Madeline Northrop

Learning stories are written for the student, their family and to educators which may include the writer themselves. However, these learning stories aren’t only beneficial for the student. It can have a positive impact on any of its readers. Students can feel a sense of pride and recognition from the teacher as they listen to a story made for them and about them. I knew this learning story was a success based on the reaction I received from the readers. While reading this story to my student, she engaged in it from beginning to end. She told me about what she was doing on each page, and wanted to recreate the story as soon as it was over. Each of my students cared about their learning stories and asked to show other students what I had just created for them. Tom Drummond taught an entire college course on learning stories and got feedback from his students about their ideas and thoughts on how these learning stories impacted themselves and others who read the story. One student said, “My child is one of those quiet ones that are hard to read. After she read her Learning Story she began to be more expressive in school.” (Drummond 2018) Some learning stories help students gain more self confidence in the classroom because they realize they are being noticed and appreciated. However, these learning stories aren’t only meant to tell the story of a child. It is also meant for the writer to describe what the documented experience the child had means in terms of learning. It will also include where the writer sees this type of experience going in the future. Finally, it includes a portion for the family to reflect on these items and write about their views of the story. These learning stories help educators see children in new lights. They have to look at experiences children are having, consider what the students are learning through these experiences and what they can do to encourage these experiences or take them to the next level in terms of the student’s learning.

Drummond, T. (2018) Writing Learning Stories. Retrieved July 27, 2018, from https://tomdrummond.com/looking-closely-at-children/writing-learning-stories