This article touched me on so many levels. First, I am beginning to write my rough draft of my own action research paper, so I was very attuned to the mechanics of the paper - the layout and the specifics of each section. On this front, the thought that kept running through my mind was- I have to write a paper like this? Oh, no! However, those thoughts didn't stay in my head very long because I was soon contemplating the horror of the people of the southern Sudan. Let me take just a second to say that I am thankful I was born here in America. My life has been one of ease compared to so many around the world. I have traveled some, but my husband has been to over 40 different countries on five different continents, and when he talks about the things he has seen, I know I am truly blessed to be an American. What these three young men have seen and lived through is truly terrible yet I am thankful that they are willing to share their stories with the world. Chol's autobiography left out the horrors I believe he has experienced, but perhaps one day he will elaborate.
I liked the Wortham reference on page 323, that autobiographical stories can illustrate the ways in which a storyteller makes sense of the world. I had never thought of it quite like that before. But often writing is done to help us make sense of our world. What I found surprising was Heath's ethnographic study of literacy (page 325) where he found differences in a white working class community and a black working class community in the way each community enacted storytelling and that those in black community differed greatly from formal education. Those two groups are represented in many of our schools today.
I enjoyed reading about the contrasts in storytelling and literacy, about how stories connect generations and communities. The differences in oral and written storytelling, the purpose in tradtion and culture. I believe I enjoyed this reading more than any of the others. Although like so many of the others, it makes me think a little more than I did before.
SuSu Watson
Comments (3)
We are always so quick to criticize our own country and all the things that we have done wrong. I think we take for granted how much we have and how much we are able to do because of where we live. Most of us were probably raised to know that we lived in country where we have the right to question our country, where we are able to vote and have our say in how our country runs. The Lost Boys came from a country where this was not a possibility and worse than that their communities were being destroyed and people were being killed for no reason except that they could. The boys’ stories are ones that we need to hear and ones that we need to remember so that we can support change there and also so that we can encourage action here.
Posted by Amie Snow | March 22, 2009 9:26 AM
Posted on March 22, 2009 09:26
Su Su, I too am very proud and thankful to be an American as well. Here, we have the right to express our opinions, our stories, and our experiences. So many other countries do not afford their citizens this right. The same is true in schools. So often, we do not let our children write or speak about what is truly on their minds. We give them assignments and have them complete them. Now, picture our classrooms as the UN. We can now extend these priviliges to our children and help them to have a voice, something that many of our students are not afforded at home. They can now become excellent story tellers and writers. I think your enthusisasm for your country would be great to extend to your school setting.
Posted by Whitney Gilbert | March 23, 2009 8:33 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 20:33
Susu,
I agree that storytelling helps to make sense of the world. I've enjoyed reading all of the posts this week, in particular, because so many of you have put stories in your posts that show how you are making connections to the reading!
This is probably my favorite article too -- and a nice bridge between Noll and Hicks, as Hicks relies heavily on Shirley Brice Heath's research that you mention.
Posted by Alecia Jackson | March 25, 2009 4:26 PM
Posted on March 25, 2009 16:26