in the challenge. Dear Zoo I have ready and will discuss in my next blog.

Until next time.

M