How to Increase Student Academic Performance & Test Scores
You’ll never forget that show. You know the one. The one where the hero is facing unbelievable odds, but miraculously, he finds a way to save the girl and the day. What’s this call? It’s called storytelling. And, you can use storytelling in your classroom to help increase your students’ engagement, increase their academic performance, improve their knowledge retention, and increase their test scores. Are you wondering how? Then, I gotcha. Let’s explore the benefits of storytelling in the academic classroom.
Storytelling is not something new. In fact, stories have been an integral part of human culture for eons. The best bloggers use it. YouTube gurus use it. And, smart teachers access the benefits of using storytelling in their classrooms too!
What are the Benefits of using Storytelling in the Classroom?
Stories Connect Us: Most of us remember them. They are those bedtime stories from our childhood. I know I do. My mom read us those stories about princesses being rescued by princes…dark knights…a terrifying monsters. They made childhood fun. And, they can continue to make your classroom fun. Why? Because stories help to connect us. Starting with those bedtime stories from our childhood to the epic sagas that have been passed down through generations, stories are how we communicate and share our experiences.
Emotional Engagement: Who else has had to quickly close a book they were reading or pause that movie because they were so emotionally involved that they just couldn’t bear to read another word 🙋🏾♀️. These stores dug down deep into our emotional center, and that’s what makes them unforgettable. Good stories tap into our emotions, making us laugh, cry, and empathize. When emotions are involved in the learning process, learning becomes more potent.
Memorability: Ever noticed how you can remember the plot of your favorite movie years later? That’s the power of narrative. Good stories stick to our memories. And, this can be an asset in our classrooms.
Relatability: Stories are relatable. They put abstract concepts into a context that learners can grasp, making complex ideas seem simple.
How does Storytelling in Education Work?
Now that you know stories are more than just entertainment, let’s explore how they can work their magic in the classroom…
Increased Student Engagement: Engaging students can be a real challenge, but storytelling can turn a seemingly mundane lessons into an adventure! When you weave stories into your teaching, you’ll have your students hanging on your every word.
Fostering Critical Thinking: Stories are full of dilemmas and choices. They encourage students to think critically, to analyze situations, and to predict outcomes. These are all crucial skills for life beyond the classroom.
Building Empathy: Through stories, students can step into the shoes of characters from different backgrounds. This can help to foster a deeper understanding of diversity and inclusion.
Boosting Creativity: Listening to stories sparks the imagination. It encourages students to create their narratives, fostering creativity and innovation.
Emotional Connection: Stories can help create an emotional connection. They can make you feel joy, sadness, or excitement. When you connect emotionally with a lesson, it sticks in your brain. You remember it better!
Complex Concepts Made Simple: Some topics can be as confusing for our students. Stories can help break down those complex ideas into simple, relatable situations.
Inspiration and Creativity: Good stories can help to inspire our students to come up with new ideas. They’re like a spark that ignites their imagination.
The Science Behind Storytelling
Guess what? Storytelling isn’t just magic, it’s also science 🤯! Your brain is wired to love stories. Here’s the lowdown:
Mirror Neurons: Your brain has these cool things called mirror neurons. They fire up when you watch someone do something or when you hear a story about it. This makes you feel like you’re experiencing it too. This explains why when you are reading a book or watching an exciting television show, you jump or scream because you feel like you are there too!
Dopamine Rush: When something exciting happens in a story, your brain releases dopamine, a feel-good chemical. It’s like your brain’s way of saying, “Hey, this is awesome! Pay attention!”
Retention Boost: Studies show that you remember information better when it’s in a story. Your brain creates a mental movie, making it easier to recall later. And, just think how much this will help our students.
Storytelling Techniques to use in the Classroom
Now that we’re convinced of the power of storytelling let’s delve into some practical techniques to infuse storytelling into our teaching:
Create a Vivid Setting: Whether you’re teaching geography, literature, history or even math, set the scene for your story. Describe the places, people, and time period to transport your students into the narrative. For math, try to think of a story that you can relate to the concept in which you are teaching.
