Five Ways to Boost Communication Skills Among Students (Ep 5)

05/11/19 • 9 min

Communication and storytelling have been gaining a lot of attention lately, especially their role in the classroom. This makes sense as effective communication is the foundation of human interaction. Many view communication as the most important skill for success as students enter the workforce and there is considerable evidence that the best communicators have greater professional success. So, it’s important that we continually support students in developing their skills and confidence as communicators and storytellers.

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Storytelling Through Video Creation (Ep 4)

Great teachers are great storytellers. They teach widely accepted content over and over, day by day; but when that content is taught like an interesting story, it becomes an immersive experience for students. Teachers renew their students as learners and engage them with what feels like brand new content. In doing so, they teach their students to tell stories. The next time you want your students to answer a question, reflect on their learning, or write a report, why not ask them to create a story through video instead? They’ll not only be more motivated to engage, but they’ll deepen their learning through creative processes: connecting new ideas, building communication skills (like sequencing a story in an interesting way) and speaking courageously.

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Five Questions to Unlock Authentic Learning Experiences (Ep 6)

Imagine how motivated students would be if we stopped assigning work and instead provided opportunities for them to create amazing things that make them feel proud. That’s what we strive to achieve through authentic learning experiences. Authentic learning starts when students engage in learning that is both meaningful to them and related to the world they experience outside the classroom. That direct correlation with their daily lives is the antidote to the age-old gripes of "when will I ever use this" and "what does this have to do with my life?" Kids don’t care about or relate to pretend scenarios. True authentic learning happens when students are inspired genuinely, not forced. It stimulates students to take action to improve their school or community and to use their voice to make an impact on the world.