Future Story

A future story is a Ruby Payne technique that I mentioned briefly in Session 1 as a calming strategy to help reframe a student's future choices.  But it deserves more attention.  Remember, we can't change the environment, but we can change the motivation for behaviors.  We want to motivate better behavior, good behavior, and a future story can help motivate that by creating resiliency.  Payne details the future story on page 19 of Emotional Poverty In All Demographics, and she also references it in Chapter 9 as a way for adults to use it to manage their own lives.

What I think is so important is that the future story is something that can be created in the primary grades, and by 4th grade can be made visual.  It can also be changed every year.  The future story changes with the child, but it's always there, helping the student who may be in limbic lava to stop thinking about this moment, this fight, this blow up, and think of how these poor choices are affecting their futures.  A future story is very much like a vision board.  It gives people an opportunity to reflect on their behaviors and choices and how those choices are perhaps inhibiting their future stories.  

A student doesn't do math homework (Avoidant)?  Let's look at their future story.  

They'd like to be a construction worker. 

Ask them:  "Why would you need math for that goal?  How are your choices inhibiting your future?"

It sounds simple, but as we know from the growing popularity of vision boards, it can be very effective.  Payne states, "A person is 95% likely to achieve their future story or meet their goals if the goals are in writing.  You are only 7% likely to achieve your goals if you do not put them in writing" (144).

What a great way to start the school year - by having every child complete a future story!  

Take a piece of paper and have the student make 6 boxes:

• • • • • • 1st box is a picture of their HS diploma

          • 2nd box is how they'll continue their education: tech/trade school, college, military

          • 3rd box is what they'll do for work

          • 4th box is how much money they want to make

          • 5th box is a picture of where they'd like to live

          • 6th box is the kind of vehicle they'd like to drive

By secondary school, add 3 more boxes:

• 7th box is about their friends

• 8th box is about their relationship goals: marriage/family, etc.

• 9th box is about their hobbies and other fun activities/travel, etc.

This is a great way to learn about your students' wants and needs and hopes and can help assist with keeping them on track throughout their education by building resiliency and intrinsic motivation.