Reflection – Storytelling

Challenge & Selection

The tool I used was the tool of Storytelling, to achieve a shared understanding of problems and help  them visualize situation or ideas from my perspective in a more simplified manner, as I wanted nothing  too complicated for an age group ranging 8 – 16 year olds. The children though of diverse backgrounds  and characters do share a love and understanding of stories or storytelling.

I use this approach often with our children and teenagers because they need something that engages  them, and holds their attention especially for children with ADHD. For younger children I used a fairy  tale/fable type of storytelling as well as more imaginative methods as they have very active and  fantastical ways of imagining things and ideas, and for older children I used a more mature style with  help from novels, as well as encouraging them to tell their own stories. This helps especially with  subjects that would be otherwise boring for the age group. It also helped me connect more, and made  for a more open mode of conversing with them. Leading them to be more vocal about their problems  and open to suggestions from me.

Application

I start the process by stating the topics and asking what they know about it, I encourage them to  participate and not worry about giving a wrong answer. This establishes a level of trust and openness. I  will draw from any existing material available, the internet, articles I’ve read and experiences of both  myself and the students. This also acts to reduce the pressure on them that a more formal setting would  induce.

I borrow ideas and example from various sources and encourage the student to state and elaborate on  their own perspective, there are breaks between though in other to help them relax and regroup.

I sometimes for them into group to work together, discuss and learn from one another’s experiences  and ideas. I encouraged activities that helped them learn together, especially for the younger group as  they are more playful.

To help me determine how well I am getting across to them I set some guidelines for myself:

1) What is the problem?

2) What do I and in extension my students already know about it?

3) What am I hoping we learn?

4) Are my students able to learn by themselves as well as from each other and develop their own ideas  from the study?

I also encourage them to be creative with their ideas. And then I take feedback and insights from how  they work to improve my methods.

Insight & Approach

From the exercises and group works that while I used storytelling to pass a message across, it was to  open to interpretation by the recipient. Along with trying to shape their thinking on a subject, they  should still be allowed to form their own ideas, and I should only guide not impose.

Storytelling does work for a large range of matters and concepts.

While storytelling is good, it is better if the recipient finds the situations and ideas relatable.


Reflection – Storytelling Challenge & Selection The tool I used was the tool of Storytelling , to achieve a shared understanding of problems and help them visualize situation or ideas from my perspective in a more simplified manner , as I wanted nothing too complicated for an age group ranging 8 – 16 year olds . The children though of diverse backgrounds and characters do share a love and understanding of stories or storytelling . I use this approach often with our children and teenagers because they need something that engages them , and holds their attention especially for children with ADHD . For younger children I used a fairy tale / fable type of storytelling as well as more imaginative methods as they have very active and fantastical ways of imagining things and ideas , and for older children I used a more mature style with help from novels , as well as encouraging them to tell their own stories . This helps especially with subjects that would be otherwise boring for the age group . It also helped me connect more , and made for a more open mode of conversing with them . Leading them to be more vocal about their problems and open to suggestions from me . Application I start the process by stating the topics and asking what they know about it , I encourage them to participate and not worry about giving a wrong answer . This establishes a level of trust and openness . I will draw from any existing material available , the internet , articles I ’ve read and experiences of both myself and the students . This also acts to reduce the pressure on them that a more formal setting would induce . I borrow ideas and example from various sources and encourage the student to state and elaborate on their own perspective , there are breaks between though in other to help them relax and regroup . I sometimes for them into group to work together , discuss and learn from one another ’s experiences and ideas . I encouraged activities that helped them learn together , especially for the younger group as they are more playful . To help me determine how well I am getting across to them I set some guidelines for myself : 1 ) What is the problem ? 2 ) What do I and in extension my students already know about it ? 3 ) What am I hoping we learn ? 4 ) Are my students able to learn by themselves as well as from each other and develop their own ideas from the study ? I also encourage them to be creative with their ideas . And then I take feedback and insights from how they work to improve my methods . Insight & Approach From the exercises and group works that while I used storytelling to pass a message across , it was to open to interpretation by the recipient . Along with trying to shape their thinking on a subject , they should still be allowed to form their own ideas , and I should only guide not impose . Storytelling does work for a large range of matters and concepts . While storytelling is good , it is better if the recipient finds the situations and ideas relatable .