How to Start Writing Oral History for the Curious and Thoughtful Kid

This class stems from the idea that history is the compilation of many different people's stories about the past. We will ask questions like, "What is the past and why is it important?" I will teach students to think about what intrigues them about the past and formulate questions that are meaningful to them. Students will identify an elder member of their family to help them answer the questions based upon their own life experiences and knowledge. Students will understand how to approach a loved one in a respectful manner and learn how to encourage them to elaborate and paint a full picture of the past with open ended questions. We will practice asking each other open ended questions in a professional and empathetic way. We will also practice listening to each other’s answers with our full attention.
Beyond understanding the importance of recording our family stories, I will emphasize the importance of doing so as a historian would: in a quiet setting with an interview release form and very well prepared questions.