Oral history is a valuable tool for learning and has many applications in educational settings.
Storytelling projects resonate with students, inspiring curiosity, empathy, and a deeper connection to their communities and the world around them. They also foster vital student skills, including social-emotional learning, critical thinking, communication, and literacy.
This year, our education team supported an oral history podcast project in a 9th grade Ethnic Studies class at George Washington High School in San Francisco. The podcast served as a final project in a unit about beliefs, bias, and countering harmful dominant narratives. Students get to take on the role of oral historian, interviewing family and community members and presenting their stories in an audio format.
Students learned about ethical storytelling principles and interviewing practices in order to conduct oral history interviews around these important and often sensitive topics. The students’ podcasts responded to the unit’s focal question: “How can we use oral history to amplify multiple voices and perspectives?”
Take a listen to this podcast episode from Lena, a 9th grader who chose to interview her internship manager. They talk about growing up in the Bay Area, communities and belonging, culture and identity, media stereotypes, and more.
When engaging with Voice of Witness oral history projects, students discover their own voices and build stronger relationships with civic and social issues. As schools face increased challenges, it is crucial to provide students with opportunities to engage with diverse perspectives in inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments.
VOW’s ethical storytelling training supported us to launch into our project in a values-centered way. We deeply appreciated the expertise and time.
—Teacher Aili Osteraas Constable
Learn more about VOW’s Education Program and our partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District. Download our oral history podcast guide to find tools and resources to implement a similar project in your own classroom.
Work With Us
Interested in partnering with VOW’s education team? We have extensive experience working with teachers, school districts, and organizations to provide support, training, and curricula. Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’d love to hear from you.
