Categories
Communication Lessons

What You Need To Know About Story Structure

Story Structure

Story structure is my favorite lesson to teach.

It’s not a one-and-done lesson.

It’s a topic that bears repeating often.

We review story structure when we read a story written in class.

Or a passage from a book.

We talk about it when we’re discussing a movie or a TV show.

Sometimes, even song lyrics.

Even though we revisit this lesson often, it never gets old.

Why?

Because, although every story has the same basic structure, no two stories are quite alike.

The structure gives us a framework. What we do with it is what makes each story unique.

I’ve taught this lesson so many times that I thought it was time to put it into a workbook.

My classes rely heavily on discussion and interaction, so translating a classroom lesson into a workbook wasn’t exactly a piece of cake.

But my classes are mostly full, and there are plenty of people who want to learn the same things.

I decided to create this lesson in the form of a workbook.

Here’s where every good story begins. Three questions:

  1. What does the character want?
  2. What’s standing in the way?
  3. What happens in the end?

That’s it. Three questions.

Of course, there’s a little more to it than that.

But answering these questions gives you the foundation of a good story.

These questions help you move beyond simply recounting an event to turning an ordinary experience into a story that people want to hear.

There’s a huge difference between telling someone what happened and telling them a story.

You don’t need to be a professional writer to do this.

You just need a few basic tools.

The How to Tell a Story workbook is a practical, step-by-step guide to turning a real experience into a meaningful story. You’ll explore the essential elements of storytelling and practice putting them together at your own pace.

No writing degree required.

Just a story worth telling.

Because everyone has a story to tell. Even you. Especially you.

Ready to find yours?

Explore the How to Tell a Story workbook here.

Categories
Communication Lessons

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Pufferfish

Pufferfish

“Are we going to talk about pufferfish today?”

This was how one of my middle school students greeted me.

Um, no.

This is an English class.

We’re going to be talking about spelling, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

Pufferfish? Not so much.

It reminded me of another middle school student who was absolutely shocked that I didn’t know certain facts about sharks.

“But you’re the TEACHER!” he exclaimed.

Yes, I’m a teacher.

An English teacher.

I don’t know a whole lot about sharks.

Or pufferfish.

Apparently, this was a problem.

The student felt that I should know everything.

About everything.

Because I’m the teacher.

I explained that pufferfish weren’t on the agenda, but I’d be happy to give him the floor at the end of the session so he could share what he knew.

And boy, did he have a lot to say about pufferfish.

It was a fine example of a student teaching the teacher.

I went into class to teach a grammar lesson.

I came out knowing a thing or two about pufferfish.

I teach English.

Apparently I offer electives too!

Categories
Communication Lessons

Why This Anniversary Was Extra Special

Our Wedding Anniversary

Our shop-vac died.

Which isn’t unusual. We’ve had it forever.

We ordered a new one.

As fate would have it, it was scheduled to arrive on our wedding anniversary.

Naturally, the theme of the occasion turned into “This Sucks.”

It’s a good thing that we both have a sense of humor, because the zingers just kept flying.

Then the Grown Sons came home.

They pointed out that the shop-vac doesn’t just suck.

It also blows.

And that, my friends, is how we celebrated our wedding anniversary.

Actually, it was remarkably similar to our wedding day, when one of our friends, possibly after a little too much celebrating, tried to say that we were destined for each other.

Instead, he said that we were doomed.

Honestly, after all these years, I’m beginning to think he might have been right.

Categories
Communication Lessons

How To Teach a Vocabulary Lesson They Won’t Forget

A unanimous decision

It was a unanimous middle-school opinion that stepping on a dog’s paw is much, much, much worse than accidentally hurting another human.

If you hurt a person, you can simply say you’re sorry and move on.

But a dog?

That’s the worst.

The situation can only be rectified with lots of snuggling, apologizing, and many, many treats.

Were we wasting class time discussing this off-topic issue?

Nope.

Unanimous, rectify, and apologize were vocabulary words we had been working on.

The kid telling the dramatic story about accidentally stepping on his dog’s paw wasn’t intentionally using our vocabulary words.

He was just telling a story.

And, I suspect, he was trying to waste time so he wouldn’t have to do any more work.

I wrote a summary of our discussion on the whiteboard, emphasizing the vocabulary words.

Everyone laughed.

And everyone learned.

More importantly, they probably won’t forget those words.

A vocabulary lesson in context is so much more meaningful than memorizing a random list of definitions.

At the end of class, when students are getting restless, I often encourage a little chit-chat.

Then I listen.

Because somewhere in that completely unrelated conversation, there will be an opportunity to use some of our vocabulary words.

When people are laughing, they lean in.

When they lean in, they listen.

And when they’re laughing while learning a new word?

They remember it.

Apparently, even if the lesson starts with a dog’s paw.

Categories
Communication Lessons

Poker: Now I Get It!

Poker:  Apparently Strategy Matters

It only took me an entire lifetime to understand poker.

It’s been explained to me before.

But it all went right over my head.

Again and again and again.

It took an explanation from someone who spoke to me like I was an idiot.

On second thought… someone who recognized my profound idiocy and kindly explained things in terms I could understand.

I’m talking about poker.

Oh, I’ve always understood the game.

It’s the gambling that confused me.

At a recent game night, someone explained the roles of the Big Blind and the Little Blind.

And suddenly the whole thing fell into place.

Of course!

I cleaned up that night.

Seriously – I’ve got a lifetime of catching up to do.

Unfortunately, we weren’t playing for money.

All I really won was a huge pile of chips and some bragging rights.

But hey.

I’ve got a lot of bragging to catch up on.

Poker night?

Bring it on.

Next time… let’s play for money.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

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Categories
Communication Lessons

How To Ask The Right Cow Questions

I had so many questions

I had so many questions.

I was in the bread aisle at Kroger when I spotted a very tall, heavyset woman wearing a cow costume.

Complete with horns, udders, and a tail.

She was also wearing bear-claw slippers.

And a flowery fanny pack.

I stared.

How, exactly, had she managed to buckle a fanny pack around that massive cow costume?

More importantly, why was a cow wearing bear-claw slippers?

I had so many questions.

But I hesitated to strike up a conversation.

What do you say to a gigantic cow-bear woman in the bread aisle?

Excuse me. What’s up with this getup? Do you dress like this every day? Why?

I briefly considered taking a surreptitious picture.

Then I reconsidered.

She was as freakishly large as I am freakishly small.

She could take me out with one hoof.

Or paw.

Whatever.

I decided to mind my own business and went on my way.

Still, I had so many questions.

And now I’ll never know the answers.

Unless, of course, I see her in Kroger again.