Skip to content

Empower. Collaborate. Connect.

  • Blog
  • My Digital Footprint
  • Featured On
    • Innovator’s Mindset Podcast with George Couros
    • Podcast with #Empathetic_Educators
    • Q and A with George Couros-#Empathetic_Educators
    • Q & A with Richard Gerver- #Empathetic_Educators
    • Teach Better Guest Blogger
    • Future Ready Schools Guest Blogger
  • Mentor Program
    • Mentor Program 2019-2020 #LBLeads
    • Mentor Program 2020-2021 #LBLeads
  • Teaching and Learning Resources
    • Professional Presentations
    • Virtual Literacy Centers
    • Book Recommendations
    • Offline Literacy Choice Boards
  • About Me

Layering Stories into Learning

On December 1, 2020 By LaurenMKaufmanIn 1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values, 4. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, 5. Community of Care and Support for Students, 8. Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community

Stories are Windows

Stories are windows into the soul. They are hidden treasures that are buried beneath a sea of hopes, wishes, dreams. They are small moments of time that pass you by. They are memories that enrapture your heart and wrap around your spirit. They are the hidden paths to who we are and what we will become. Every piece of who we are, are invisible stories strung together and concealed by our external being. There are moments in time where our masked stories are unearthed amidst the creation of the new versions of ourselves. Stories bind us to people; they are entry points to connection, collaboration, conversation, and contact. Our stories are a learning journey, our core identity, they are a reflection of our values and what we stand for. What if we do not like the way a story is unfolding in our lives? Did you know that we have the divine power to choose our own? What can we intentionally do to shift the narratives we are creating and write the stories we want to be a part of?

Memory Boxes

Stories are windows into our experiences. They are small moments etched into our memories. They are the ammunition that pushes us down the path of discovery.  They live in mind memory boxes waiting to be courageously unwrapped and gifted to people who use them to discover ideas and recognize their own passions.  In a recent #InnovatorsMindset podcast, George Couros brilliantly says “Stories are the fuel for innovation, they inspire us, they give us pertinent ideas, they get the work we are doing out to people in a really compelling way that goes beyond what a score could tell people about our students.” Beneath the facade of every human being lies personal, unique collections of stories that reveal reflections of who they are and who they want to be. How can we intentionally create spaces for learners to share how they view the world through stories?

Layering Stories into Learning

Here is a simple and authentic formula to consider following when thinking about how a classroom community can intentionally embed stories into their learning lives: 

  1. Personalize – The teacher links a personal story to learning by saying.
    • I was thinking about…
    • I remember when…
    • Let me tell you a story…
  2. Connect- Learners connect their own stories to a learning experience.
    • This is making me think…
    • I’m realizing that…
  3. Share: Learners share connections with peers to form new ideas.
    • Your story is making me think…
    • Your story is making me wonder…

Personalizing Stories

Stories are lenses that formulate perspectives and cultivate community. They are sound bites, and short episodes of our lives. They are opportunities to personalize classroom experiences, make connections to new learning, and a bridge that connects us with people to form new ideas. In chapter 3 of the book Personal and Authentic, Thomas C. Murray passionately wrote, “Weaving together our experiences creates our story, makes us who we are, and determines the context in which we each learn.” Understanding the stories within our school organizations forges deeper connections that lead to deeper learning. Understanding stories values the uniqueness of each individual and brings purpose to authentic work. Understanding stories helps us shift the narratives we want to create in our classrooms, honors people who live in our world, and nourishes the feeling of empathy in the spaces we choose to create.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...
#AuthenticEDU#InnovatorsMindsetGeorge CourosLayering Stories into LearningPersonal and AuthenticpodcastStoriesThomas C. Murray

Post navigation

Previous

Reimagining the Magic of the Workshop Model Series 4: Honoring the Framework

Next

Moments of Wonder

Podcast with George Couros

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRRMObNGBLI&t=1466s

#Empathetic_Educators Q & A with George Couros

https://youtu.be/GJhYfPxu2ok

Podcast with #Empathetic_Educators

https://youtu.be/YrFRVaAV8M8

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

You can contact me at:

laurenmkaufman@gmail.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Blog Post Archive

#EdCampLI- Empowering Teacher Leaders

#NerdCampLI- The Flipped Read Aloud

#LBLit- 5 Year Anniversary

#LBLit19- Boosting Students Engagement Through Science Literacy

1st grade Reading Wonders

Read Aloud with Novel Effect!

Goodreads

Blogs I Follow

  • Sari Goldberg McKeown
  • George Couros
  • Katie Martin
  • In the middle of learning - by Donald Gately Ed.D
  • T.R.U.E. G.R.I.T.
  • Discover
  • The Daily Post
  • The WordPress.com Blog
Blog at WordPress.com.
Sari Goldberg McKeown

Inspire | Connect | Innovate

George Couros

Katie Martin

Informed by Research, Inspired by Practice

In the middle of learning - by Donald Gately Ed.D

Principal, Jericho MS, NY

T.R.U.E. G.R.I.T.

Call me stubborn, but I refuse to quit! T.R.U.E. G.R.I.T. is the foundation to success in learning and life! Exploring the dynamics of a successful classroom and how grit is a vital characteristic for student achievement

Discover

A daily selection of the best content published on WordPress, collected for you by humans who love to read.

The Daily Post

The Art and Craft of Blogging

The WordPress.com Blog

The latest news on WordPress.com and the WordPress community.

Cancel

 
Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×
    <span>%d</span> bloggers like this: