This aspect of the history programme may form the centre of an integrated theme approach incorporating work in language, SPHE, maths, science and geography. The work on such a theme might span several weeks. The steps below relate particularly to the historical aspects of the work. The suggestions could be readily adapted for infant classes.
Step 1 Informing parents
As has been noted in earlier sections the issue of family and personal history has to be handled with sensitivity and the full co-operation of parents is essential if it is to be successful. A letter to parents well in advance of work beginning on this theme should
• explain the reason why a study of the children’s past is important
• outline some of the topics to be discussed in the classroom and when the work is likely to begin
• describe some of the activities in which the child will be engaged, for example making personal scrapbooks or timelines, asking parents about their lives during childhood and about what they know of their parents’ lives, linking events and personalities to some of the places in the local area
• explain how parents might help, for example by answering questions, hunting for photographs (of their children at various ages and of themselves when younger) and perhaps lending some old items to the class for a display
• assure parents that all items lent to the school will be carefully stored and returned to owners at the end of the project
• invite parents who might be willing to talk to children about aspects of the past to get in touch with the teacher or school
• invite parents to speak to the teacher or principal in confidence about any worry they may have regarding the proposed work.
Children can be helped to realise the enormous developments which have taken place since their births by viewing a new-born baby. A visit of a very young baby with his/her parents to the classroom might be arranged and the children encouraged to ask questions about the baby and how it must be cared for. Observing a parent bathing the baby, if this were possible, would reinforce the points even further and complement the SPHE programme.
Step 2 Arousing interest
One effective way in which the teacher may arouse interest about the past is to tell children something of his/her own childhood. Using some photographs from different periods in his/her childhood and if possible some items such as an article of clothing, a toy, a story book, or a school copybook, the teacher can talk about a limited number of incidents or developments in his/her own life. For some pupils this may be the first time they realise that an adult was once a very young child, and the artefacts will prove fascinating for most children of this age.
This interest can then be capitalised on by asking the children to try to remember things that happened to them when younger:
Can you remember anything that happened to you when you were small?
Can you remember your first day at school? Can you remember any time when you got lost?
What did you like to play with when you were very small?
Step 3 When I was very young
Children may then be encouraged to try to find a picture of themselves when very small as well as a more recent photograph. These can be displayed in the room (ideally in protective plastic file wallets). Other items such as toys and other memorabilia may also appear and should be labelled and displayed. Discussion of these displays should direct the child’s attention to
• how the child has developed and changed physically
contrast height, weight, teeth, clothes worn then and now
• how the child’s abilities have developed
has become less dependent on others able to dress him/herself
able to sit at table and eat a meal, to walk, run, cycle
• aspects of the child or his/her environment which have remained the same
colour of eyes or hair
room in the background of the photograph toys played with then and now
• how we know about the childhood of those portrayed in the photographs or collection of objects. So far we may have relied on the child’s memory and the apparent evidence of the photographs. Issues regarding the reliability of evidence might be raised through questions such as
‘How do we know that this is really Sam in this picture?’ ‘Are we sure that this toy belonged to Máire?’
• other types of evidence which might be used as corroboration and as further sources
documentary evidence, e.g. ‘Someone wrote Sam’s name on the back’
oral evidence, e.g. ‘We could ask Máire’s mammy about the toy’
Step 4 Finding out more
The discussion above will lead naturally to the children carrying out further investigations. Questions which might help to focus their work could include:
Where was I born? my mammy? my daddy? Where did my parents grow up?
Had my mammy/daddy any brothers or sisters? Who was my mam’s mammy?/my daddy’s dad? etc. Where did they live?
What work did my grandparents do?
Did we always live in this home? If not, where did we live before?
When did we get our pet dog? When did I go to school?
Step 5 Recording
Children’s concept of sequence and change in their own lives can be reinforced in the construction of simple personal timelines through which the language of time may also be developed.
Children will also be able to record some of the major figures and relationships in their family, for example parents, siblings and grandparents, using a scrapbook or family tree.