After being asked how to research a program’s history, the OLC and I are suggesting one way to learn about our histories is through a class project. We are suggesting learners, teachers/tutors/instructors, administrators, and even friends of literacy could partner to learn our history.

Imagine if the “class of 2008” were to leave a history of your program as a legacy to build upon. Imagine future learners and teachers adding more student or teacher stories; locating early artifacts, textbooks and reading/writing materials; or perhaps building up a photo album on the beginnings of the program.

Imagine how program histories could be shared electronically and in print; how we could learn from the past for today’s policies and classroom practice. Imagine how surprised some in our communities would be to learn that, in some regions and communities, adult literacy courses pre-date local public schools.

How to get started? Here are some suggestions…and they are only suggestions.
There is no one “right way” to learn about our past.

The starting point could simply be asking this question: “Who were the founders of our program?” From this might come: “Who were some of our first teachers, administrators and learners?” Then: “Could we contact them?”

In some cases, the earliest teachers and administrators might still be in the program and might remember the history; but then again, since some programs have been around a long time, the founders might have moved away, or passed away. The challenge will often be to find those who remember the early days of your program.

The next step could be to see if one or two of these early learners and/or teachers or coordinators could come to the program and talk about how, where, when and why your program began. What struggles and successes through time can they recall?

If your early educators cannot join you, the class could talk with them through a conference call. Perhaps the speakers could send some answers to questions posed by e-mail. Or someone can visit a program founder with a recorder.

It would be wonderful if all the stories you hear could be captured on a recorder. We are really talking about oral history here. Using a digital recorder not only captures your program’s history, but you can hear the pauses, the dialects, the accents, the laughter, and the inflections of the speaker. Such findings could then go on your program website if you have one, and/or on the OLC website under “The History of Literacy.”

This could be a class activity, or someone in the program may want to make it a research project that everyone could help plan.

There is no “One best way” to learn about the history of your program. This is but one way, one suggestion. However, if you do conduct an interview with a recorder, here are a few tips:

1. Do ask for permission from the speaker to record their words.
2. Do tell them how long you expect the interview to take.
3. If you later end up sharing their story; if it is to used by the program in some public or educational way, do be sure you have permission from the person interviewed to use it.
4. Do not start the interview until you have tested the recorder.
5. Do have extra batteries available and extra tapes/discs just in case.
6. Do have a real list of questions to ask…a list that others have looked at first. Even if you ask some questions that are not on the list, or if the conversation goes in another direction, do have a prepared list of questions to ask, such as:
   • Can you remember when you began working/learning in this program?
   • Why did you get involved with this program?
   • Do you know who began the program? The founder(s)?
   • When it began?
   • Where did this program begin? In which building? Why there?
   • Why did it start? What was the need/the interest back then?
   • Do you know how it was funded in the early days?
   • Were there obstacles in getting things started?
   • Do you know what books or learning materials were first used?
   • What sort of activities were used then? Discussions? Field trips?
   • What problems/successes did you encounter in the early days?
   • What did you learn from your own experience in this program?
   • What advice would you have for today’s teachers, learners and administrators?

In closing, if you do get something recorded and/or typed up, then please do not just keep it for your own program. Share it by sending it to olc@on.literacy.ca and it will be posted on the OLC website.

What is your program’s story? Let’s celebrate success. Let’s learn from our histories….stay tuned.