Counter-Storytelling with African Proverbs: A Vehicle for Teaching Social Justice and Global Understanding in Urban, U.S. Schools

Abstract

Although the current demographics of urban schools in the United States reflect a rapid growth of culturally and linguistically diverse students, curricula continue to emphasize mainstream culture; cultural and linguistic experiences of these diverse students are ignored. In this article, the author examines how the use of counter storytelling in the form of African proverbs can serve as a tool for teaching the concepts of social justice in the urban, U.S. school setting.

Lewis Asimeng-Boahene is associate professor of Social Studies Education at Penn State Harrisburg. His research interests focus on social studies education, multicultural education, African studies, and comparative education.