Starting a story telling session is different from starting to tell a story. When starting to tell a story you have to prepare the listeners for the type of story you are going to tell. Each story in your session may have a different beginning. One may begin with "once upon a time" if it is a fairy tale. The second may be a story about your childhood and you might begin it with "once when I was young". In starting a session, you have to identify yourself, set the stage and lay out the ground rules in order that you can get and keep their attention. I like to use the "open your ears and keep your mouths closed' with a dash of humor - don't let the flies get in!. It seems to work every time.
The best opening is the simplest. Greet everyone, tell them your name, what you are going to do and ask for their help. Try writing out several versions of your opening and then practice them. Select the one that sounds the best to you and that you feel comfortable with. Then do it in front of a friendly audience like your family. If they are overly enthusiastic about it, scrap it and try it again. They were trying to be nice. With a little experimentation you will get the proper opening for a storytelling session that works for you.
Now you have your opening and it is the first time you are going to use it in front of a "hostile" audience like a classroom of kindergarten kids. Use a cue card to help you to remember what you want to say. Don't be surprised if you forget your own name at the crucial moment. I am not kidding! My first time in front of a room full of school kids, I started to say my name but froze. I forgot it! But, luckily, their teacher was sitting beside me and whispered "your name is Mr. Robinson". I recovered quickly and continued on my merry way. The kids loved my stories and I am eternally grateful to that teacher. At my next session I had a clue card all ready.
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