Whose stories are told and whose stories are heard? Storytelling is a tool that has been used throughout time. It is used to convey information, entertain, and persuade others to see a particular point of view. Stories convey our shared values and can give voice to revolutionary thinking. The power that we attribute to storytelling is apparent when governments seek to silence the voices of journalists, poets, and authors and censorship is used as a tool to keep others uninformed. But even in a country that acknowledges the importance of our freedom of speech and free press, whose stories are told and whose are heard?
Our library tells good stories. Our children can share ideas about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Ask them to name other People of Color who have impacted our society and you might get a few students to speak about George Washington Carver. What of others? How have People of Color impacted our society and affected what we value and believe with regard to what it means to be American? Scattered stories throughout a library do not enable all of our students to explore in-depth the contributions of individuals who have shaped and continue to shape our community and country. In addition, scattered stories without guided teaching do not support the move from ignorance to awareness and appreciation.
About my class
Whose stories are told and whose stories are heard? Storytelling is a tool that has been used throughout time. It is used to convey information, entertain, and persuade others to see a particular point of view. Stories convey our shared values and can give voice to revolutionary thinking. The power that we attribute to storytelling is apparent when governments seek to silence the voices of journalists, poets, and authors and censorship is used as a tool to keep others uninformed. But even in a country that acknowledges the importance of our freedom of speech and free press, whose stories are told and whose are heard?
Our library tells good stories. Our children can share ideas about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Ask them to name other People of Color who have impacted our society and you might get a few students to speak about George Washington Carver. What of others? How have People of Color impacted our society and affected what we value and believe with regard to what it means to be American? Scattered stories throughout a library do not enable all of our students to explore in-depth the contributions of individuals who have shaped and continue to shape our community and country. In addition, scattered stories without guided teaching do not support the move from ignorance to awareness and appreciation.