Storytelling in Schools
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Jackie Baldwin jackie@story-lovers.com
Kate Dudding kate@katedudding.com
Oral Storytelling and Teaching Mathematics: Pedagogical and Multicultural Perspectives by Michael Stephen Schiro
SAGE Publications (CA), 2004
Keywords: elementary education, middle school
ABSTRACT
This book contains two case studies of teachers telling epic oral stories to teach math to elementary and middle school students. The book also includes theoretical discussions of essential elements of oral storytelling, multicultural education, how oral storytelling can help children who have difficulty learning mathematics, and mathematical problem solving.
This book significantly extends two pedagogical movements that have recently influenced mathematics teaching: the use of physical manipulatives and visual imagery and the use of children's literature. It takes a giant leap in leaving behind the written word for oral language and integrating serious mathematical explorations with fantasy.
The author presents the teaching of mathematics--often a high-anxiety subject--in a non-threatening, innovative fashion via the use of epic storytelling. It is written in a conversational tone, and includes numerous sample illustrations. The book's presentation of stories, how a teacher actually used them in class (along with students' responses), and a discussion of the educational value of such strategies make this a comprehensive work that recognizes teachers' capabilities and concerns about employing the best available educational practices.
The accompanying CD-ROM contains the full text of two epic stories plus additional worksheets, handouts, and artwork.
This book will be of immediate interest to both pre-service and in-service teachers, and all educators devoted to providing children powerful mathematical and literary experiences.
After a preface, this book is divided into the following sections:
(1) The Wizard's Tale: Foundations of Mathematical Epic Oral Storytelling;
(2) The Wizard's Tale: In Doris Lawson's Fourth Grade Classroom;
(3) Mathematical Epic Oral Storytelling: Underlying Assumptions;
(4) Mathematical Epic Oral Storytelling: Structural Relationships;
(5) Mathematical Epic Oral Storytelling: Pedagogical Assumptions;
(6) To Teach or Not to Teach Mathematical Algorithms;
(7) Variations on The Wizard's Tale with Fourth Graders (Doris P. Lawson);
(8) The Egypt Story: Oral Storytelling, Problem Solving and Multicultural Mathematics;
(9) The Egypt Story: Doris Lawson Tells Sixth Graders an Oral Story;
(10) An Interview with Doris Lawson about The Egypt Story;
(11) Problem Solving: Mathematical and Multicultural;
(12) Mathematics and Culture;
(13) Multicultural Mathematics Instruction; and
(14) Oral Storytelling, Mathematics, Ideology, and Multicultural Intentions.
A bibliography and an index are also included.