Storyteller

As an educator for over 14 years, I had many enlightening moments through learning. I quickly found that some of the most effective lessons were when the students were listening to literature. One lesson in particular will always stand out in my mind.

Bodies slumped into chairs as I posed questions about the text. A sea of unenthusiastic teenagers stared back at me as I trudged through the lesson. I felt like I was dragging them through this novel. Realizing my students were losing interest in this impactful yet difficult piece of literature, I decided to change tactics. I gathered the reluctant learners into a circle with their books and asked them to just listen as I read a chapter out loud.

I began, adding voices to characters, punctuating the narration, and pacing the section to capture the essence of the characters. The students became more entranced in the words. Eyes followed along the page, shoulders relaxed as they took in the plot. I glanced up; realized that every student was now listening intently, and continued on.

The scene crescendoed into a quarrel between family members, and the atmosphere in the classroom became thick with tension as the students concentrated, leaning forward in anticipation. Finally,  the dialogue climaxed, cutting into a character and uncovering an unexpected twist, thus ending the powerful scene. A collective audible gasp permeated the space as the teenage pupils contemplated the deeper meaning of the scene. Seeing my students come together and not only comprehend the text but experience the literature was pure magic.

It was at this moment that I decided to become a storyteller.