Hints:
This exercise is based on Gudjons, H., Wagner-Gudjons, B. and Pieper, M: (2008): Auf meinen Spuren. Übungen zur Biografiearbeit. (Following my tracks. Exercises for working with biographies). Bad Heillbrunn: Klinkhardt.
Procedure:
- As an introduction, the students receive a note with the following questions, which they answer individually (following an introduction and clarification in the class as a whole):
a) When I was 8 years old:
a main interest…
a problem, a difficulty…
a hope, a wish…
b) at this time in my life:
c) in 10 years:
Example of atimeline or lifeline
- In the second phase they draw (on an A3 size paper) a timeline or lifeline, which begins with 0 (= birth) and extends to age 25. Working individually, the students think about which important events they want to record on this timeline. Events that are perceived as negative will be listed below, the positive ones will be entered above the time line. For transitional situations (starting school, migration, beginning a career, perhaps starting a family, emigration, etc.), appropriate symbols could be created.
- The pages with the timelines or lifelines will be displayed, reviewed, commented and discussed. In doing so, impressions are exchanged and questions answered.
- Collective reflection with the whole class,with prompts and pertinent questions:
- What kinds of feelings have you experienced in this work?
- Are there commonalities and differences in your lifelines, where?
- To what do you ascribe these commonalities and differences?
(aspects of gender, age, migration background, etc.) - Which events are designated as particularly positive/negative? Why?
- How are the past, the present and the future connected for each one?