As usual, the first thing to catch my eye with regards to any reading is a quote. This was also true with this reading. The moment I finished reading and processing the quote from Ochs and Capps (2001), I was engaged in the meaning of this quote. It was as follows.
“Human beings narrate to remember, instill cultural knowledge, grapple with a
problem, rethink the status quo, soothe, empathize, inspire, speculate, justify a
position, dispute, tattle, evaluate one’s and others’ identities, shame, tease, laud,
entertain, among other ends” (p. 60).
I found myself thinking of all the stories I have ever told and all the stories my children have told me. I try to place them into one of these categories. Amazingly enough, these really are the reasons we narrate. I have told stories to give others knowledge, to help myself process situations in life, to entertain others, to justify my position on a number of issues, and to do almost every other thing on this list.
However, usually we consider stories and narrating as writing. We ask our students to write almost every day. How often do we really consider that sometimes important stories can be told by simply telling. Perhaps, a child will tell a better story talking without worrying about his hand getting sore or where the next period goes in the sentence. I began to consider, really consider, the usefulness in storytelling for children. It especially reminded me of the struggles my ELL students face. At times, they can't find the words to say to tell a story, yet we expect them to write a story. Imagine being in a new culture, using a new language, and be expected to write a story using proper mechanics to a prompt that you may have no idea what it means. This is the situation some of our students are faced with almost daily.
Storytelling could also be an interesting way to build community in the classroom. As I was reading, I was already anxious to do this again one morning. Oh the stories students always have to tell. Anyone who has ever been around elementary children for long knows that these kids have plenty of stories to tell, and they actually like to hear stories from others. My students actually beg me to share a story or two from my childhood every Friday at the end of the day. They sit entranced as I talk about my sisters and I and our many trips to time out and even the hospital. They have laughed with me, and we have been saddened by the stories of our classmates. Overall, I believe storytelling is powerful. It can easily be fit into the day simply by having kids write FREE DAY journal entries and sharing them. The stories are always much better when they share them!
Brittany Guy
Comments (9)
You are so right. Kids love to share stories. My daughter frequently says in the car, "Mommy, tell me a story about when you were a little girl." She and I get to know each other through our stories. Adults love to tell stories, too. I love to spend teacher work days with my assistant. She is the best story teller I know. How can we take something so enjoyable and not ruin it by having to write about it or edit it? I think we do that by finding authentic purposes for writing and not requiring that everything be perfect. One day this week I told my students, "I am interested in your writing. I'm not looking at your errors today." I think I should do more of that.
Ashley Catlett
Ashley Catlett
Posted by Ashley Catlett | March 20, 2009 9:33 PM
Posted on March 20, 2009 21:33
I would bet that because of you sharing parts of you and your life with your students that your rapport is great with them. By telling them stories about you they are able to connect with you and build a sense of trust that they may not have otherwise. You couldn't be more right that storytelling really can develop a sense of community in our classrooms. It can especially give our most struggling readers and writers a chance to shine without becoming so frustrated!
Posted by Amy Spade | March 21, 2009 4:11 PM
Posted on March 21, 2009 16:11
Children and adults alike love to tell stories. Most adults get to share these stories daily at work; however, often children are so busy doing what their subjects require at school that they don't have the opportunity share their stories. I, too, love to hear my student's stories, and they love to hear mine. It allows them to see me as human (as opposed to a robot that lives at school--direct quote from former student :) ). Like the previous poster mentioned, this does help the rapport that you have with your students--they can relate to you.
Posted by Heather Coe | March 22, 2009 8:37 PM
Posted on March 22, 2009 20:37
"How often do we really consider that sometimes important stories can be told by simply telling?"
This statement you made really pulled me in. As a high school English teacher, I feel I don't do a good job making sure students realize this. Because of the standard course of study, my mind is always focused on getting those standards met, and usually they happen in the form of writing. I think having a day devoted to oral storytelling would be SO COOL in high school. Students may find it elementary, but it would be worth it to show them that TELLING stories are just as important as writing them.
Posted by Christy Rivers | March 23, 2009 10:10 AM
Posted on March 23, 2009 10:10
I have to agree, the stories are always much better when you share them. Our students have very interesting lives that they are willing to share with us and one another. As adults we share our stories all the time (usually with our family and close friends) and enjoy listening to other people's stories. So often we are not concerned with our language or dialect. We are not concerned with what it looks like written down. We just enjoy telling/listening to stories and we preserve the memories of one another. Children would also enjoy this inhibited sharing.
Posted by Cherrita Hayden-McMillan | March 23, 2009 10:49 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 22:49
Brittany,
Thanks for sharing your stories of how your class works because it was neat to read about the connection you have with your students. I do have a question for you. It seems that some of your students may be similar to the students that were described in the article. From what I understand you are teaching students who are ELL and I have a question for you. What is the best way to include a student who speaks a limited amount of english that is in your class in a storytelling project, if he/she does not understand the stories because of the language and if other students do not understand his stories because of their language. Do you have any resources that would help build a bridge that would help all students communicate better to make sure their stories are heard?
Posted by Elizabeth Griffin | March 24, 2009 8:46 PM
Posted on March 24, 2009 20:46
I do not have a perfect response. However, in this situation, I do encourage my students to help each other out. I know some Spanish, and many of my students are bilingual. So, if I have a student trying to tell a story, I will allow them to use their primary language for a word or phrase they cannot express. Then, either myself or another student will attempt to put it into English for the remaining class members to better understand. I hope this helps!
Posted by Brittany Guy | March 25, 2009 9:18 AM
Posted on March 25, 2009 09:18
What a lovely post!
My son is almost 4, and we read two books and tell two stories to him every night. If we ever run out of time, and we can only do one or the other, he ALWAYS chooses a story. There is such an intimacy in storytelling that allows a connection and a new awareness of the teller. So I agree wholeheartedly with your point about storytelling and building community!
Posted by Alecia Jackson | March 25, 2009 4:33 PM
Posted on March 25, 2009 16:33
Greeting. Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship. Help me! There is an urgent need for sites: s in bc. I found only this - s in orange county. Though after massage the epidemic will be employed a surface, widely a massage, caution or traditionally an action therapy extended by his low forces, massage therapy schools. In canada, there is credit of ecology under the important physiological luxury series resistance, massage therapy schools. THX :eek:, Katrina from Laos.
Posted by Katrina | March 2, 2010 1:48 AM
Posted on March 2, 2010 01:48