AbstractsEducation Research & Administration

Effective teaching strategies can be defined as utilizing the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, which include understanding, application and analysis (Flynn, Mesibov, Vermette & Smith, 2004). Teachers that use effective teaching strategies can significantly impact the future earnings of their students. Students that are recipients of these strategies receive a higher quality of K-12 education, which leads to a higher caliber of colleges and universities chosen. As a result of the higher education institutions attended, students become more competitive when entering an evolving workforce, earning higher salaries. This study explores the effective teaching strategy of storytelling. It identifies best practices of storytelling leaders in education. The literature reveals a link between successful storytelling practices and adult learning theory. There is also a connection between the impact of storytelling and the neuroscience of the brain. The findings are expected to help leaders in education who want to practice storytelling in their leadership practice. As a result of interviewing participants in this study, several themes were discovered that pointed out key factors in best storytelling practices. Some key findings include using stories to encourage critical thinking skills, heighten self-awareness among students, and activate brain triggers that produce an emotional connection around a subject matter. The data collected in study is believed to contribute to the effectiveness of future storytellers who wish to use storytelling as an effective teaching strategy in their leadership practice.