For generations, the people of Hawaiʻi passed on moʻolelo (stories) through oral practices. Because oral histories and traditions are closely aligned, integrating the two in educational settings is a natural and culturally grounded approach. A recent professional development workshop intended for Hawaiʻi’s in-service educators at the elementary level introduced participants to a wide range of resources, including archives and databases. Supporting educators in using oral histories to engage elementary students in culturally relevant and place-based practices created a pathway toward community-centered, forward-thinking instruction. Practicing oral history extends far beyond documenting stories of the past. Increasingly, oral history is used as a tool to maintain, elevate, and honor the current voices of our communities. It promotes the preservation of stories that reflect the complex, resilient, and beautiful makeup of the people who call these communities home. Our proposed learning objectives include providing information on how a recent professional development workshop introduced practical and applicable ways to embed oral histories into the elementary classroom curriculum; modeling and engaging participants in oral history activities; and the potential for generating units and lessons centered on oral history. The target audience includes kindergarten-6th grade pre- and in-service teachers, university faculty in teacher preparation programs and/or whose academic work focuses on oral histories. The workshop structure will include small and whole group discussions, and interactive hands-on activities that promote oral history experiences, particularly for kindergarten through grade 6 students. Learning resources will include presentation slides, links to online resources, tools and reading lists.

Authors:
Rosela Balinbin Santos, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
Rayna Fujii, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
Mary Kunmi Yu Danico, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
Micah Mizukami, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
Jodie Mattos, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Rosela Balinbin Santos is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, College of Education, School of Teacher Education. Her interests are elementary social studies, place-based learning, and community partnerships.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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