Going Home : The Relevance of Philippine Folktale to Early Childhood Education

Eleanor A. Rivera, Bank Street College of Education

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Abstract

This study focuses on the value of introducing Philippine folktales to children of Filipino heritage. My primary objective in this project is to demonstrate how Philippine folktales can serve as a potent vehicle for taking American-born Filipino children home, that is teaching them about their roots and celebrating their cultural identity. I believe that by recognizing their Filipino heritage the children gain a fuller appreciation of and pride in their uniqueness as well as the interest and ability to share aspects of their culture with other children. It is my hope that consideration of their own cultural identity will help the children become more tolerant, accepting and respectful of individual differences. A secondary objective of this study is to explore possible connections between parents' attitudes in imparting awareness of Filipino heritage and how their children react to the Philippine folktale introduced to them.

The observations and conclusions presented in this thesis were developed through the use of field-based qualitative accounts. During this study I presented age appropriate Philippine folktales to children between the ages of three and ten and observed their reactions, asked them questions about the stories, and allowed them to interpret the folktales through artwork. In addition, I conducted interviews with the children's parents.