Who’s the Hero in Your Story?
and…who’s the author?
You’d think that at this stage of my life I wouldn’t still be learning anything new about stories. I started as an English teacher, after all…. But it seems that everywhere I turn, the universe is expanding my understanding of personal narratives and how they impact lives — your life as a teacher, the lives of your students, and yes, their families.
I was invited to write my life story — not just a chronology of the events. Instead, I was invited to identify a few key pivot points where I encountered a challenge and heroically took up the quest. This was an amazing assignment. I highly recommend that you try it! Let me know what you discover!!
I had no trouble thinking of a few turning points. But then, the challenge was to write two versions of that story as
1. a victim (where people or events did something to poor little me) OR
2. a hero (where I get a wake-up call, reconsider my life, and summon the courage to go in a new direction).
It’s powerful to think that we can reframe our story. We are the author!! We can cast ourselves as the courageous hero who took a risk, was willing to fail and kept going until our story culminated in the ending WE want.
A personal example:
Pivot point: Picture me — a first year teacher in 1970, there is a boy in my class (call him Dale) who is always challenging my authority. I am young and have no idea how to handle his class clown act. When he gets started, the whole class gets off track, and my lesson plan is shot. Our show-downs are power struggles. I am humiliated when I lose, but I hate what happens to Dale when I win. I seriously reconsider whether I am meant to be a teacher. I seek help. So far you don’t know if I’m the victim or the hero, right? It could go either way.
My search: Joanne, the teacher across the hall, suggests that I get tough and show him who’s boss. My department chair tells me that some kids just won’t learn — I should forget about Dale and teach the rest. I overhear a teacher tell a student that he wouldn’t amount to anything if he is too lazy to do his homework. She sounds like a bully. I am desperate for a way to get my students to behave.
Outcome A - the victim: None of that advice works for me. Clearly the situation is hopeless. I point the finger of blame. It is the kids’ fault – or their families didn’t raise them right – or the school discipline practices don’t work – or my school’s discipline system doesn’t back up the teachers. I have no power. So I have the choice of learning how to survive in a broken system or quitting.
Outcome B - the hero: None of that advice works for me, but I don’t want to give up. I start my quest. I am determined to learn what it will take to BE an effective teacher – the kind of teacher that students will always remember. Over the years special teachers have left their mark on me. I want to do that, too. Through changing job titles (special educator, department chair, transition coordinator, state department specialist, college professor) I have continued my quest to be the kind of teacher that Dale needs. As I look back over my 50 year career, I recall success stories of K-12 students, grad students, teachers, and school leaders who have benefited because of my quest. And I’m just getting started.
How could you use the hero’s journey approach?
For yourself: Play around with your life story. Where have you stopped with a victim ending? Where have you persisted as a hero? I bet there have been lots of examples of heroic persistence in the last year and a half. This has been a hard time in education! Give yourself credit for being a courageous hero!
For your students: Give them a writing prompt (maybe in chunks).
Pivot point: Recall a time when you were faced with a difficult challenge when you had a choice about giving up or courageously going for it. Write it in present tense as though it is happening right NOW. What is that moment like for you?
The search: Describe your struggle. What did you try that didn’t work? What did it feel like to fail? Describe that decision moment when you have to choose to give up or go ahead. Hint: It usually takes courage.
Victim outcome: Write the ending as a victim, blaming other people or events or bad luck. What happens to you if you take this ending?
Hero outcome: Write the ending as a hero, using courage to try something you’ve never done before? What happens to you if you take this ending?
For your families: Send a note home telling them about the assignment for their child. Ask them to think of an example in their own lives. Or – better yet – give your students the assignment to interview someone at home using the 4 steps above.
I’d love to hear what you think of this assignment. How did you use it? How did it turn out? If I get some juicy responses, I’ll write a follow up to this post with examples and comments you sent me. We can all learn in the process!!!
PS. The hero’s journey is embedded in my Joyful Inclusion Mini-course for Teachers. You can learn more about it here.
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