Why Should We Teach Our Children Through Stories?
As a teacher, we often find ourselves daunted with the task of capturing our students' interests and also equipping them for the future. Not only do we seek to train better students, but we also want to produce better citizens, workers, and future teachers. Teaching is still held the same purpose throughout all these years: bettering our future through the lives of our students.
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Madison R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Teaching Methods
Although our methods need to continually be more thought-provoking, entertaining and motivating, our objective has not changed. We need to incorporate storytelling into teaching English for our early childhood learners because stories are memorable, engaging, and developing for young learners.
Benefits of Using Stories
Easy to Remember
First, we should teach our children through stories because stories are memorable. I have sat through many college lectures. The most memorable moments have been when teachers used illustrations to paint memorable pictures in my head. Specific notes and facts from an English or science class might fade away, yet I still remember several professors who sprinkled personal details into rather monotonous lectures.
Several classes that were not my favorites suddenly became more than opportunities to grow in details, facts, and memorization; they became opportunities to grow as a person. A person who was more humane, self-conscious, and socially skilled. As a teacher, our main objective should be to help our students grow. But as we prepare lessons, we need to ask ourselves: do we only want outstanding scholars or humans bettered by lessons taught in conjuncture to memorable, choice stories? We should teach our children through stories because they are memorable long after class ends.
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Higher Level of Engagement
Second, we should teach our children through stories because stories are engaging. When my Shakespeare professor included a personal story about how he almost became a vegetarian, I completely forgot about our discussion on whichever play we were studying. I still do not remember what play we were learning about at the time. But I do remember how my professor spoke about looking at a cow and considering someone else's comfort over his own. His story was not only memorable, but it was engaging so much that it made me try to put myself in someone else's shoes and think from their perspective.
I no longer just saw the story unfold, but I could also put myself in the professor's shoes. I had an example of what he would do? But what would I do and what should I do? His story gave an exemplary example of how I wanted to handle myself in the future and appear to other people. After his story, I respected my teacher more. I felt that I understood another piece of how to be a better human being. And all this came about through one engaging story. We should teach our students through stories because they are engaging in helping us see from someone else's perspective.
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Relative
Third, we should teach our children through stories because stories are relative. Stories help us to critically think in whatever situation we find ourselves. For example, if I lose my temper in an argument, and I for a split second happen to think of my teacher or a cow, I usually feel my temper cool off. I remember that my teacher practiced selflessness in a different situation. If I want to be more like my teacher, then in this current situation I should also exercise selflessness. After first processing in class what he did, I can relate him to my current situation now because I have already placed myself in his shoes. Stories are relative to the audience because we can relate to previously shared human emotions and encounters in our moments. We should teach our children through stories because they are relative to human circumstances.
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Storytelling
Storytelling is a wonderful skill. Whether used for positive reinforcement or redirecting negative behaviors, stories are a powerful tool. As a teacher, it is essential to use stories mindfully. Because stories are memorable, it is best to always think of the long term effects of telling a particular story. Also, bear in mind that it not only matters how we tell stories, but also the moral within the story. Since stories are engaging, it is important to consider how the students will interpret how they should act if they find themselves in a similar situation.
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Since stories are great for developing character and long-lasting habits, it is vital that we tactfully use stories to show the truth and how we should react in unforeseen situations. We cannot teach them how to act in every situation, but we should attempt to equip them with certain key principles and morals. Our mission as teachers is simple, although often challenging: training up a better future. But through storytelling, our job becomes much easier—if we choose to use that tool effectively.
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