Build Compelling Characters: Memorable characters make the story come alive. Give your historical figures or scientific concepts distinct personalities to make them relatable to your students.
Add in Conflict and Resolution: Every story has a problem and a solution. Use this structure to introduce challenges related to your subject matter and guide students towards finding solutions.
Use Dialogue: Engage students by using dialogue to bring your characters to life. Encourage class discussions by asking, “What do you think [character] would say in this situation?”
Incorporate Multisensory Elements: Our students all learn differently. So, when you are teaching be sure to try to accommodate the different learning styles. You should try to appeal to the different learning styles by using visuals, sounds, and even scents if possible. For instance, when teaching about a rainforest, you might play sounds of the jungle and show vibrant images.
Storytelling in the Classroom Make Learning Fun
Imagine learning about history through a boring textbook versus through stories about brave warriors, cunning kings, and epic battles. Which one sounds more fun? Exactly!
Characters to Love: Good stories have characters you care about. When you relate to them, you’re more likely to remember the lessons they teach.
Conflict and Resolution: Every story has a problem to solve or a challenge to overcome. Learning through stories will you’re your students understand how people face problems and find solutions.
Unpredictability: Just like life, stories are full of surprises. This will keep your students eager to find out what happens next.
Bringing History to Life in Your Classroom through Storytelling
History can often seem like a collection of dusty dates and hard to pronounce names. But with storytelling, you can breathe life into historical events.
Personal Stories: Share anecdotes of individuals who lived during the time period you’re teaching. Their personal experiences humanize history.
Historical Fiction: Consider incorporating historical fiction books into your curriculum. These novels offer a narrative lens through which students can explore different time periods.
Primary Sources: Use diaries, letters, and documents from the past to provide firsthand accounts. These sources can be the foundation for fascinating stories.
Role-Playing: Your students are going to love this! Let your students become historical figures for a day. This hands-on approach allows them to step into the shoes of people from the past.
Science, Math, and Storytelling in the Classroom
You might be wondering, “Can storytelling work in subjects like science and math?” Absolutely! Let’s see how it works:
The Scientific Quest: Turn science into a thrilling adventure by framing it as a quest for knowledge. Discuss famous scientists and their “Eureka!” moments.
Math Marvels: Math can be intimidating (Trust me, I know 🙄), but not when it’s a part of an exciting story. Use real-life scenarios to introduce math concepts. For example, you could explore geometry by imagining your class as architects designing a dream city. You explain fractions by discussing how you sliced up a pizza for a party with your friends. You can even do what one of my coworkers does best, you relate a story about something that happened to you that involved having to solve a math problem.
Case Studies: Present scientific principles through case studies or stories of breakthrough discoveries. Discuss how these concepts changed the world.
Problem-Solving Adventures: Have your students become Sherlock Holmes. Encourage them to become math detectives. Have them turn math problems into puzzles that need solving.
Encouraging Student Storytellers
You aren’t the only one who can use storytelling in your classroom. Allow your students to actively join the fun!
Storytelling Clubs: Start a storytelling club where students can share their stories or practice storytelling techniques.
Creative Writing Assignments: Incorporate creative writing assignments that encourage students to craft narratives related to the subject matter.
Storytelling Competitions: Organize storytelling competitions within your classroom or school to motivate students to hone their storytelling skills. I love a good writing competition, and by having your students compete you can increase their engagement.
Digital Storytelling: In the digital age, students can create multimedia presentations, combining visuals, audio, and text to tell their stories and to help explain or teach an idea or concept in your classroom.
Remember, stories have the power to engage, inspire, and leave a lasting impact on your students. By infusing narratives into your teaching, you’ll not only make lessons more captivating and memorable but also ignite a lifelong love for learning in your students. So, go ahead, tell that story, and watch the magic happen in your classroom!
Happy teaching!!!
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