- Definition
Indigenous Storywork is a way of understanding and sharing traditional Indigenous stories. It teaches us how these stories can help us learn, heal, and connect with each other, emphasizing respect and interconnectedness.
After listening to a creation story, a family talks about how to care for the land and animals mentioned.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Indigenous Storywork is like tending a garden, where stories are seeds that grow with care and respect.
Ask your child: What does this story teach us about caring for the world and for each other?
Common mix-up: Kids might think these are just fun stories like any other tale. Indigenous Storywork shows that stories can carry important teachings and responsibilities.
Examples
- An Elder shares a story and explains why listening with respect matters.
- After hearing a story, children talk about how its lesson connects to their own lives.
Indigenous Storywork is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
