Sue Kuentz's Door to Lore
  • About Sue
    • Hear Stories
    • Press Kit
    • What folks are saying about Sue
    • Where Have I Been Storytelling?
  • Programs
    • Pre-K through 8th grade
    • Reading, Writing, and Storytelling Workshops
  • Storytelling Links
    • Just for Students
    • Just for Teachers
  • Power of Story Blog
  • Calendar
  • Contact Sue
    • Storytelling Fees for Schools and Libraries >
      • Save 50% with TCA
      • Storytelling Fees for Schools and Libraries

Storytelling with Covey's 7 Habits

5/27/2014

4 Comments

 
Picture
Stephen Covey's The Leader in Me is seen through the actions of thousands of students in schools across the United States and beyond. The children learn the strong, confident vocabulary that has helped to shape leaders in every child. The students, teachers, administration, parents, and community work together to bring out the best in every child. 

As I've been storytelling in several "Leader in Me" schools, I've unconsciously categorized all of my tales into the seven habits of highly effective people. It was nice to help students create stronger connections to these 7 habits through folktales, fairytales, and personal tales. The students and staff could internalize the stories, ask questions of the characters, see various points of view, feel the emotions of these characters, and decide if decisions made were clever, foolish, sensible, or just plain crazy! Below I've included some tales that I've told in the schools and have categorized them within the 7 habits. You'll begin noticing that several habits can be found in one story and that's always fun to discover when talking to your listeners after the story is told.

7 Habits Review w/story suggestions

The explanations of the 7 habits was taken from p. 21 in The Leader in Me. I will continue to add storytelling titles to each trait.

1. Be proactive: I'm a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes and moods. I don't blame others for my wrong actions. I do the right thing even when people are not looking.

*King Bidgoodʻs in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood
 *"Mabela the Clever" - retold by Margaret Read McDonald from Teaching with Story
*"Not Our Problem" - folktale from Burma retold by Margaret Read 
McDonald from Teaching with Story, p.29
*"Old Man Wombat", p. 106 of Margaret Read McDonaldʻs Teaching with Story.

2. Begin with the End in Mind: I plan ahead and set goals. I am an important part of my classroom and contribute to my school's mission and vision.
*"The Three Little Pigs"
*The Gingerbread Babyand The Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett
*Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
*"The Enormous Turnip"
*"The Liarʻs Contest" (Twice Upon a Time, p.190) Judy Sierra and Robert Kaminski

3. Put First Things First: I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized.

*"The Ants and The Grasshopper"- Aesop
*"The Little Red Hen"
*"Baby Rattlesnakeʻs First Rattle"-from Margaret Read McDonaldʻs Shake-It Up Tales!- an example of not putting things first)

4. Think Win-Win: I compromise. I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for waht others want. I make deposits in others' Emotional Bank Accounts.

*Swimmy by Leo Leonni
*Jangles: a BIG Fish Story by David Shannon
*"Too Much Noise" - Jewish folktale (p.127 of Len Cabralʻs Storytelling Book)
*"The Debate in Sign Language"- retold by Sid Liberman in From Sea to Shining Sea

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Undersood: I try to walk in other people's shoes trying to see things from their viewpoints. I listen to others without interrupting. I am confident in voicing my ideas. I look people in the eyes when talking.

*Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon
*The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
*Why Mosquitoes Buzz in Peopleʻs Ears by Verna Aardema
*"The Seal Skin" retold by Lynn Rubright in Best-Loved Stories Told at the National Storytelling Festival
*"Grandmother Spider" - Len Cabralʻs Storytelling Book, p.15
*"How to Break a Bad Habit", p. 143, retold by Margaret Read McDonald in Teaching with Story
*"The Blind Men and the Elephant" - p. 25 in Heather Forestʻs Wisdom Tales from Around the World

6.  Synergize: I work well in groups. I seek out other people's ideas to solve problems because I know that by teaming with others we can create better solutions than any one of us alone. I am humble. I value other people's strengths and learn from them.

