Shazman Shariff
Teacher, NHVPS, RR Nagar, Bengaluru.
Shazman is an English and mass Media Studies teacher at National Hill View Public School, RR Nagar, Bengaluru. She enjoys teaching and finds every moment spent with students rewarding. Shazman enjoys making academic transaction interesting for students.
“Can I share an interesting anecdote with you all?” I halted in the middle of a lecture as I recalled an incident which I thought would add an interesting dimension to the explanation of the story in my English class. “Yes ma’am, yes ma’am!” my students erupted with excitement looking forward to a riveting digression that is quite a routine feature in my lectures. Sprinkling the classroom discourse with personal insights, an experience from my student years, and some engaging story read long ago is my distinct approach to create a conducive learning atmosphere that contrasts the humdrum didactic method of teaching.
To provide students a unique and absorbing experience, I bank on anecdotes and real-life examples which I glean from various sources like newspapers, novels, friends’ conversations, social media and above all, my own observations and encounters. While planning the lesson, I take out the most perfect anecdote from my arsenal of stories to match with the lesson and effectively utilise it for introducing the lesson or for providing the real-life connections. At times, the whole process is quite extemporaneous. It so happens while teaching a particular poem or a lesson, a recollection of some event or an incident starts flashing in the catalogue of my memory, holding some relevance or interesting background information. At that moment, a quick narration provides that quantum of energy and freshness to the classroom environment which leads the way for a lively interactive session, curious questioning or enlightening information sharing that help students remember the session well. To me, it provides an insight to see how each student takes the discussion forward adding his or her unique perspective. I also observe those who prefer to stay out of the entire process, nevertheless, they enjoy the show from the periphery.
In terms of pedagogical benefits, anecdotes or personal narratives reinforce learning as it infuses storytelling in lectures that creates an element of interest and involvement. I remember while teaching the play “On the Face of it” a play by Susan Hill from 12th standard English, I could not resist talking to my students about a cousin born with some facial deformity. I was particularly moved by the line, “Look at that, that’s a terrible thing. That’s a face only a mother could love.” The pathos conveyed in the idiom had a living visual for me and the explanation I presented to my students was augmented with the real emotions. The lesson “Lost Spring” by Anees Jung, a journalist, and her interactions with a rag-picking child propel me to talk about how I also happened to have the same concern for the children from slum dwellings during my stint as a feature writer for a newspaper.
Stories are not just random ideas, they are a collection of polished thoughts and embellished visualisation that display vivid creativity and fascination. When teachers use a story to explain an idea or a new concept, they not only ignite the imagination of the students, they also intensify their retention power by employing the learning technique of mnemonics. Students manage to remember the main information - it can be a pivotal character, a gripping dialogue or a significant event in the story, by associating it with the anecdote narrated by the teacher.
Apart from its myriad educational benefits, storytelling has a consequential role in creating a light-hearted atmosphere of learning where students receive lessons wrapped in interesting narratives. Furthermore, it gives rise to beautiful teacher-learner bonding when the anecdotes reveal to the students a facet of their teachers’ personality which somehow gets overshadowed by the strict demeanour required for the position. Enthralling episodes from a teacher’s life, giving students a peep into their lives - mishaps and mistakes, choices and decisions, nurture a delightful relationship where students don’t see teachers as authoritative figures to be despised, but as fallible individuals loaded with a quiver full of stimulating stories-some personal, some borrowed.
Shortened:
"Would you mind if I share an interesting anecdote with you all?" I paused during a lecture, recalling an incident that I thought would add an intriguing dimension to the explanation of the story in my English class.
To provide students with a unique and absorbing experience, I rely on anecdotes and real-life examples from various sources. A quick narration at that moment provides energy and freshness to the classroom environment, leading the way for a lively interactive session, curious questioning, or enlightening information sharing that helps students remember the session well.
In terms of pedagogical benefits, anecdotes or personal narratives reinforce learning as they infuse storytelling into lectures, creating an element of interest and involvement. When teachers use a story to explain an idea or a new concept, they not only ignite the imagination of the students, they also intensify their retention power by employing the learning technique of mnemonics.
Apart from its myriad educational benefits, storytelling has a consequential role in creating a lighthearted atmosphere of learning where students receive lessons wrapped in interesting narratives. Furthermore, it gives rise to a beautiful teacher-learner bonding when the anecdotes reveal to the students a facet of their teachers' personality.
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