Johnny, I remember when I first started teaching, I had to do home visits before school started each year. Although I muttered along the way as I drove up and down streets, I always left the homes of my students grateful for this opportunity. In my last year of working with the Catawba County school system as a itinerant preschool teacher (filling a maternity leave position) I, again, traveled to student's homes to do my work with the child. I cannot tell you how much I learned about the families of my students; from the smell of oriental cooking oil to photos of ancesters on the walls. How I wish every teacher had the opportuniy I have had with home visits throughout my years of teaching. I realize that is impossible today. However, like you said, taking the time to "invest" in the student's life narrative is an investment in the relationship which will foster learning interest and relational attitude between student and teacher. Perhaps, the author could have invested student narratives by "weaving" students' stories into and throughout the curriculum, thus accomplishing a multi-faceted inquiry into diversity, standard curriculum, relationship building and new ways of knowing.
Diane