Affective pedagogy and the impact of Stories that Move

21 May 2025 - by Judit Calafell Dueñas

This past year, as a European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteer at the Anne Frank House, I’ve had the opportunity to discover Stories that Move. In a conversation with Raquel Torrecilla Pallares and Sandra Avellaneda Fernandez we discussed their experiences in using the tool and its impact.

Raquel wrote her master’s thesis ‘Looking for affective movements that the toolbox against discrimination Stories that Move generates’ after being an ESC volunteer at the Anne Frank House. Back in Barcelona she had the opportunity to work with Sandra, a high school teacher at Institut XXV Olimpíada, on her research.

Real-life impact

Raquel’s inspiration to write her thesis about Stories that Move came from watching a video of Márk from Hungary: ‘It moved me deeply; I even got teary-eyed!’. If the tool had moved her so much and she had connected with it so deeply, she thought it also had the potential to resonate with students. In her thesis she focuses on the interesting concepts of affective pedagogy, affective solidarity and affective encounters.

One of the most rewarding outcomes for Raquel was when she heard students mentioning that they had talked about the videos with their parents: ‘Even if sometimes they don’t intervene during the lesson, they take these topics home and continue talking about them.’

Difficult conversations

A very important aspect of using Stories that Move in the classroom is the teacher’s role as a moderator. According to Sandra this can be challenging: ‘You have to be a moderator without getting involved in a way that could condition the discussion.’ Raquel added that there might be situations where you have to bite your tongue, and let students talk to see how they handle it. But when the conversation becomes heated or students make disrespectful comments, both agree that it’s important to intervene. ‘Working with students can sometimes feel unpredictable’, Sandra admits. ‘But the tool is so well-designed that, with a little patience and preparation, it can spark deep conversations, even if the initial reaction isn’t perfect.’

Why is it worth the effort?

For Raquel and Sandra, Stories that Move is not just an educational toolbox, it’s a gateway to meaningful conversations that can have an impact on students’ lives. As Raquel says, ‘It’s a powerful tool that helps bring out things from students that might otherwise remain hidden’.

Her advice to teachers: ‘I understand that it might seem difficult at first, but there are tutorial videos on YouTube, that explain everything step by step. Try it a few times and it will become more intuitive.’

Sandra encourages teachers to use the toolbox in a way that aligns with their curriculum and class dynamics: ‘It’s not necessary to use everything at once. You can start small and gradually incorporate the videos and activities that resonate with your students. In the end, it’s an investment that can change the way you teach and help your students think about certain topics in a different way.’