After reading this article, it leaves me with a feeling of HOPE! To see young orphaned men, in a war ridden country, WANT to learn has been so refreshing. So often, students in America complain that they must learn, and don’t take advantage of all the opportunities available to them.
Storytelling, in my opinion, has always been important. Cultures are able to pass down family history, cultural history, and make lasting memories through storytelling. In this article, I realized, though, just how very important storytelling is for some cultures. Without storytelling, many of these young men will “lose their identity” and won’t be able to relate to their community. Also, by sharing their stories with people in America, we have to opportunity to be much more globally aware. Wow, what lessons could be learned from these young men. It is obvious how important and vital storytelling is in their culture. It makes me a little sad that my family doesn’t take the time with one another to tell stories to keep our family memories and history alive.
I am just amazed and inspired by these young men. The horrific and tragic experiences they have endured, yet, they continue to do what they can to learn and share their experiences in hopes of changing the world. They realized the importance of telling stories, the connection it has with literacy, and took charge to learn all they could to not only tell stories, but communicate as well.
Heather Houston
Comments (5)
Heather:
Great introduction to your blog and you’re right, after reading this research article it does leave you with a feeling of HOPE! I agree that our hope as educator is to not to give up on our students. Yes, it’s true I, too have students in my class who complain, make excuses, and just won’t do! But we as educators must push forward to a much higher calling, not only for us, but for our students as well. After reading articles like this one, if those boys can go through what they went through and still succeeded, then there is much HOPE awaiting our students. We must do our part.
Posted by Toni Wheeler | June 19, 2009 12:24 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 12:24
You are absolutely right! Our students need see the advantage of learning and appreciate the fact that they live in a country that allows them to do so. We as educators need to allow students the opportunity to tell their own stories and listent o others, whether it is cultural history, family history, or personal, we should allow them the opportunity to see how other people live and how any form of literacy is a big part of communication.
Barbara Terauds
Posted by Barbara Terauds | June 19, 2009 4:38 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 16:38
I am definitely with you in comining away from this article with a feeling of hope. I feel as if some of the students in our own country that have a chip on their shoulder and claim that they have been through trying experiences could have their eyes opened by the stories of the Sudanese boys. I feel as if students, like myself, could become more globally aware of situations occuring in the world and that it could in turn inspire them to do great things and not take for granted all of the great opportunities they have as Americans
Posted by Erica Spicer | June 19, 2009 6:21 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 18:21
Hey Heather,
It's not only that they wanted to learn, they had to learn. We are a society immersed in print. If you can't read and understand, you are handicapped. These boys had to expand their storytelling to writing and speaking in order to continue to deal with the grave circumstances they had lived through. If that's not authentic, I don't know what is.
Posted by Annie Croon | June 19, 2009 7:05 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 19:05
These boys have lived such a terrible life yet they continue to keep learning, keep telling their stories. You're right, it is very inspiring. I think that many people do take education for granted in the US. We are lucky to be able to learn.
I also wish that my family passed down stories through generations. I would love to know about my ancestors, but I probably never will.
Dana Eudy
Posted by Dana Eudy | June 20, 2009 10:48 AM
Posted on June 20, 2009 10:48