SPRING 2012- WEEK 4 (3/25/12)
AGENDA:
1. Bring Me/Tell Me Game (Lauren)
2. Recap on Sahar Muradi's Workshop (Linda)
3. Family Interview Discussion (Bernice)
4. Partner Interview Game (Nick)
5. Video prep for Multimedia Contest (Linda)
6. Video Recording
7. Reflection writing
1. Bring Me/Tell Me Game (Lauren)
2. Recap on Sahar Muradi's Workshop (Linda)
3. Family Interview Discussion (Bernice)
4. Partner Interview Game (Nick)
5. Video prep for Multimedia Contest (Linda)
6. Video Recording
7. Reflection writing
Game Descriptions:
Bring Me, Tell Me (Sing Me, Draw Me):
Led by Lauren, we then did a team-building activity called "Bring Me, Tell Me (Draw Me)." Mentors and mentees were split into three teams then Lauren came up with things that each team had to either bring her, tell her, sing for her or draw for her. Each team had one "hot seat" where only that person sitting on it could give her the answer while the other members could help.
Team A: Amy, Hao, Ru, Terran
Team B: Hong, James, Jasmine, Linda
Team C: Ann, Jeffrey, Kily, Ming
This was a very fun activity where each team had to work together to get the answer to Lauren and it was a great way to review what we did during the semester.
Led by Lauren, we then did a team-building activity called "Bring Me, Tell Me (Draw Me)." Mentors and mentees were split into three teams then Lauren came up with things that each team had to either bring her, tell her, sing for her or draw for her. Each team had one "hot seat" where only that person sitting on it could give her the answer while the other members could help.
Team A: Amy, Hao, Ru, Terran
Team B: Hong, James, Jasmine, Linda
Team C: Ann, Jeffrey, Kily, Ming
This was a very fun activity where each team had to work together to get the answer to Lauren and it was a great way to review what we did during the semester.
Kily and Ming during Partner Interview game
Partner Interview: Led by Nick, in pairs, each person had a noun (person, place or thing) taped to their forehead. The first part of the "interview" was each person had only eight yes or no questions they could ask each other. After everyone was done, Nick asked each person if they knew what their noun was, only one pair was able to guess both nouns. Then, in the second part, each person also had eight questions to ask but now they were able to ask open-ended questions. Everyone was able to guess what their noun was.
This was a great game to play because it connected to our interviewing focus and was a fun way to see how difficult it is to get information if you only ask yes or no questions.
RECAP ON SAHAR MURADI'S WORKSHOP
What were the most important points?
- Ask easy questions first then more difficult ones later
- Make interviewee feel comfortable
- Use some time early in interview to get to know interviewee, make them feel welcome
- Ask open-ended questions and stick to your question list and goals and go from there
As practice, we selected one volunteer (Suzanne) and had her interview with Jeffrey (*who was a talkative interviewee).
Take away from practice interview:
- Affirm what interviewee says to make them feel comfortable
- Make eye contact
- Ask one question at a time
- Can ask question more than once if you feel you didn't get enough from the first answer or if interviewee may not have understood question
- Need to be flexible and be able to change questions at the moment
- Need to do a lot of listening
Another mentee (James) interviewed Lauren (*who was a quiet interviewee).
Take away from practice interview:
- Bring in your own experience and connection to the interviewee to make them feel comfortable and make small-talk
- Create a conversation between you and the interviewee
- Be considerate of interviewee (if they are uncomfortable in answering some questions), don't force the person to answer questions (create plan A-C list of questions so you have backups)
- Ask questions such as: What do you do? What are your daily tasks? (or rephrase the original question that the person was not willing to answer)
- Circle back to goals and your questions if the interview is going another direction
- Ask questions to get full story of interviewee (based on your goals)
- Get to know the interviewee better and get them to tell stories and give examples
Good Interview between Mentors Jeffrey (interviewer) and Lauren (interviewee who is a business owner in Chinatown).
Take away from practice interview:
- Allow for pauses because you should let person think of answers to questions
- Think of information that you can use in your writing (in this case: challenges for businesses)
- Asked follow-up questions, open-ended questions
- Got interviewee to give examples and tell stories
- Ask easy questions first then more difficult ones later
- Make interviewee feel comfortable
- Use some time early in interview to get to know interviewee, make them feel welcome
- Ask open-ended questions and stick to your question list and goals and go from there
As practice, we selected one volunteer (Suzanne) and had her interview with Jeffrey (*who was a talkative interviewee).
Take away from practice interview:
- Affirm what interviewee says to make them feel comfortable
- Make eye contact
- Ask one question at a time
- Can ask question more than once if you feel you didn't get enough from the first answer or if interviewee may not have understood question
- Need to be flexible and be able to change questions at the moment
- Need to do a lot of listening
Another mentee (James) interviewed Lauren (*who was a quiet interviewee).
