The Power of a Story

The week started as normal until one of our Alpha students asked to go to the Nurse’s Clinic. Ms. Kemp was trying to understand what was going on, and it didn’t take long for her to realize that the student was not ill, but rather missing their teacher, who was not at school on that day.

Nurse Conroy is simply the best, but Ms. Kemp knew that kind of boo-boo does not get better in the Clinic.

Ms. Kemp decided to bring the friend to my office so they could have a chance to talk to me about why they were upset. We sat on the couch and I asked, “How about we read a book together?” Their eyes lit up.

I chose a book but they did not like it, and preferred to go through my little collection and choose a different one called “What George Forgot” by Kathy Wolff. We read words and pictures, savoring the funny jokes and the silliness of George, the main character.

During storytime we paused many times to make comments and share with each other the parts we thought were really funny. We also made connections with ordinary moments of our own lives, such as the cereal we like to eat, our siblings, how we get to school and the clothes we wear.

That story cured the temporarily sad heart.

This morning I went back to check on my friend and I let them share the book with the rest of the classroom. Their excitement was palpable.

I don’t know about you, but using stories to heal hearts seems like a win-win!

Let’s never underestimate the power of a good story and the power of togetherness. It’s just that simple.

And if when it’s over they ask for you to read it again… you do read it again!

We thread this adventure together, “once upon a time”.