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It's a beautiful thing, how the brain automatically turns to storytelling to explain the inexplicable.  Our natural reaction to things we don't understand is to reach out into the darkness and grope around until we finally pull out something that makes sense, even if it is man-made.  Tall tales, oral tradition, even science itself, are all examples of stories that have served their purpose well throughout the history of mankind--making us feel better about what we just can't grasp.  In fact, Susan describes story telling as her "hope tool" in the classroom.  We search in vain for "Truth" with a capital "T," and in doing so search for something to which we can give up our authority.  In reality, because eveything is a construct of the human mind, we are the final authority.  Reality is subjective because it is created by millions of subjective minds, each filled with unique personal experiences that shape decisions and actions.  If "Truth" is not attainable, but as many "truths" as people exist, should these not each be considered "Truth?"  Just because "Truth" varies by person does not mean it is not valid.  Hence, conversation and inquiry (particularly in the classroom, where truths constantly collide and change) are vital to understanding these individual truths and making sense of subjective reality.

This is especially important with young students, whose idea of reality is still very impressionable.  Our education system at the present time does not consist of enough inquiry-based conversation; rather, it relies on textbooks as the final authority on facts and what we consider to be "truth."  However, textbook truth and observed truths need not be in competition with each other; one is not more "truthful" than the other, and therefore they should serve as complimentary entities.  In fact, the only way either of these "truths" can become more "true" is if they modify each other and make room for the possibility that they are not the sole "truth."  This transfers some authority to students  by allowing their observed truths some merit, in addition to those found in textbooks.  With this authority comes confidence and a sense of responsibility as they share ideas with fellow classmates, leading to collaborative learning.