Telling a story...

Following on from the last post - about being able to tell a story...

Here is part of an Acknowledgment for Paul Reynolds by Courtney Johnston from her blog Best of 3 :

"I don't know what the story is", he roared in the last meeting I attended with him. "You need to tell me a story!" So I told him a story; a story about dusty books on dark shelves that were full of treasure and wonder, but languishing unknown, which - with a little money and a little effort and a little good will - we could rescue, and release out into the world where they could become useful and marvellous again. And he said thank you, and threw himself behind the idea. So that's what I'll remember, and take into the world with me - the need to tell stories, to excite people, to bring power to your ideas."

This is one of the most interesting blogs I've visited - personal, insightful, eclectic, informative, professional, inspiring.

And in fact, those are probably some good words to describe the late Paul Reynolds too.

Courtney Johnston : art, books and tweeting http://flavors.me/auchmill
Best of 3 blog : http://best-of-3.blogspot.com/

Stories, libraries and learning for life

Right Brain Skills and the Media Center: A Whole New Mind(set) by Doug Johnson in Knowledge Quest, Sept 2007 AASL (American Association of School Librarians), a division of ALA (American Library Association).

This short, persuasive article looks at the theory put forward by Daniel Pink in his book A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age (Riverhead, 2005) which suggests that those who can successfully develop and use the right-brain abilities of high concept (seeing the larger picture, synthesizing information) and high touch (being empathetic, creating meaning) will "rule the future".

Doug Johnson asks "how might libraries cultivate the skills needed by this "conceptual age" worker?" and suggests some strategies and resources provided by libraries to teach these vital skills...

I particularly like the recognition of the power of STORY :

#2. Not just argument, but also STORY.
"When our lives are brimming with information and data, it's not enough to marshal an effective argument… The essence of persuasion, communication, and self-understanding has become the ability also to fashion a compelling story."

Library programs can:

• Ask for student writing using the narrative voice.
  
• Teach speaking skills.
  
• Use storytelling as a part of teaching.
  
• Give students opportunities to both hear and tell stories.
  
• Promote the reading of narratives – fiction, biography, and narrative non-fiction.

Read more