A Good Story Works For All Types of Learners

As a grandmother on a mission. I believe my grandchildren’s generation is a pivotal one, that will make this a kinder world. I keep my eyes out for what is going on in my grandchildren’s lives.  I have been fortunate to visit their classrooms over the last 21 years. It started at Tahoe’s Glenshire School with “Harvest of the Month” where we introduced and cooked veggies. Then I volunteer to teach kindergarteners mindfulness at Creekside Charter School. Eventually it led to creating an online program with the tagline “A New Approach To Teaching Kids About Wellness.” and sharing the idea with families and classrooms.

It’s Not Your Fault

I visited many classrooms in 2023 and discovered things had changed since Covid. Classrooms are filled with anxious minds, many distractions, behavioral issues. Kids are struggling to keep up while the teacher often feels overwhelmed, frustrated, and  burnt-out. I tell them, “It’s not your fault. The whole world is anxious and uncertain! Practice slowing down, breathe, and don’t be afraid to ask questions before you take action. If you start to practice this you’ll feel calmer and able to add more good days to your life.” 

That’s a nice coaching speech for a few but what do we do for the masses? First off we want to slow down, take a breath, and recognize what we are doing in education. In this decade educators decided we needed to teach social/ emotional skills. We bombarded the classroom with words like empathy, kindness and practices like a mindful minute. It was a bright moment.  I was in the midst of this revolution with my own program. Could this be the most important educational change in history? In five years would all the kids be mindful, aware, and model students? That didn’t happen.

Two Things Make A Difference

I kept going back to the drawing board and kept tweaking my program. I noticed two things. One, the teacher needed to value what was being taught and model it to the students. Secondly, the classroom needed to slow down and  discover what it feels like to be calm. Most students had no idea how that felt. Calm begins by breathing in deeply and feeling the breath move through the body. With the first practice some students felt their body calm down and relax. However, most students twitched & wiggled. They looked around at what everyone else was doing because they were in unfamiliar territory.

Training the Brain Takes Practice

Teaching the brain to calm down can be compared to training a puppy. It takes plenty of practice. Educators get a bit nervous about  time, there is a strong belief there is never enough time. I have even received emails saying, “We are not interested in calming students’ minds.”  Here’s what happens when training the brain. At first subtle things will start to show up. An anxious student may suggest, “Maybe we should take a breath?” The teacher occasionally notices a sense of quiet in the classroom. Baby steps!

The breath changes the physiology of the body. It begins the relaxation response where the body secretes chemicals that calm and soothe the body. A calm mind can learn, self-regulate, and become more aware. The students cool down their thoughts, relax and actually changing the mood or energy in the room. This practice alone can make a huge difference in the classroom environment.   Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief, states, “Our environment is constantly sending signals to our cells, and we have the power to choose how we respond to these signals. By choosing to focus on positive thoughts and beliefs, we can create an environment that promotes health and well-being.” Imagine a valued daily practice where busy minds gather focused on breathing calm  and at the same time produce health and well-being.

A Good Story Imprints The Brain

Once calm the students are told their thoughts are things, they’re real, they matter, they become matter, and they are not always true. This is an interrupter ( it surprises them and creates awareness).

Surprisingly, they say things like, “I thought thoughts just happened. Where do they go?” Now they’re curious and it’s story time. Storytelling is the most effective way to teach a lesson and works for all types of learners. A story wraps facts and figures into a resource easy to retrieve because it was stored with interest and connection. Doug Stevenson, author of Never Be Boring Again, tells us,  “When you listen to a good storyteller, you hear the story with your head, heart and soul.” Like footprints in the sand a good story leaves imprints in the brain.

Provide “Life Support”

A story creates an experience. Experience creates self-reliance teaching young people to be open-minded and to see the big picture. This is quality education. Nobel laureate James Heckman, economist, did a 30 year study on early childhood education. He discovered early education produced prosperous and healthy lives. The earlier we tell important stories based on life skills and tools we provide experiences  kids remember throughout their lives. At 72 I still put half a sweet potato in a jar of water to grow a beautiful ivy like plant each winter. I learned that in kindergarten.

This year classes in Tahoe spent calming their minds and listening to stories first thing each morning.  Here’s Fifth grade teacher, Susan Bowers’s, Creekside Charter School experience. “I like to think the subject matter I teach really matters and will make a difference in a student’s life, but until the students feel well, they will not be able to learn and focus.  So starting each day with a lesson that will help students feel calm and focused, is the best way to start each day.”

Kids begin to understand how to manage their thoughts, feelings, and actions. They use this “life support” to navigate both their challenges and achievements with awareness and a good sense of self.