Start with Story...

Yesterday I centered my focus on my newfound enchantment with podcasts. Today I recalled a podcast that I listed to recently and thought initially, why not do a follow-up to yesterday's blog? It would be a first for me to continue the conversation! I smiled to myself thinking I had my plan... I should've known myself better by now that "smooth sailing" is totally not me. 

As I write this evening I'm thinking to myself, what label should I put today's blog under? I will mention KDP, Resources, speak generally and about literacy. If I were one of my students I would tell myself to write, as that's the most important move to make first. Detailed decisions can be made in a play later to help win the game. So, let the story begin: 

I had the pleasure of working with one of my KDP officers this evening on a few projects that are on the high priority list. One being a presentation for Clinical 1 students next month to present the value of KDP and show our support for them as they enter this exciting, yet difficult time in their career. Especially with so many unknowns, having the support of other educators is a vital lifeline they will need. Using this energy to spearhead a new presentation, we began our work. Given our experiences and passion, we both thought "this will be simple." Like every story however, there's always a twist; how do we "hook" them to join?

What usually happens in the presentation is we "sell" membership by sharing with potential future members the truth; KDP is an amazing organization of educators from around the world with a common purpose and from all areas and levels within the field. It also comes with many benefits. Having known this for many years, I shared with my officer a risk I wanted to take... I wanted to tell the story...Unrivaled by other types of presentations, this one was destined to be a podium placer. With my mind in a whirl of interconnections moving at a speed that would make light look like it was on a Sunday stroll, I leaped into my explanation. 

The power of story is what has moved us since the dawn of time. (I know cliche, not original, what else is new right?) But that's exactly what we've been missing! All the switches clicked on at once, and I immediately thought back to the podcast I originally wanted to discuss here tonight. On Episode 8 Your Story Matters on Read, Write, Think and Listen with Renee (a literacy consultant I've been privileged to know this past year as she visited my school district,) Antonio Sacre discussed how and why stories matter, and why we need to continue to tell stories, now more than ever. And you know something? He's absolutely right. This is predictably why he is known as one of the best storytellers. Oh, and if you're looking for more information about Renee, check out my favorite links! 

So this year, the approach for our presentation is going to reflect on our story, not our sale. This was in front of us all along. In fact, we always end up telling our story, but not usually until our first meeting. There's no time to wait when you have pre-service teachers you want to uplift and support. Our story needs to be told, and it will be shared with these students so they will know they have a group that is interested in their story, so we can write the rest ours together. 

Perhaps what's even more ironically more chilling is the answer was always in front of me, even before finding this great podcast. It was a sign I walked by, a whisper I never leaned in to, and a connection I never paused to verify so I could apply it appropriately. You see, for those that aren't aware, I'm a huge Disney fan (we can have a whole separate blog post, section, and page for that!) so many of my best lessons are derivate of there (or figure skating and dance!) Last year was the final performance for my favorite show, Illuminations in Epcot. Making it's debut on New Years Eve 1999-2000 (which yes I was there for) the show finally closed the curtain for good. For anyone whose seen it, you'll for sure have the same "lightbulb" moment I did. Before the show starts, and as the sun sets (if you're there in the summer) other music is playing and the flames are turned on around the park. To begin the show, the narrator begins with: 
"We’re gathered here tonight, around the fire — as people of all lands have gathered for thousands and thousands of years before us — to share the light, and to share a story. An amazing story as old as time itself, but still being written. And though each of us has our own individual stories to tell, a true adventure emerges when we bring them all together as one. We hope you enjoy our story tonight: Reflections of Earth. " 

Trends may come and go, tough times never last, but tough people do, and story is what truly brings us all together... 
Final thought: We must never forget the power of story in what we do; it's the glue that binds and keeps plowing forward and inspired to keep writing. Always reach for your goals, keep working, and keep writing your story... 
*The End* (come to think of it- that was a nice story, now wasn't it? I still wonder where to file it... :o) 

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