Interviewing children. Conditions of interview

Interview

“A woman called the local radio station spoke with me, and at the end said. Thank you for the interview and I did not know what was going on.”

“Speak softly, to make it smaller too long words, and that we understand everything and everyone can give an answer.”

Your style of dealing with children and the preparation of the interview will help children understand your intentions and to form an opinion about you. Behave as if they are important persons who can tell something interesting – and they will go all out to try to deceive your expectations. If you think of silly, that and say there is nothing, they sensed it will behave accordingly. Forget for a moment that you are older, more educated.

Think about what you feel and how to handle it if someone from the parent spoke to you from the top down?

In addition, if you were taken seriously and listened to your opinion? How would you feel then? How would this affect your behavior?

Children in this respect do not differ much from us: give them respect – and they

Repay you handsomely.

Site Selection

Sometimes choices are very limited. Home is your concern – to find a place for an interview, where the children would feel at ease, where they have not suppressed anything. Classroom and especially the director’s office do not meet these requirements. Other business small cozy rooms, where you can stay with amenities. When the weather is favorable conduct the interview in the fresh air, but where you or the children will not be confused passers-by to look closely to what is happening before their eyes.

At the same time, however, avoid the nooks, insulation you to anything, be visible, especially if the interview takes place face to face. Sitting in the room, leave the door wide open; on the same street sit under a tree to get past you did not go, but from a distance, you would be visible. This is dictated by the child safety requirements, and it is your duty – to care for their protection.

Whenever possible, try to conduct the interview in a location relevant to the topic of the intern-twist. If, for example, it will be about the school garden, first of all ask the interviewee to go there. If they live on the street, on the same street and talk with them.

It would be nice to attract children to the choice of the place, explaining to them beforehand what requirements it must satisfy. One of them, for example – the absence of background noise.

Only the children?

Except in cases where the presence of adults is due to local traditions, it is not desirable. Adults, especially supervising the children, tend to standing over them, break them up and insert their comments. Many teachers are unable to overcome the desire to correct the children; some social workers deny children the word as a lie or fudge. Yes, it happens! You then politely but firmly explain that at this moment, you are interested in the views of children, and after the end of the interview, you will meet with the adults for information.

However, some children feel more confident next to an adult they trust, such as a person working with young people, especially if you notice that you are with him on good terms. In addition, do not forget – an interview with some children without adults is associated with child protection issues (See “The ethics of working with children” and “place of choice.”).

Are you comfortable sitting?

Try to sit down to be flush with the children. Do not take the largest and most comfortable chair. If the children sit on the ground or on the floor, sit down next to them. When working with a group, all the better to sit in a circle – not to walk or stand, for example, the front of the class. Avoid being in the spotlight, but take such a position that all the children were in sight. Consider their gestures and facial expressions, look children in the eye (if it is not contrary to tradition). Imitation of gestures interlocutor usually brings people together. However, do not imitate too obvious!