Understanding others through stories.

Author's note: Pseudonyms have been substituted for actual names of persons and places.

I began to use stories and other forms of narrative three years ago in the methodology courses I was teaching at Tuskegee University. I drew inspiration for this approach from the recent work of investigator-practitioners who have made narrative the central focus for understanding teaching-learning relationships (Connelly & Clandinan, 1990; Knowles & Holt-Reynolds, 1991). I wanted to encourage my students to reflect on their personal, cultural and familial experiences; examine their own beliefs about teaching and learning; and reflect on relationships between theory and practice in education.

The narratives written by African American students proved to me that they were indeed developing habits of self-analysis and reflective thinking. Furthermore, the themes that emerged from this exercise were startling and enormously moving. Their resolutely written vignettes speak of the social injustice that pervades society, yet also illustrate their personal resiliency in combating the inequalities. Because I am a member of the class that Ellsworth (1989, p. 308) refers to as having "white-skin, middle-class, able-bodied, and thin privilege," I am unable to completely identify with my students' life histories. Nevertheless, their stories have given me insight into their feelings, thoughts and struggles. Like Ellsworth, I can never hope to understand racism better than my students; I do, however, have a growing understanding of the deep personal scars inflicted by racism.

The students' journals, autobiographies and reflective papers describe how poverty and social exclusion have affected their lives. Reflecting on a field experience assignment, Dan describes how he related to a group of young black children in a rural school by using his own personal history:

On Thursday, October 22, I did a lesson that I felt went very well. I read a short story to the class titled It Could Always Be Worse, by Margot Zemach (1976). The title alone intrigued me to want to read it. [The story] told of a man who thought that his life was so bad - until he found out that it could be a lot worse. I definitely wanted to read it to my class, because I can relate to that and I know that the students at Burlington Elementary can also. So, what I did was to read the story to them, and then asked them what they got out of the story. This then led to a discussion of my life and I told my own story in relation to the one I had just read. I told the class how it was for me when I was growing up, how I grew up in a single-parent family, how we were on welfare for a period of time, and how one day I remember being so hungry that I ate a bowl of ketchup. I expected them to laugh, and some did. But that is something that I will never forget as long as I live! I also told them how some of my friends always had the latest everything, and I did not. But one thing that I realize now that I did not realize then was that although I never always had what I wanted, I always had what I needed, and there is a big difference! I wanted them to realize that even though what I experienced when I was growing up may not have been all that good - there are those who didn't even have the little that I did. This gave me the perfect opportunity to talk about the homeless and other people who are less fortunate than we are. I never once said that I knew that most of them in there were in the same situation or worse - I just wanted them to realize that things could be a lot worse. I thought that there was no better way to get this point across than by showing them I experienced it myself and I know how it feels. By their responses and questions I could see that they really were into the discussion, probably because they knew just what I was talking about.

Dan interacted with the children in his class masterfully by drawing on his past experience and demonstrating that teachers should focus on caring relationships marked by attachment and connection (Noddings, 1991). His story not only had a profound effect on the children, but also deeply touched me. Reading his journal entry allowed me a glimpse of the world from his perspective, as well as a sense of his thoughts and feelings during a desperate and traumatic period.

Gwen's autobiography includes a poignant account of how a teacher's malicious words to her as a young child left her deeply hurt and feeling powerless:

I entered first grade at St. Joseph's Elementary School. It was at this school where I lost all my self-esteem, confidence and love for myself. My elementary school was an all-white school located in a racist upper-middle class white town. The white people in this town did not want any blacks living in their neighborhood or going to their schools. Therefore, they resorted to name calling, bombings and other evil acts. The teachers at my school were as racist as the people in the town, and did not have any fear of showing it to their black students. Many of my school experiences at St. Joseph's were not good, but the climax of my worst experience came ... in the 7th grade. One day my 7th-grade teacher, Ms. Nelson, called my friends and me "ugly." Her exact words were, "I feel sorry for you guys when ya'll grow up because you're so ugly and not the smartest people in the world. I don't know what you're gonna do." It was the middle of the school year when Ms. Nelson made that comment, but for me it was the last day of school. I became an empty vessel who was not becoming filled with any knowledge.

Gwen's account demonstrates that she refused to become a victim. She was not silenced by these cruel words, nor did she allow her spirit to be killed. She struggled to remain in control of her own destiny and succeeded, as is clear in her writings:

So here I am, back at Tuskegee University preparing to student teach and graduate in Spring 1993 as a full-fledged teacher. Before I conclude this personal history, I'd like to say "Thank You" to Ms. Nelson, because although her words were harsh and "ugly," she inspired me to become the teacher that she never could be.

Tanya writes about the isolation she felt growing up in New Mexico, as teachers and classmates targeted her for abuse:

I was always one of the few African American students enrolled in the public school system. Not only was I aware of my "blackness," I was also reminded of it every time a fellow classmate or teacher was allowed to make a racist comment. I expected it from my classmates more or less, but from my teachers - I never expected it. The remarks were often cruel and intended to make me feel like a second-class citizen (or so I thought). For example, in 1st grade my teacher asked me to sing, "Eenie, meenie, miny moe, catch a nigger by the toe" and when I wanted to try out for the debate team my 5th-grade teacher told me that people of color usually do best in athletics.

Not all of the prejudice that my students described was as glaring and blatant as the above accounts. Covert prejudice, however, is widespread and insidious. Kimberly, a student teacher, felt ignored and isolated by members of the mostly white school community during a field trip. She writes:

On our field trip there were three parents, two teachers and myself. I was the only black person - I felt like a "speck."

