Family Stories Matter: Critical Pedagogy of Storytelling in Elementary Classrooms

Culturally responsive educators advocate for a greater emphasis on family and student voices that invoke their lived experiences, cultural knowledge, ancestral wisdom, supportive familial relationships. However, few know how to bring these stories directly K-12 classrooms. Using participatory action research methodology, I incorporated the counter-stories of students families in an elementary school curriculum. As we practiced storytelling wisdom circles teacher meetings, listened epiphany moments demonstrated as act critical literacy requires "listening witness." families, students, teachers witnessed each other's stories, they redefined power relationships classrooms at large. By redefining curriculum instruction efforts can fully engage parents its creation implementation, findings have implications antiracism education unmasking role privilege subtle forms oppression.