Take away from practice interview:
- Bring in your own experience and connection to the interviewee to make them feel comfortable and make small-talk
- Create a conversation between you and the interviewee
- Be considerate of interviewee (if they are uncomfortable in answering some questions), don't force the person to answer questions (create plan A-C list of questions so you have backups)
- Ask questions such as: What do you do? What are your daily tasks? (or rephrase the original question that the person was not willing to answer)
- Circle back to goals and your questions if the interview is going another direction
- Ask questions to get full story of interviewee (based on your goals)
- Get to know the interviewee better and get them to tell stories and give examples
Good Interview between Mentors Jeffrey (interviewer) and Lauren (interviewee who is a business owner in Chinatown).
Take away from practice interview:
- Allow for pauses because you should let person think of answers to questions
- Think of information that you can use in your writing (in this case: challenges for businesses)
- Asked follow-up questions, open-ended questions
- Got interviewee to give examples and tell stories
Family Interview Discussion
Some questions we asked the students were: Were there any differences in doing the interview the second time? What specifically was most useful this time around, was it making interviewees feel more comfortable? Affirming what was said?
Some students' experiences with interviews:
- Sat down, in casual and relaxed atmosphere, interviewee gave short answers
- Her uncle was very talkative, she tried asking other questions but he continued talking about random things
- Interviewed dad, interview was same as first one
Then we had two students (Ru and Jasmine) read aloud their interview stories. And, they shared what they learned from the interview process and the person they interviewed such as wanting to improve the person's situation and empathizing with their struggles (*One goal is to build awareness through these stories and if it is done, even to one person, then you have succeeded in achieving that goal.)
To view the family member short stories the students wrote, click here.
Some students' experiences with interviews:
- Sat down, in casual and relaxed atmosphere, interviewee gave short answers
- Her uncle was very talkative, she tried asking other questions but he continued talking about random things
- Interviewed dad, interview was same as first one
Then we had two students (Ru and Jasmine) read aloud their interview stories. And, they shared what they learned from the interview process and the person they interviewed such as wanting to improve the person's situation and empathizing with their struggles (*One goal is to build awareness through these stories and if it is done, even to one person, then you have succeeded in achieving that goal.)
To view the family member short stories the students wrote, click here.
Note-Taking Strategies Handout | |
File Size: | 52 kb |
File Type: |
Video for Multimedia Contest
The American Immigration Council is hosting a “Change in Motion” Multimedia Contest. "The competition essentially challenges today’s young adults to explore the role that immigration plays in their lives and communities through video and other multimedia projects. Projects should focus on celebrating America as a nation of immigrants as well as the immigration's impact on our everyday lives."
With the interview guide and suggested questions, we had students in groups practice answering the questions below together. Then filmed them when they were ready.
Questions we asked each other for their interview:
We thought this was a great project for the students to explore what they thought about immigration and diversity in the United States, in the eyes of immigrants themselves. This also relates to their community interviews because these are the same questions they may ask their interviewees who work in Chinatown.
With the interview guide and suggested questions, we had students in groups practice answering the questions below together. Then filmed them when they were ready.
Questions we asked each other for their interview:
- Who are you? (State first name, age, where you were born and when you came to the U.S)
- Describe what kind of person you were before you came to the U.S.
- Describe what kind of person you hope to be in the future
- What does it mean to be an Asian American?
- What is diversity?
- What do you think about diversity in America?
- What is the most important thing you can learn about diversity in America?
We thought this was a great project for the students to explore what they thought about immigration and diversity in the United States, in the eyes of immigrants themselves. This also relates to their community interviews because these are the same questions they may ask their interviewees who work in Chinatown.
Reflection Writing
At the end of this session, these were the props we gave the students to write about:
1. How did it feel to be on film? What emotions or thoughts did you have or feel? How does this experience relate to the possible experiences next week (through your interviews with workers in Chinatown)?
2. Discuss diversity. What does it mean to you? If you came to the US, what was diversity like before? How do you view diversity in the US?
3. The project is called "Change in Motion." Talk about how your life is currently in motion?
1. How did it feel to be on film? What emotions or thoughts did you have or feel? How does this experience relate to the possible experiences next week (through your interviews with workers in Chinatown)?
2. Discuss diversity. What does it mean to you? If you came to the US, what was diversity like before? How do you view diversity in the US?
3. The project is called "Change in Motion." Talk about how your life is currently in motion?
Homework: I. Come up with 10 interview questions that you will be asking your interviewee in relation to economic development and Chinatown. II. In addition, please find out/prepare answers to the following: 1. When did your parents/guardian come to US from where/to where, 2. when you came to US from where/to where, 3. when/what were your parents'/guardian's first jobs in US, 4. where/when did you first go to school in the US, 5. find out the year of an important event you think was a turning point for you and/or your family (history)- Please send these 5 answers to: [email protected] by Saturday. And, be prepared to discuss during the next session.