Thursday, September 15, 2005

The Privileged Status of Story (Ask the Cognitive Scientist) American Educator
You may have noticed that we focus greatly here on stories, above and beyond history. At least as it appears in texts. We've talked a little about this need, but never really gone into detail about why its so critical that we step up to the plate and return good stories to a place of prominence in the everyday curriculum.

This article nails the topic. Starting with a wonderful description of what actually makes a story, cognitive scientist and educator Daniel Willingham describes why minds accept and remember well-told stories. He then suggests ways to use this in the classroom; not just to retell small stories, but to structure lessons. Applause applause!

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