Hello friend.
Storytelling is the classroom leadership secret weapon you need in your toolkit. And today you're going to learn all about it.
Stories have built empires, sparked movements, and given life meaning.
Modern humans have existed for roughly 200,000 years, but mass communication through books is only 600 years old.
The written word is the new kid on the block. The oral tradition of storytelling is the real OG of human civilization.
But teachers criminally underuse this ability.
As educators, we cram facts into learners’ brains but get frustrated when they don’t engage with the material.
But if you really want your students to deeply embed what they learn, stories are the best tools for the job.
In this TOTR edition, you will learn:
• Why we love stories
• What stories do to our brains
• And a simple three-part story framework that will have your students on the edge of their seats.
Now, let’s dive in.
1: Why Do Stories Matter?
This goes back to our evolution as a species. Our brains are wired to respond to narrative, and for good reason.
Back in prehistoric times, storytelling was essential to our survival.
It allowed us to share information about food sources, predators, and other dangers. The ability to tell stories also helped our ancestors form social bonds and build communities.
Without stories, our modern civilisations wouldn’t exist.
And this is why Hollywood is a multi-billion dollar industry.
Stories help us find meaning in an unpredictable world.
2: What Stories Do to Our Brains
In 2010, Princeton University researcher Uri Hasson and his colleagues published a study in The Journal of Neuroscience that used functional MRI to measure brain activity during storytelling1.
Here's what they found:
• The brain activity of listeners and speakers became ‘synced’ during storytelling.
• The stronger the synchronization, the better the listener understood the story.
• Stories activate brain areas tied to social interaction and understanding others' feelings.
Other research concluded that storytelling releases oxytocin – the ‘feel good’ chemical that helps promote empathy and trust2.
Storytelling temporarily allows us to step into other people's minds. This is the closest we get to telepathy. Great storytelling makes you likeable and earns 'buy-in' – and you will need both to be a great teacher.
So, how do we create great stories?
I know just the guy that can help.
3: The Peter Guber Story Framework
Peter Guber is a legendary Hollywood producer and former executive at Sony Pictures and Warner Bros., known for producing iconic films like Rain Man, Batman, and The Color Purple.
Guber has an eye for a great story and made a framework to separate the successes from the stinkers.
I adapted this technique from his book Tell to Win, and with practice, you can craft great stories about almost anything.
To demonstrate, I’ll use this framework to tell Professor Stephen Hawking’s life story.
PART 1: The Challenge
Get your listeners’ attention with an unexpected challenge or question.
What would you do if you were told at twenty-one that you only had one year to live?
Pause and let the question hang in the air. Get 'em thinking!
PART 2: The Story
Give your listeners an emotional experience by telling the story of how to overcome the challenge or find the answer to the opening question.
This happened to Professor Stephen Hawking just as he graduated from Oxford University with a burgeoning career in the sciences. Professor Hawking seemed to have that bright future taken from him after being diagnosed with a rare form of Motor Neurone Disease. Professor Hawking knew he had to act fast and started working on his groundbreaking theories… He had to make every day count.
PART 3: The Resolution
End the story with a powerful lesson and a call to action.
Despite losing the ability to move and speak independently, Professor Hawking discovered the Laws of Black Hole Mechanics, Hawking Radiation and wrote the best-seller, “A Brief History In Time.” He outlived the doctor’s death prediction by 60 years and contributed much to the world. Looking at Professor Hawking’s story, can you think of new ways to overcome your challenges?
Remember:
• Human brains are wired to respond to stories
• Storytelling ‘syncs’ our brains with other people
• Storytelling builds up feelings of goodwill, empathy and trust
• Use the Peter Guber Story Framework of Challenge, Story and Resolution to make your narratives engaging and exciting.
After reading this newsletter, I hope you have a much greater appreciation of the power of storytelling.
I wish you every success going forward!
If you enjoyed learning about the power of storytelling, then three other techniques do wonders in your classroom.
I’ve put these techniques and more into my flagship online course, ‘The Classroom Management Black Belt Level 1.’
I’ve condensed 16 years of experience and hundreds of consultancy hours into this course to help you engage any class.
If you are stuck with disruptive, hostile and disinterested students, then this is for you.
Last week, I announced a special January 50% discount: from £59.99 to £29.99.
But this ends tomorrow (Friday 24th January) at 8pm.
If you want to grab the discount, copy this code:
TOTR50PCOFFJAN2025
And then click the link below and pop it into the ‘coupon’ tab to get 50% off.
https://payhip.com/order?link=t6wQl&pricing_plan=nKGv5bZ9Bb
This is not something you wanna miss, so you need to get your skates on!
The next TOTR comes out on Thursday, 6th February 2025.
Until then, take care.
Karl
