Programs by Dr. Lockett, the Normal Storyteller Dr. Michael Lockett taught in Normal, Illinois for 21 years.  All of his students from school, along with the cub scouts and boy scouts he worked with and boys and girls from church came to think of him as the Normal Storyteller.  They could always count on a fun story to accompany a lesson or reward them for a job well done if Dr. Lockett was the teacher.  He followed his teaching experiences by serving as a school administrator in Peoria, Illinois for an additional 12 years.  It was a NORMAL experience for Dr. Lockett to share stories when he visited classrooms or met with teachers and administrators.  It even played in Peoria to call him THE NORMAL STORYTELLER.   Today, Dr. Lockett takes storytelling and educational messages to groups all across the USA.  A teller of traditional tales, Lockett specializes in audience participation stories.  "I have more fun when audiences join in with the telling," says Lockett.  Judging from the laughter when the Normal Storyteller is speaking to a group, they do exactly that!    Keynote Speaker, Workshop Leader, Motivational Speaker, & Storyteller   Dr. Lockett has given more than 1500 programs across America in schools, libraries, churches and for fraternal and educational organizations.  Information about presentations he has given can be found by visiting http://www.mikelockett.com or by writing to him at mike@mikelockett.com  Some of the more notable organizations Dr. Lockett has presented for include:   *    Minnesota Fringe Festival - Storytellers Unleashed *    Home, Education and Community Conference *    Fringe Festival Performance at National Storytelling Conference *    Special Concert for YES (Youth, Educators and Storytellers) Pre-Conference *    Midwest Storytelling Festival at Northlands Conference *    National Christian Storytelling Conference *    Olio Performance at LANES Sharing the Fire Conference *    Rock Island Storytelling Trail Festival *    Equip Ministries Conference *    Taipei, Taiwan Bookfair (largest Bookfair in Asia) *    Taiwan American School in Taipei, Taiwan *    Storytelling Lecture/Performance Tours of Taiwan (Jan. 2007 and July/Aug. 2007)  *    Midwest Conference for Early Childhood Educators *    International Reading Association Annual Conferences in Atlanta, Georgia;      Orlando, Florida; San Antonio, Texas and Toronto, Canada                                                 *    Great Lakes Reading Conferences in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Chicago, IL *    Illinois Reading Council and Programs for IRC Affiliates throughout Illinois                     *    Illinois Council for Teachers of English *    Illinois Association for Curriculum Development *    National Association for Early Childhood Educators *    Illinois Association for Early Childhood Educators *    Improving America's Schools Act Conferences *    Illinois Urban Education Conference *    Illinois Migrant Education Conference *    Illinois Young Authors' Conference (Multiple Appearances) *    Home Schooling Meetings *    Illinois Teachers of Mathematics Conference  *    No Child Left Behind Conferences      *    Region VII Technical Assistance Conference *    Illinois Title I Directors' Association Conferences *    Numerous Programs for Illinois Regional Offices of Education *    Numerous Programs for Schools, Churches, Libraries and Community Groups   Look for The Normal Storyteller at More Special Programs in 2007       *    Illinois Elementary School Association in Bloomington, IL in September      *    Centre East Showcase in Skokie, IL in September      *    Baby Fold Festival of Trees, Bloomington, IL in November      *    See the EVENTS Calendar on this Website for More!   Presentations for Children, Families, Seniors, Adult Groups at Schools, PTA, Libraries, Churches, Educational Organizations, scouts and Community Groups, and more.     All-School Assemblies - Times and number of programs vary for each school.  Dr. Lockett's preference is for a 45-55 minute program.  Generally it works well to combine students for larger assemblies of a longer time instead of short classroom visits.  A good combination of students for stories at primary schools is Pre-K/K, 1-2, 3-4. (3 programs in a day)   Pre-K/K, 2-3, 4-6 works well also.  Dr. Lockett can work with any grouping and provide stories that are the most age and content appropriate.  All of his programs are clean, family oriented stories.  Even his occasional scary stories are told in a way that ends with the students laughing and never going home with nightmares.   Artist-in-Residence - Dr. Lockett can provide programs of various lengths.  Schools enjoy having Dr. Lockett give a storytelling performance for students then have him visit classrooms to share more tales, talk about literacy, answer questions from an author's perspective.  Dr. Lockett can do single day residence programs up through week-long programs to promote literacy in schools.  Programs are geared towards helping meet state standards in reading, language and in the performing arts.   Young Authors' Meetings - Dr. Lockett has been a keynote speaker and storyteller at more State Young Authors' Conferences than most authors.  He weaves his messages about reading and writing between his fun-filled stories.  Adults love to sit in on these programs to share their children's joy and love of good stories.  Parents go home filled with ideas about how to help their children at home.  Students leave these sessions with a renewed sense that reading and writing stories is fun.  Consider bringing The Normal Storyteller to kick off a Young Authors' Campaign or to celebrate students' success at a Young Authors' Tea or Party for students and their parents.  Call Dr. Lockett at (309) 454-2300 to talk about your ideas for hosting a program at your school.   Parent Programs - Dr. Lockett is a frequent presenter for parent programs at schools.  Parents who have participated in his stimulating presentations have applauded his expertise in how parents can help their children with their education.  Lockett goes beyond his performance as The Normal Storyteller to share research and information as he gives educational commercials between the laughter and fun of his stories.  Providing high quality programs to students and their parents together is such a high priority for Dr. Lockett that he often gives schools discounted rates for family programs in the evening for schools that book him for storytelling assemblies during the day.  (Ask when booking Dr. Lockett.)   Churches - Sunday Schools - Vacation Bible Schools - Dr. Lockett has been telling stories in churches and sharing the message of God's love since his days of sitting in front of the flannel board as a child in Sunday School.  He has studied as an adult storyteller under John Walsh (Christian Storytelling.com) and has added the skill of "Bible Telling" to his talents as a Christian Storyteller.  He brings a Christian message interwoven with good stories, poems he has written and music.  He has been a frequent presenter for Ladies' Organizations, Senior Saints, Children's Sunday school classes, Awana Groups and more.  Dr. Lockett is a member of the Christian Storytelling Network and has been elected to serve in 2006-2007 as a Board Member and is President-Elect of the International Christian Storytelling Network for 2007-2008.   One-Hour Workshops - Folktales, Historical Tales-Civil War Stories, Ghost Stories, Holiday Stories, Literacy Programs, Awards Assemblies and more... Call or E-mail Dr Lockett to talk about the variety of programs he can do.  Perhaps you would care to work together with "The Normal Storyteller" to plan a program that will meet your specific needs.