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Four students sit on a classroom floor. One student is speaking and the other three are listening. They are participating in a Narrative 4 Story Exchange.

N4 students participate in a story exchange at the 2019 summit.

Photo courtesy Karlas Powell.

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Narrative 4’s positive classroom impact

Through the exchange of personal narratives we see the world, and ourselves, more empathically

By  Narrative 4
 
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In these complex and uncertain times, Narrative 4 knows you’re gearing up for the new academic year with both trepidation and excitement. However daunting the prospect of teaching virtually or otherwise may be, we want you to know we are here to support you and your community’s needs.

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”If one thing has become abundantly clear, it is that empathy informs a vital intergenerational, interracial and international perspective that must be valued, vaulted and cultivated on a grand scale. Without expanding empathy beyond our in-groups and borders, civilization as we know it will not survive. Empathy training is the key transformative education.”

—Helen Reiss, author of The Empathy Effect, Professor at Harvard Med School, Director of the Empathy and Relational Science Program at Mass General Hospital

Narrative 4 is a global organization driven by artists, shaped by educators and led by students. Our core methodology, the story exchange, is designed to help students understand that their voices, stories, actions and lives matter, and that they have the power to change, rebuild and revolutionize systems.

In a story exchange, participants are paired together and each person shares a story that in some way defines them. Afterwards, participants are responsible for retelling their partner’s story in the first person.

Through the exchange of personal narratives we see the world, and ourselves, more empathically, a belief supported by the work of neuroscientists and by the experiences of story exchange participants.

A group of students stand on a stage with a projection on a screen in the background. They participate in Narrative 4’s Story Exchange program as other students look on.

N4 educators and students from Tampico, Mexico share successes from their K-12 story exchange program.

Photo courtesy Karlas Powell.

Here’s how Narrative 4 can positively impact your classroom right now!

  1. The story exchange is a surefire way to amplify and capture the stories of your students, faculty, administrators and staff who left in March and didn’t return. Whether the stories are of hope, fear, joy or loss, the virtual story exchange ensures everyone has a voice.
  2. Our model builds empathy and meets social emotional learning requirements without taking time away from required curricula.
  3. Our online story exchange facilitator training is an excellent professional development opportunity to prepare staff (and students!) to facilitate safe and brave spaces for story exchanges. 
  4. Finally, Narrative 4 just completed the first major story exchange learning model anchored in “race and identity” which we plan to pilot with schools during the 2020-2021 school year. 

Get to know Narrative 4 through the stories of our students, educators, artists. Then sign-up for a virtual story exchange or an Ask N4 webinar today! 

For more information on bringing Narrative 4 to your school or community contact our Director of Global Programs, Lee Keylock, lee@narrative4.com. 

Chalkbeat’s editorial staff had no role in writing or preparing this paid content. Learn about our sponsored content policy.