248. Rethinking Narrative Writing: A Better Way to Teach Students to Write

Personal narratives have long been a staple in elementary writing instruction—but what if this traditional approach is actually holding our students back? In this episode, we’re rethinking the role of personal narrative writing and exploring why it can be such a challenging task for students. From memory recall struggles to a lack of structured storytelling practice, we’re unpacking the reasons personal narratives often fall flat in the classroom.

Instead of having students write about personal experiences they can’t quite remember or don’t feel confident sharing, what if we shifted our focus toward content-based expository and narrative writing? When students write about what they’ve learned—whether it’s a science topic, a social studies figure, or a story they’ve read—they’re better equipped with the background knowledge and vocabulary to write with clarity, detail, and structure.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through why content-rich writing tasks can lead to better writing outcomes, how to redefine narrative writing beyond personal stories, and what it looks like to create a knowledge-driven writing block. If you’ve been frustrated with vague student writing or looking for ways to make your writing instruction more meaningful, this episode is a must-listen!

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To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode248.