Storytelling and Self
Osher Online | Available (Membership Required)
In this course, we will explore the internal stories we tell ourselves and the external stories we tell others. Our internal stories define us, and our attitudes and emotions toward ourselves. Our external stories are outward-focused and lean toward a conversational resume, to some extent. We will consider our life as a series of chapters, or phases, and spend time investigating what our current story/stories are. We will also explore how we envision our future story. Our course will be interactive and discussion-based, and by the end of our six weeks together, participants will have a future story to share.
Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Wednesdays via ZOOM
- Thursday, January 23, Live lecture 1
- Thursday, January 30, Live lecture 2
- Thursday, February 6, Live lecture 3
- Thursday, February 13, Live lecture 4
- Thursday, February 20, Live lecture 5
- Thursday, February 27, Live lecture 6
As this class is delivered by the National Resource Center for OLLIs (NRC) at Northwestern University, you will receive a welcome email from osheronline@northwestern.edu. The email will include your credentials (username & password) as well as a hyperlink to the Osher Online Website through which you will access your course website.
Storytelling and Self
Jen Baker, Ph.D.
Jennifer (Jen) Baker’s expertise is in the interdependence of communication theory and practice, where she strives to help others find true self-awareness and confidence in their communication and interaction with others. She has been teaching communication courses for over 20 years, starting at the University of Texas at Austin, moving onto the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and now at Columbia College Chicago and Northwestern University. Baker has worked at a marketing company, an engineering firm, and a variety of educational institutions. Additionally, she has founded an inner-city high school speech and debate team, assisted with photography and animation in independent films, and produced a radio show on communication. In her workspace, she has been awarded the SPS Distinguished Teaching Award and has been called the happiest professor that a student has ever known.