1. Building a Culture of Storytelling Steve Edwards Coordinator of Policy, Records Management and Communications

2. “Everything begins with a story.” -- Joseph Campbell, American mythologist, writer and lecturer

3. What I’ve Learned: You will feel lost. You need to laugh. You must be honest. There are no normal kids. Teachers are humble.

4. Stories are a critical element of any effective communications program. Stories are the fundamental building block of communication. Stories are authentic human experiences that connect us. Stories create emotion and are remembered.

5. “Stories have power. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. They help us understand. They imprint a picture on our minds. Want to make a point or raise an issue? Tell a story.” - Janet Litherland, author

6. Building a Culture of Storytelling Get buy-In from your Superintendent/ leadership team

7. Building a Culture of Storytelling Get buy-In from your Superintendent/ leadership team Make it easy to share stories

8. Building a Culture of Storytelling Get buy-In from your Superintendent/ leadership team Make it easy to share stories Make stories visible

9. Building a Culture of Storytelling Get buy-In from your Superintendent/ leadership team Make it easy to share stories Make stories visible Model the culture of storytelling you want to create

10. Storytelling Tips Stories are about people Let the characters speak Make it engaging Remember the emotion Show, don’t tell Have an “Aha” moment Have a clear meaning

12. The Benefits Creating a positive atmosphere Building understanding Raising awareness about challenges

13. CLICK HERE CLICK HERE to view A.J.’s Story

14. Stories can help draw attention to the many positive things in our schools that are overlooked. Start today- Share a story.

15. Steve Edwards Frederick County Public Schools (Va.) Coordinator of Policy, Records Management and Communications edwardss@frederick.k12.va.us 540-662-3888 x88235 edwardss@frederick.k12.va.us