Helen Evans Storyteller

www.helenevans-storyteller.com

About Helen

I am a lucky Australian, I have kangaroos in my garden. Not every day, but they come often.

Every day there are colourful rosellas in our trees and occasionally an echidna comes to feast on the ants. Living in a rural community has many benefits. It is very peaceful but I don’t like the summer flies or the snakes that come occasionally.

I live only fifteen minutes drive from Armidale on the Tablelands of northern New South Wales, Australia. Armidale is a rural centre and a centre of education. It has historic buildings and is known for its autumn colours.

My career began as a secondary school teacher but I soon found that my interest was in the very young. For fifteen years, I was director of a pre-school where most of the children were from indigenous Australian families. My interest in storytelling developed during that time. From there, I became a teacher at the New England College of Tertiary and Further Education (TAFE). I spent thirteen years there teaching language, literature and creative studies to Child Studies students.

I often visited child care centres to watch my students in action. Contact with staff in the centres lead to my next career change.

I have loved stories all my life. I love children. Now I tell stories regularly at child care centres and schools in the Armidale district.

Qualifications

B.A. Dip.Ed. University of New England, Armidale
Diploma in Early Childhood, Sydney Kindergarten Teachers’ College
Diploma of Professional Children’s Writing The Australian college of Journalism