Sharing Adams story with a group of all boys gave them something that they could identify with as they had followed a similar pathway. The group were able to reflect on their own journeys and how much they had progressed since joining college.
Sharing parts of my own journey and Marie’s with a group of all girls helped me to break down barriers, gain their trust and open up communication so I could get to know them. This was hugely beneficial as it enabled me to bring their experiences into the classroom and plan lessons inspired by their interests aiming to make them feel valued. Sharing stories definitely has a huge impact on the learners.
On my first day I walked into a classroom with one person head butting a computer screen telling me they wanted to go to prison and others staring into space and not communicating at all. Now they are turning up early to class, engaging in discussions and are talking about their life goals and what they might want to do for a job or further study.
Each day brings a new challenge as I never know what experiences each individual may have encountered outside of the classroom. This is something I cannot change but I can support them in having choices. I’ve discovered the words I believe in you and I am proud of you are so powerful too as many have never been told this.
Sharing stories is really important it empowers the learners and makes them feel less alone. A role model can give a person hope and inspires them to believe they can do it too. Thank you to all those involved in FE Transforms for the inspiration.