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Why explain when you can narrate?

Learning is the essence of life! Every day we observe experience and learn something new. No matter what we achieve in life or where we reach academically and professionally, our learning never stops.

That brings us to the million-dollar question; what is the best way to learn?

As parents and teachers, how can we ensure that our young ones are learning the right way and making progress in life? Is it enough to keep a track of their school grades or is there a necessity to look beyond the grades and immerse ourselves in the process of their learning?

Parents act as the first teachers for all children. They observe and learn basic communication, manners and behavior from their parents & other members of the family. As parents, we are expected to chart a trajectory that promotes the overall well-being of our children and enable them to learn and grow in life. This article aims to empower parents & caregivers with basics of new-age learning techniques that rely on experiential learning through narratives.

Stories are the spark!

Storytelling is perhaps the most powerful way that human beings organize experience. Some have argued that narrative thinking is the optimum form of thinking for learning and expressing what we know about ourselves and about other people. By the time most children are 3 or 4 they can tell many kinds of stories: autobiography, fiction, and reports they have overheard.

Narrative is better than an explanation!

While stories play the role of building basic communication and helping children understand the world around them, they play a huge role in how students learn. Narrative based learning is what we at CIS practice and believe in. But, without the parents understanding and getting actively involved in the process, the effectiveness of this programme cannot be a full 100%.

How can parents help?

We understand that in majority of families, both the parents are working, and hence may not be able to give too much time to the learning needs of their young ones. That’s why we have charted out few ways that you could immerse in your child’s narrative-based learning. Next time you interact with your little one, try following.

• Make an observation about the task or content
• Ask a question about the task or content
• Share a personal or home connection
• Share a feeling
• Offer a suggestion
• Offer a next step
• Ask for more information
• Ask for more explanation

We believe that by doing so, you will be able to gain an insight into your child’s learning curve and also gauge their knowledge. This will give you the chance to acknowledge and appreciate their learning or offer assistance as and when needed. You will be able to make mental notes of how your child is doing and what they need help with. This knowledge and insight will help you have specific conversation with your ward’s teachers too.
Let’s immerse in our little one’s learning through storytelling so that we can help them learn through experience and go beyond the books! Looking forward to your comments and suggestions!