“We also need to be sensitive to students who may be stigmatized for their condition by peers and others, and may internalize the stigma and sense of shame. Sharing stories about homeless and transient families will help them know they are not alone, provide opportunities to counter negative stereotypes, and help the rest of the students become more empathetic and understanding” (Goodman, 2018, pg. 25).
This passage stood out to me for highlighting the importance of storytelling in the classroom. The EVC tells stories through film and video, which, as stated above combats stigma and shame, and promotes empathy. When tackling trauma and inequity in the classroom storytelling via different artistic modalities pushes beyond regurgitative learning to create social emotional impact. I am currently enrolled in a drama education class at Steinhardt and am constantly in awe of drama’s power to transform experiences, or show foreign-seeming experiences, in a relatable way, a way that traditional reading and writing cannot. The EVC empowers agentive storytelling that reflects concerns adolescents have about their lives and communities; devised drama, student choreography, spoken word, and other artistic narrative devices can do the same.
An example of this is a recent experience with the 4th grader I nanny, who was telling me about a book her class was reading at school, inspired by Einstein’s famous (and debated) quote, ‘Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid’. The book, Fish In a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, tells the story of Ally, a 6th grade student with dyslexia. It was obvious this book had an impact on my 4th grader as she continued to tell me the story and speak about dyslexia for about 10 minutes without pause. Her interest and detailed retelling, showed the narrative power of fictional storybooks in dismantling stigma and facilitating empathy. Adding to her enthusiasm, she told me that her teacher assigned the students the task of creating a skit or a comic (à la graphic novel) to infer additional details about the supporting characters in the book and how they responded to Ally’s dyslexia. This 4th grade student, who in all honesty, can be a bit judgmental, especially about learning ability (she is in the Talented and Gifted program at her school), had made a complete 180, fully empathizing on a deep level with a fictional character two grades older than her but with the reading comprehension of someone much younger. Story telling is powerful and should be utilized in the classroom whenever possible.
