Tales from the Heart

Why Our Stories Matter

Telling one’s story is a means of acknowledging who we are, where we came from, who we want to become, and what are our values and beliefs. When we teach students the power of storytelling, we teach them to be self-reflective, empathetic, and courageous as authors of their own lives. Even more so, we teach them that they are not alone, because stories connect us across time and space. Stories help to shine a light into the darkness.

According to Allyn & Morrell (2023), in their book Tell your Story:Teaching Students to Become World-Changing Thinkers and Writers, telling one’s story is important because:

1. Stories are empowering: telling one’s story is empowering and helps to build one’s self-confidence and courage, helps to build community, and amplifies all voices to helps develop a better understanding of one another.
2. Stories are good company: stories appeal to all our emotions, they have the power to transport us to another time and they uplift us when we are down.
3. Stories improve writing skills: one’s writing skills will improve when they tell their story because there is a personal connection and an authentic voice from their own personal experiences; students write with meaning and purpose.
4. Stories build inclusive communities: inviting students to tell their story allows them to know that their story matters and that it has a place in this world; it makes them feel empowered because their unique perspective needs to be shared.
5. Story is a wellness practice: storytelling is a positive means of creating intercultural understanding and an appreciation for our diversity. It is a safe and equitable way for anyone to narrate their own existence and experience.

“Storytelling isn’t just awakening to the world; it helps us make sense of ourselves in the world, to find our voice and understand how we fill ourselves in the gap of what’s missing in this world. Writing in our classrooms must be more than our students making simple marks. Teaching writing by centering the stories of our students’ lives is to step into the worlds they author. Centering their story is to make sure our students will radically love themselves so they can radically love the world. Stories are our way to get there.“

By Pam Allyn & Ernest Morrell, Tell Your Story. 2023

Your Story Matters Poem

Your Story Matters Poem by Lisa Loffredi

Stories Build Empathy

“The most important thing you can be doing…is reading. Because reading is the number one way to build empathy in someone. And when you think about our world and country today, empathy is needed more than it been ever needed in our history. But the only way you truly build empathy is making sure that the literature you are consuming does not always reflect you. That you are reading about characters who have a different skin-colour, religion, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. Because that is how you understand them.”

Ted Nesloney