How to Use Story and Storytelling to Improve Teaching and School Leadership

This exciting new book examines the powerful role stories can play in schools both as a curriculum/teaching tool and as a framework for school improvement. It looks holistically at the uses of story in schools and sets out the ways it can be used to support teaching.

Stories give meaning to our lives and make us who we are. They shape our self-awareness, thus helping make sense of personal experiences, no matter how complex or difficult. Stories can also have a profound impact on our behaviours, values, and attitudes. This exciting new book examines the powerful role stories can play in schools both as a curriculum/teaching tool and as a framework for school improvement.

The Stories We Tell looks holistically at the uses of story in schools and sets out the ways it can be used to support teaching, including by:

• Organising the curriculum and helping to structure lessons
• Aiding students’ memorisation
• Promoting inclusion
• Preparing students for future success

In addition, it offers four ways of using story and storytelling in the school improvement process to:

• Consult, communicate, and collaborate with stakeholders during the school improvement journey
• Articulate a vision for the future and foster a set of shared values
• Build trust and adopt ethical leadership behaviours to create a no-blame culture that encourages risk-taking
• Resolve conflict and manage people, and lead change and manage PR

Providing a fresh and stimulating approach to teaching and learning, curriculum-development, and school improvement, this will be valuable reading for teachers and school leaders across the primary and secondary phases.