By Brian Jaffray, Dehcho Divisional Education Council
In 2011, we asked Thomas Berger if he would join students at Deh Gáh School in Fort Providence for an interview. He agreed, so students prepared their questions.
Students studied the interviews with lawyers and leaders who participated at the Berger inquiry. They debated: Why was this inquiry different from earlier ones?
Students researched the Berger Inquiry hearings in their community. They searched the transcripts, looking for speeches by their grandparents. Then they prepared their questions.
Tip 1: Prepare your questions ahead of time. Start with questions beginning: who, why, what, where or when. These are facts you will need for your story.
Tip 2: Think of several questions that can only be answered by the person you are speaking to, from their own experience. That way your interview will be unique.
Tip 3: To conclude ask the interviewee to sum up what was learned from the experience. The answers may reveal thoughtful conclusions they've reached over the years.
When the students were ready, we invited Thomas Berger to a studio in Vancouver. One by one, students in Fort Providence asked their questions.
Q. How do you feel about the impact of your report years later?
