Stories. That word alone is groundbreaking. It means listening, looking, hearing, and thinking. Stories light a fire. That means learning.
Children have more ideas and thoughts in their heads than we realize. Their brains are gigantic sponges; they see it all and hear it all. The last part to develop, and the most important, is verbalizing everything that is in their brain. In order to do that, they need words, lots of words – and then more words.
When the school year begins, I jump into reading aloud picture books and chapter reading books with both feet. Children are constantly hearing words- oh, their brain is soaking it up. The next step is writing picture stories, because they need to use their language and verbalize what they are thinking.
In September we write about what we like to do in school.
Imagine being three or four years old and asked by your teacher what you like to do in school. And then, your teacher carefully writes every word that you say. That tells a child that words are important. The ‘frosting on the cake’ to validate a child’s words is asking the child to illustrate what s/he has said.
Writing picture stories brings thinking and language together. It empowers children.
The day after Halloween we write picture stories again. Children have many memories and thoughts. By now, their language has become more descriptive. Two months of reading-aloud is proof.
As the year progresses, we read, discuss, debate, write, and facilitate vocabulary. This past week one of the words in our current chapter reading book, Little House on the Prairie, was “wavering”. Of course that was an unfamiliar word, so we stopped to talk about it. When we read the final chapter in Mr. Popper’s Penguins, titled “Farewell” we stopped to learn about the word. Children at the end of the day were saying “farewell”.
Our final picture stories for the school year were, “When I Grow Up”. This sparked new thinking. We were writing about the future. Our earlier picture stories were about the recent past, or what is currently happening.
As I wrote the words, I carefully scribed and read aloud each one, word by word, so children could connect every printed word to their own words.
It’s all about language. The more words a child hears, the better s/he will do in school in all subject areas. Period. Now, if that doesn’t make every parent run to the library, and make every teacher institute multiple ways of promoting language, then I will keep shouting this loud and clear.
How simple; increase the number of words and a child does better in school. Write about it, and the child wants to do better. Win-win.
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
I love the stories that come from children)
Me, too, Beth!
Children are like sponges indeed. And I can think of nobody better to fill that sponge with ideas and knowledge than you, Jennie. Nobody, full stop.
Best wishes, Pete.
They are definitely sponges! Thank you so much for your very kind words. They mean a lot. Best to you, Pete.
Precious in so many ways. I am sure parents will preserve these for years to come.
I hope they do, Flower. Thank you!
Oh I love this!
I’m all for children hearing those stories and using the vocabulary themselves in talk!!!
That will lead to beautiful stories from them 😄
Yes! YES!! 😀
😄
The things I miss most about teaching are reading with the kids and writing with them. Your thoughts on kids and learning, reading, and writing are all spot-on.
Thank you, Anneli. It’s my favorite teaching thing to do. Makes such a difference!
It sure does!
🙂
“The more words a child hears, the better s/he will do in school in all subject areas.”
It’s really a pretty simple concept, but the execution takes a lot of work. Your stories are proof of that.
Thank you, Dan. If teachers read multiple times a day, and stopped along the way to talk about what was read, then the writing part is fun. I will keep preaching! 🙂
Suh wise words, Jennie. You provide these children with such a good start in school and in life. ❤
Thank you, Darlene. 😍
That should be such. I am too quick to hit the post comment button.
I do the same thing all the time! 🙂
Great process, Jennie.
Thank you, John.
You are welcome, Jennie
Lovely ‘presentation’ format on this post, Jennie!
Thank you, Laura! 🙂
I love this; we have a video of our thn five year old son saying, in the poshest English voice you ever heard (long gone with exposure to all sorts of riff raff at Uni!!) ‘pasta is loathsome’. Makes my heart sing still… this is soooo true
Thank you, Geoff! Your video is definitely a keeper. I’m at the stage in life where our grandchildren are desperately loving stories of their parents. Jennie the storyteller is in her glory. 🙂 So, save all that good stuff. What a treat it will be for you to share down the road.
“Pasta is loathsome.” What a great line! Someone could build an entire short story off that line. Your son, perhaps?
Your classroom sounds suspiciously like mine:) We kept a list this year of how many books we read and it came to 360- averages about two a day:)
I always knew we were in sync with our classrooms, AJ! Reading is the best!
It is! That’s my one goal each year is to have all of my children readers by the end of June. I succeeded this year:). It’s pretty cool that whenever there were a few minutes this year- my students suggested reading a book.
Wonderful!
So true, every word. Such lucky kids to have you.
Thank you, Marlene. 🙂
Perfect, Jennie. I love children’s stories.
Thank you, Norah. 🙂
You are welcome, Jennie. 🙂
Every child deserves a teacher like you. Every very lucky child gets one.
That is no nice, Barb. Thank you! 😊
Children often seem wiser than adults. To encourage their growth like you do is definitely a win-win
situation.
miriam
They are definitely wise. I think it’s because there are no restrictions on their thinking, and so many words and books poured into their minds. Yes, win-win. Thank you, Miriam.
😊 .I do agree with you, children’s minds are frequently both more creative and freer.
Yes! 🙂
Spot on Jennie.
You might want to have a look at what I’ve been doing with my grandchildren. Here’s one of the books Emily wrote (with a little help from me) :
Wonderful, Opher. You are giving Emily a gift by encouraging her language and thinking. She is a lucky one! Thank you, Opher.
This post really resonated with me. When I was little, one of the greatest joys of my young life was learning a new word. (It still is, for that matter.) Ironically, one of the biggest challenges I have teaching the writing process to college students is purpose and audience: #1, you have something important to say, and #2 there are people who want to hear and will appreciate what you have to say. One of the challenges for the students is not having read enough to possess the words to tell their stories in the way they want to tell them.
I know what you mean. If your students believe they have something important to say, and there are people who want to heat it, that is a huge first step. Any reading they can do is a good thing.
I’m taking this post as step #1 in a series of storytelling posts. Even a small event in one’s life can be a story that is (as you said) important to say, and something people will want to hear. Thank you, Liz!
You’re welcome! I look forward to your upcoming story posts.
🙂
What a great recipe for personal growth, Jennie! I often think that we adults don’t listen to children enough – as if they are too young to think about anything worthwhile. I think that as kids get older and can write that they will be given time each day in school to keep a journal about things that are important to them – a private journal.
Well said, John. Children have so many thoughts in their heads. If we listen and help them to verbalize, and then write, we are giving children lifelong tools. I love how you said it.
Oh Jennie, If only we could clone you!!!! What magic you have produced for those wonderful children. All of them will remember you for a lifetime, and I bet their own children will grow up to be rich in words too. Thank you so much forever for being who you are. If you ran for President, I would vote for you!!!
Aww… that is so kind Anne. Thank you! 😊
Terrific advice, Jennie. Is it ever too soon to start!
Definitely! 🙂
What a wonderful way to celebrate your childrens’ natural story-telling skill…
Thank you, Sarah. 🙂
Children tell the best stories 🙂
They really do! 😀
What another great information, You have chosen a very nice comparison, with the children’s brain and the sponge. This also explains why it is much easier for children to learn a foreign language. Michael
Yes, children are sponges, and they can learn another language quickly. Thank you so much, Michael. 🙂
children remind us all how we use to be
Yes! 🙂