Page 36 - 2022-Mag_88-4

Classroom Practice/Program

It will help your students if they can be cautioned ahead of time that
the unusual might occur. Encourage students to take a research-paper
approach and keep an open mind to their genealogy research. Although
genealogy is personal, the students should be cautioned not to take what
they may find personally as a negative reflection on themselves.
The plus factors, in the end, will far outweigh the negative:
• You will gain greater insight into your family roots, race, and ethnicity. Where
you came from has impacted who you are at present.
• You may locate hitherto-unknown family members.
• You may gain medical information that could influence your health and
wellness.
• You will leave a legacy for your younger relatives.
• You could become acquainted with and develop respect for the knowledge
and experiences of other people also
working on genealogy.
• You will develop a greater sense of
historical time periods and what it was
like to live generations ago.
• You will develop respect for your own
parents and grandparents.
Genealogy is a mix of negative and
positive, mostly depending on what
piece of one’s family tree is being
considered at any given time. Your
students do not need to know all of the
negatives and positives at the outset—
but you should. Teach the positives
and rely on the natural curiosity of
your students to begin engagement
with their project. Keep the negatives
in mind so you are able to provide
support to students when needed.
Those negatives are a normal part of
genealogy research and not unique
to any given person or family tree.
Remind students that, because studying genealogy is personal,
they have the right to keep their information private. It is fine to share
problems in research with other students. However, specific personal
information should be viewed as private unless an individual wishes to
share. Including genealogy in the classroom is as much about studying
and implementing the process as it is about acquiring personal data.
Last, before beginning, be sure to inform parents. Stress that the purpose
of the project is to develop respect for different cultures, races, ethnicities,
backgrounds, behaviors, ages, and abilities. The purpose of the study of
genealogy is not to pry into personal lives. Explain to parents that, through
genealogy, students will learn about different historical time periods, sharpen
their research and writing skills, and be guided to develop respect for others.

34 · Volume 88-4