I hope you had a great week. We’ve been looking at how using storytelling in the classroom increases engagement and retention. So why does storytelling seem to decline as students move through school? By the time students are in high school, they are all too familiar with note-taking as the primary means of learning new material in social studies. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if we take a step back, I think you’ll see how we teach history in a new light.
Anthropologists estimate that 60% – 80% of traditional cultures historically relied on oral storytelling as their primary means of passing down history, knowledge, and traditions. Even without the written word, many cultures have been able to keep alive key elements of their identity. This differs sharply from the traditional western means of remembering the past. So how can we use this information in the classroom?
As teachers, we can employ a mixture of styles by utilizing a mixture of tactics. We can provide students with graphic organizers as we incorporate stories from the past. By combining the power of storytelling with the organizer of notes, we set the stage for not just improvements in student learning, but also incorporating more elements of the brain. Next week, we’ll take a look at how storytelling differs between oral storytelling and western cultures.
Happy teaching,
Ryan Wagoner The Lyceum of History
“I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.” ~Alexander the Great
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