“…Our ‘thought flows in terms of stories—stories about events, stories about people, and stories about intentions and achievements. The best teachers are the best storytellers. We learn in the form of stories.'” | (To Think by Frank Smith, 1990)
• Storytelling as a teaching/learning strategy
• Giving voice to students’ funds of knowledge
• Cultural responsive teaching
• Authentic learning
Drawing from family oral history as funds of knowledge, students legitimize their own experiences in the classroom setting. These stories become the context for writing workshops with an authentic purpose. Students’ voices and styles emerge as they become authors of their stories. Students’ stories become the content and context for teaching and learning. As a culminating event, family members are invited to hear their child's story presentation. Chautauqua is introduced as a form of storytelling in the process.