*Swimmy by Leo Lionni
*"Stone Soup"
*Seven Spools of Thread by Angela Shelf Madearis
*The Three Princes: A Tale from the Middle East retold by Eric A. Kimmel
*"Frog and Lucust Bring the Rain",p. 172 of Margaret Read McDonaldʻs Teaching with Story
*"Two Goats on a Bridge", p. 162 of Margaret Read McDonaldʻs Teaching with Story

7. Sharpen the Saw: I take care of my body by eating right, exercising, and getting sleep. I spend time with family and friends. I learn in lots of ways and lots of places, not just at school. I take time to find meaningful ways to help others.

*The Napping House by Audrey Wood
*"Lincolnʻs Famous Beard" -  told by Lucille and Bren Breneman in Best-Loved Stories Told at the National Storytelling Festival
*"Hardy Hard Head" in Jack Tales by Richard Chase


Wendy Howk, a librarian friend of mine, has an outstanding bibliography of books that she has categorized in each of Covey's 7 traits. You can find her list here.

If you have stories to add to this list, please comment and I'll add them to the 7 Habits!  I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
4 Comments
Carolyn Stearns link
5/28/2014 03:07:10 pm

Just listened to audio of The Leader in Me yesterday and was discussjng it with co workers, and here is such a great support resource! Thanks!

Reply
Stephanie Bird link
5/29/2014 07:07:47 am

Very interesting and useful post. Thank you! I really enjoy your blog and shared that joy with my readers on my blog today, when I nominated you for the blogger's award called the Liebster Award. Visit my blog to learn more and to accept if you'd like.

Reply
Classy Resume Writer - Writing Services link
5/4/2016 07:07:54 am

You're a great blogger! A big applause to you, sir! This is a very exclusive article! At the moment, I don't have stories to add to this list, but I will come back here sooner or later to do so! Keep sharing!

Reply
Patricia link
4/5/2021 06:01:59 pm


I have been reading posts regarding this topic and this post is one of the most interesting and informative one I have read. Thank you for this!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Book me as a storyteller. TCA can help pay fees.
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Want to follow my blog? Just fill in your email below and you'll receive new posts!

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2018
    February 2018
    February 2017
    October 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    October 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013

    Categories

    All
    398.2 Poem And Rap
    7 Habits Of Happy Kids
    Anchor
    Anchor Quotes
    Artifacts
    A To Z Blog Challenge
    Birthday Surprises
    Blogging A Z Challenge
    Blogging A - Z Challenge
    Blogging From A-Z April Challenge Reflection
    Books
    Books About Quilts
    Cari Young
    Chris Van Allsburg
    Chuck Wagon
    Civil War Stories
    Class Activity
    David Novak
    David Titus
    Descriptions
    Digital Storytelling
    Dust-bowl
    Epitaphs
    Fan-activities
    Fishing Jokes
    Fish-tales
    Five Senses
    Gadgets And Gizmos
    Giving Credit To A Written Story
    Hawaiian Stories
    Historical Photographs
    Historical Stories
    IPad
    Iphone Apps
    Jamberry Nails
    Japanese Fans
    Japanese Stories
    Japanese Storytelling
    Joshua Chamberlain
    Journals
    Kamishibai Storytelling
    Leader In Me
    Librarians
    Luggage
    Mentor-texts
    Metaphors
    Museums
    Ocarina App
    Old West
    Paintings
    Paintings-and-storytelling
    Pictures
    Poetry
    Primary Resources
    Quick-write
    Quilts
    Radio
    Rakugo
    Reading
    Research
    Stephen Covey
    Stories
    Storytelling
    Storytelling Organizations
    String Figures
    Sue Kuentz
    Talk Like A Pirate
    Tandem Telling
    Tejas Storytelling Festival
    The Secret Knowledge Of Grown-Ups
    The SOS File
    The Wreck Of The Zephyr
    Truisms
    UTSA Storytelling Festival
    Violins
    Visualizing
    Wagons
    Westward Expansion
    Winter And Holiday Stories
    Writing

Sue Kuentz's Door to Lore Website
Kuentz Creative Consulting, LLC
151 Saur Road
Bulverde, TX 78163



cell: 210-326-7877
email:  sue.kuentz@gmail.com

© Sue Kuentz 2018
Photos used under Creative Commons from h.koppdelaney, ken ratcliff, pellaea, a.dombrowski, steveczajka, Mellicious, Dougtone, Peter G Trimming, CraigMoulding