Why Story?

Abstract

As I began to write Learning Stories using the new indicators, I became aware that the stories that really excited me were generally stories that illustrated one or more of the indicators. The significance of this is the fact that I am discovering more about myself as an educator, about the connection between what I value, what I teach, and what I recognise as meaningful learning. The implications of this are twofold. Firstly, this process can empower us as educators. It allows us to explore our own values, attitudes and beliefs and to examine our practice, criti-quing its elements and understanding whether or not what we are doing complements our values. This in turn, allows us to shape our practice. (Nikki, teacher in a Year One and Year Two classroom) Nikki was a teacher researcher on the same practitioner research project as Yvonne S., whose story about Abagail was included in the previous chapter. Nikki and Yvonne were using Learning Stories in their classrooms. This chapter includes data from this project and others to outline the possibilities of Learning Stories as assessment practice. There are three major aspects to this discussion: assessment for learning; assessment practice as narrative research; and the development of Learning Stories.