Kimberly also describes feeling stung when the cooperating teacher disparaged her desire to teach a lesson focusing on African culture. The members of this school community probably had not examined their own ingrained attitudes and failed to recognize how racist tendencies alienated a novice teacher who was struggling to find her place in a predominantly white school. Many people, particularly whites, commonly deny any personal connection to racism and may remark, "I'm not racist myself, but I know people who are" (Tatum, 1992, p. 8). In fact, Kimberly's journal entries reflect this denial. She recorded many attempts by teachers and school officials to reassure her of their own lack of prejudice. Yet, because of the prevalent racial attitudes in this school environment, Kimberly did not have a supportive and caring relationship with her cooperating teacher that would have allowed her the freedom to take risks, make mistakes, learn and grow.

As African American students examine their feelings of social exclusion, they also remember many teachers who were genuinely caring and nurturing, and whose love and support became unforgettable forces in their lives. These stories reveal the powerful influence of personal and caring relationships on learning (Huebener, 1985; Noddings, 1991). Kerry, an aspiring early childhood teacher, writes:

Mrs. Gage, my 2nd-grade teacher, was the person who inspired me to join the teaching profession. Mrs. Gage took a child with low self-esteem and boosted her to the sky. She was a Caucasian teacher who treated everyone equally. She didn't let your skin color determine what she expected of you or how she perceived of you. Because of Mrs. Gage's kindness and caring, I have decided to become a teacher, a teacher who will encourage all students regardless of their gender, religion, race or background to be the very best that they can be.

Tammy tells how she decided in kindergarten to become a teacher:

Ms. Curry, my kindergarten teacher, was one of the most influential teachers I have [ever] encountered. She was a Caucasian woman who was genuinely concerned with the well-being of her students. Ms. Curry's care for me in kindergarten is what fuels me today to be the best teacher I can be, a teacher who cares about each student regardless of their color. For me - I can say that it all began in Ms. Curry's kindergarten class.

As students explore their own stories, they will be better able to transcend the often oppressive experiences of culture and schooling by identifying with positive role models. Analyzing their own educative experiences will undoubtedly influence how they teach and enable them to realize the importance of respecting human differences and forming caring relationships.

My students' narratives, as well as those of countless others whose voices are silenced because of race, class, religion or gender, contain the power to influence the attitudes, behaviors and expressions of experienced teachers and teacher educators. As our classrooms become more diverse, we must seek to understand individuals different from ourselves. Maxine Greene (1993) urges us to confront plurality by opening up our experiences and curricula to include others' perspectives and cultures. Greene stresses that by learning to look through multiple perspectives we can deepen our understanding of community.

In order to view the world from others' perspectives, we must develop an understanding of self. Vivian Paley, writing in White Teacher (1979), describes her determination to understand her students' lives by first examining her own prejudices. Telling our own stories requires us to examine our own past and realize how we have been responsible for helping others to succeed, or perhaps, fail. As we learn to listen to our own voice and the voices of others, we will have a greater understanding of education's moral issues and quite likely will engage in more thoughtful and careful teaching. Noddings (1991) affirms the power of narrative:

The power of narrative and dialogue as contributors to reflective awareness in teachers and students is that they provide opportunities for deepened relations with others and serve as springboards for ethical action. Understanding the narrative and contextual dimensions of human actors can lead to new insights, compassionate judgment, and the creation of shared knowledge and meanings that can inform professional practice. (p. 8)

In meeting the challenge of pluralism, educators must begin to understand the role that education can play in the creation of a more just and democratic society. I believe that social responsibility calls for us to promote the ethos of democracy by helping to build communities of diversity. Writing stories about our own educative experiences and listening to others' stories can help us achieve that goal by deepening our understanding of ourselves and others. As we tell our stories, we bring our own identity into focus by examining our beliefs, concerns and actions. By listening to stories about other belief systems, we can begin to understand other realities; and as we listen to these realities, we are more likely to change our own perspectives.

References

Connelly, F. M., & Clandinan, D. J. (1990). Stories of experience and narrative inquiry. Educational Researcher, 19(4), 2-14.

Ellsworth, E. (1989). Why doesn't this feel empowering? Working through the repressive myths of critical pedagogy. Harvard Educational Review, 59(3), 297-324.

Greene, M. (1993). The passions of pluralism: Multiculturalism and the expanding community. Educational Researcher, 22(1), 13-18.

Huebener, D. (1985). Spirituality and knowing. In E. EIsner (Ed.), Learning and teaching: The ways of knowing (pp. 159-173). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Knowles, J. G., & Holt-Reynolds, D. (1991). Shaping pedagogies through personal histories in preservice teacher education. Teachers College Record, 93(1), 87-113.

Noddings, N. (1991). Stories in dialogue: Caring and interpersonal reasoning. In C. Witherell & N. Noddings (Eds.), Stories lives tell: Narrative and dialogue in education (pp. 157-170). New York: Teachers College Press.

Paley, V. G. (1979). White teacher. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Tatum, B. (1992). Talking about race, learning about racism: The application of racial identity development theory in the classroom. Harvard Educational Review, 62(1), 1-25.

Zemach, M. (1976). It could always be worse. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Kathryn K. Noori, formerly Professor of Curriculum, Instruction & Administration, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama, is now teaching at Universiti Brunei Darussalam in South East Asia.