Tracing Your Family History With The Whole Family
A Family Research Adventure For All Ages
Having been involved in encouraging young people to take an interest in family history for decades, I wondered if there was anything new to be said about the subject. It turns out that there is, and Robin McConnell provides a fresh perspective.
This book contains suggestions for making family history research an activity that can be done by the whole family. The emphasis is on working as a team and making the process an exciting adventure. McConnell stresses the value of family history for young people and the value of using stories as a hook to draw them in, as well as building on their interests. There are sections on how to prepare for a research project, how to interview older relatives and how to involve teenagers. The author also underlines the importance of young people telling their own stories, thereby creating family history for the future. McConnell discusses bridging the gap between home and school, suggesting ways of linking research with the broader curriculum, not just the history syllabus. Finally the author explores methods of recording family history creatively and looks at where to go next. The book concludes with a bibliography, index and appendix of resources, and a description of a case study.
Most publications that advocate encouraging young people to participate in family history do so with the expectation that those young people will be working on activities in a largely independent way. McConnell’s different approach, with its emphasis on family history as a shared activity, is refreshing. This is a must-read for anyone hoping to engage young people in a quest for their heritage.