| This Thesis examines the material available to folklorists interested in the folklore-in-education branch of public sector folklore and develops a method of assessing the quality of folklore-in-education materials. A survey of teachers and a literature search of materials available to educators interested in teaching folklore in their classrooms follows. This thesis maintains that educators have little knowledge of current folklore-in-education strategies and have poor access to the resources they need to remedy this situation. Such a lack of knowledge and resources reveals a lost opportunity to teach the K--12 core curriculum, as well as art, music, physical-education, multiculturalism, living, and research skills---all subjects which can be taught in a way that is interesting, enjoyable, and personally enriching for students. The final chapter of this thesis is a detailed description of a seminar course designed to teach educators to use the folk culture that surrounds us as a means to teach the curriculum. |
