SHU Stories from the Heart

Why do we tell stories? Telling stories allows us to express ourselves in ways that communicate who we truly are. When you tell stories you are being vulnerable. No matter the extent to which you open up, it's amazing that you got that far. I see the stories of those around me portrayed in various ways. Each and every story is beautiful and deserves to be heard. I am so excited to share my thoughts with you all on the amazing ways to share your story! Please click on the links throughout the website to see some amazing resources I have found along the way! :)  Oral Storytelling When we orally tell a story, we are able to emphasize the most impactful parts of our story. This could be as simple as sharing your day with someone, or as complex as retelling your entire life story to someone who wants to hear. Any time you open up and share your story, a new one is made. Being able to tell your story in words requires you to be brave. Even times where you share and don't open up comp

      As human beings we often find ourselves struggling to make sense of our world.  This becomes even more evident when faced with real life and death situations.  The human body is incredibly tuned to handle a variety of situations.  We have all heard tales of people doing harrowing things in the face of danger.  On the news it isn’t uncommon to hear during an interview “the adrenaline kicked in and I didn’t stop to think, I just jumped in and helped.”  The human body is incredible at finding wellsprings of strength and determination in emergencies but what happens when the adrenaline fades away?  What happens when we aren’t faced with a life or death emergency but simply loss, grief, or sadness?  For most people dealing with stressful life situations and emotions can be overwhelming; those moments after the dust has settled and we are left with just our thoughts or worse, unanswered questions.  As amazing as the human body is there is no autopilot function for dealing with profo

Photographs-What do they mean to you?                                                               I take pictures to admire, document, edit, remember, and share. I don’t take pictures to make a living but many do. I’ve never thought about selling a photo I've taken because they usually are quick shots taken on my IPhone. When buying photos people look for color, angle, elements, scenery, and connection. Yes, connection. We spend our lives in search for people, places, and things that we connect to and find meaning in. There are different types of connections, how do you define one? My personality thrives when I can relate to someone or something I'm doing. Most people itch to tell stories and share their links. For example, in college someone tells you they have been to Fairfield. You immediately want to spit out a plethora of words about how you live there, know the best restaurants (Colony Grill, Firehouse Deli, Brick and Wood), and brag about how John Mayer went to the sam

The Art of Happiness & Storytelling By: Jaclyn Servillo  Joy in Learning       When you hear the word, school what do you think of? Many students, especially high school students may describe “school” as boring or too much work. Creating joy and purpose in the classroom is essential to learning well. As humans I think we all want to have fun and when we are experiencing joy we want to continue to experience that emotion. Learning can be fun and enjoyable, but ultimately I do think that relies on what the teacher plans and the types of activities they create. Even as a high school teacher, I am always looking for ways to make my lessons fun and engaging. I want my students to feel joy walking into my classroom, and I never want to be that class that most students hate going too.  Importance of Student Relationships  It is so important to know your students and be perceptive enough to know when students are overwhelmed or stressed. For example, in Katie Cunningham's book Start