Sarah Stuteville's TED Ed video was very motivating. There's something inspirational about throwing caution to the wind and chasing your dreams, even if (or maybe especially if) that takes you to the most remote corners of the world, facing imminent and very real danger. But my favorite thing about the Common Language Project is that they are telling the stories of those who otherwise wouldn't have a voice or a platform from which to share their testimonies.
What is newsworthy? News is not cut and dry. News can be anything that informs people of an event in a way that grabs and holds the attention of the reader or viewer. According to Chapter 8 in the course text, news has many purposes--to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. Stories that make a difference are newsworthy.
As teachers, it is our job to instill in our students a love of stories, regardless of the content area we may find ourselves teaching. Literature and storytelling encompasses all subjects and disciplines. It is also important for us to teach our students that the most important story they will ever tell is their own. I believe this is especially pertinent where we live and teach. In an area like Appalachia, where students may feel underappreciated and at times forgotten by the rest of the world, it can be empowering for them to understand that they have important stories to share. Student motivation is always highest when the student is personally invested in the assignment, and nothing is more personal than a student telling the story of his or her origins or first-hand experiences. There is also nothing more powerful.
Sharing stories is an excellent way for students to be immersed in authentic learning as well as place-based learning. Projects like the digital storytelling project we completed this semester not only connect the world of education with real-world issues, but also with the area where the storyteller grew up, which often serves as the setting for the story.
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