21: “Hey, That’s Weird! My Story Became Your Story”: A Magical Experience in Narrative Inquiry

Once upon a time, there was a Grade 2 class, its teacher, and me. This is the story of an experience we had together. It transformed us, brought us closer together, and I am sure that we will never forget it. In this autobiographical story, the interests that shape the inquiry emerge from my own narratives of experience. A passionate belief in the power of stories drove this inquiry. Personal experience and experience with children in the classroom enabled me to broaden my theoretical resources and to conduct research in the area of personal stories in the professional lives of educators and students. Presenting my personal narrative in a class at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Educa- tion/University of Toronto (OISE/UT) began a process of transformation for me. The sharing of personal narratives created connections between people in the class, and a sense of community evolved. This exciting experience led me to wonder: How can we think about listening to, telling, reflecting on, reading and writing personal stories, in terms of students’ sense of self worth? How might the sharing of these stories contribute to building a sense of community in the classroom? If storytelling were integrated into the curriculum, what would this mean for questions of literacy?