A Rationale for Teaching Folklore in Secondary English Classes of Agricultural Community Schools
Dietz, Jacqueline Kelsey
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/69188
Description
Title
A Rationale for Teaching Folklore in Secondary English Classes of Agricultural Community Schools
Author(s)
Dietz, Jacqueline Kelsey
Issue Date
1988
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Walker, Jerry L.
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Folklore
Education, Agricultural
Education, Curriculum and Instruction
Abstract
Educators may not understand the contribution farm work makes to the conceptual development of farm youth. When life experience is not integrated in the classroom it may be that teachers believe teaching and learning should revolve around that which is new to students and they consider prior knowledge of daily work as too familiar; they may fail to make the connection between prior knowledge and new knowledge and the power of farm life work in students' life experiences.
Eisner's theory of concept formation makes it possible to look at rural students' work and environment in relation to their thinking; however, his theory does not explore sufficiently the connections of concept formation to meaning when he leaves out an in-depth discussion of the transfer process from activity in the environment to abstract meanings. Thus he does not develop a broad context for understanding thinking in relation to life/work experience and other dimensions of human experience related to thinking, such as feelings, beliefs, and values.
This study explores the idea of farm work's relationship to concept formation and world view by specifically showing how the ritualistic aspects of harvesting and planting contain meaning. By establishing work related to growing crops as folklore of work, the meaning of work is shown through folk idea. Glassie's description of work and world view shows how the Irish farmer's world view is based on abstract concepts which grow out of his work. The prose writings of the other corroborating authors help build a generalization with implications for other farmers.
The overall design of the study is a synthesis connecting a philosophical framework with a literary critique of an agrarian novel and a review of print narratives about farm life. The purpose of the dissertation is achieved through synthesis, content analysis, and illustration. The sources include folklore theory and folklore field research as well as writings of literary authors and critics, folklorists and cultural anthropologists, religious philosophers whose writings connect with folklore and education, and curriculum theorists.
The primary suggestion of the study is that the analytic thinking necessary for schooling can be developed from students' awareness of their world view.
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