EDUA 5653 Narrative in the Classroom
EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL: NARRATIVE IN THE CLASSROOM
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop once called stories “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.” By this she meant that good literature allows children to learn about themselves—and people different from them—through the vehicle of narrative. When harnessed correctly, narrative is a powerful pedagogical tool that can inspire students to be reflective, creative, and expressive of their ideas—all while supporting literacy skills and building connections with those around them.
In this course, 5th- to 12th-grade teachers of all subject areas will learn how to use personal narrative to enhance students’ writing skills as well as build community in the classroom. You’ll get Common Core-aligned strategies for teaching narrative writing, from the pre-assessment and pre-writing stages to editing and revision. Through scaffolded activities, you’ll be able to develop students’ analytical and content mastery skills, as well as their ability to share and learn from one another’s work. In addition, you’ll explore culturally responsive and differentiated instruction techniques to reach students from diverse backgrounds.
Using the tools from this course, both you and your students will learn the power, joy, and versatility of narrative in the classroom. After all, everyone has a story to tell.