This qualitative study explores the impact of experienced teachers' stories on pre-service teachers. Specifically, it examines what stories pre-service teachers hear and remember, if/how those stories impact thoughts or actions, and what factors influence impact. Analyzing pre-service teachers' reactions to stories and utilizing their direct feedback on a proposed pathway, the researcher generated a flowchart that details the impact of stories, pathways to impact, and factors influencing movement along those pathways for these participants. The impacts included: (1) increased narrator influence, (2) reinforcement of original beliefs and pre-existing plans/actions, (3) encouragement to begin acting on original beliefs, (4) challenge of original beliefs and change in plans/actions, (5) challenge of original beliefs and partial change in plans/actions, (6) challenge of original beliefs, but no change in plans/actions, and (7) no impact. increasing a narrator's influence and (b) after a delay, if a later classroom experience triggered recall of a story, re-evaluation of its applicability, and a change in thoughts or actions. Analysis of study results and literature resulted in the following conclusions: (1) Pre-service participants' reactions to stories were individualized, highlighting the importance of soliciting feedback from pre-service teachers about what they need in order to learn from a story. (2) Social elements, including interactions with narrators and experiences student teaching, influence impact. Teacher educators should pay attention to how these social elements shape the way a pre-service teacher engages, or refuses to engage, with a story. (3) Teacher educators must carefully consider the purpose of storytelling. Literature suggests the goal is inspiring thoughtful action and recommends (a) sharing the story, (b) encouraging listener-made meaning (McDonald, 2009), and (c) encouraging application of meaning to new contexts by modeling "reflect[ion]-in-action" and by providing application opportunities during more independent student teaching experiences (Miller, 1990, p. 121). [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]