This week’s posting calls you to develop a series of
interview questions to ask your informant at a future field site visit. These
questions should relate to the culture of the community you are investigating
and can delve into any number of subject areas related to authority, power,
gender, appropriate communicative styles, identity, or other areas. It is
important that you build a sense of trust with your informant as you engage in
the interview process. You should enter this interview having ‘done your
homework’ (which means you have observed the community and have a base of
knowledge to work from) and are prepared with some questions to ask.
First, describe your informant (the person from the
community you trust and will grant you an interview) in a one to two paragraph
opening. What is this person like? What role does this person play in the
community? Describe your initial interaction with this person and your
impression of him/her.
Second, consider your raw and extended field notes and come
up with some questions (three or more) related to your observations (NOTE: this
doesn’t mean you have to ask these questions first when you do your actual
interview, but rather I’m just asking you to come up with some questions from
your previous field site observations).
Next, come up with some additional questions that come from
material we have read this term. For example, Wardle touches on the idea of
identity in the workplace and Mirabelli covers the concept of multiliteracties.
Be sure to couch terminology in ways
that the interview subject will not be confused. For example, it wouldn’t be
prudent to ask an interview subject, “Have you ever mushfaked your way in this
discourse community?” You should be able to simplify some of the complex
terminology from our readings to deliver meaningful questions that interview
subjects will understand.
You should generate anywhere from seven to ten interview
questions for this blog posting. Once you have posted your original message, you must respond to two
peers and make suggestions about other questions they might ask for an
interview.
The original posting is due before 11:59pm on Sunday, March 31st , and the response postings are due before the close of Thursday, April 4th.
If you should have any questions, please send me an email.
If you should have any questions, please send me an email.
Diane Hasenbank is my informant. Diane is the dance teacher and head coach at Hagerty High School. She is a down to earth, young teacher who loves her dancers. I’ve known Ms. Hasenbank for about four years because my sister was on her dance team and I take the dance class. Everyone has a different view on Ms. Diane, some girls love her and others can’t stand her but must deal with her in order to be on the dance team. Because I know her, I know she really does enjoy teaching dance and loves most of her students. She likes to have fun but to a certain extent and she likes to get things done.
ReplyDeleteSome questions that arose when doing my observations were: Does having two mirrors really help when dancing? How many of the trophies are first, second, and third place? What is the average time it takes to master the switch leap? How many dancers have been dancing since before age five? Does dancing keep the girls in shape or do they have to do additional work-outs? To Ms. Hasenbank: How long did you dance before becoming a teacher? Why did you stop dancing for yourself to teach dance? Do you still enjoy dancing and performing today?
What forms of communication are you in this community? What identity kit do people have in the high school dance community? (Gee) What or who is the authority in the dance community? (Wardle) How often do people believe they are high authority but really are the ones that people stay away from?
Some other questions that you might want to ask are:
Delete1.)Have you ever taught dance somewhere else besides Hagerty?
2.)How do you come up with the dances, like do you have help or do you think of them yourself?
3.)What are some words that are specific to the dance community?
4.)What are some of the problems, if any, that has arised during a dance performance?
5.) From previous question, How did you go about solving those problems?
The person that I will be interviewing is my Early Childhood teacher and the teacher for The Husky Pup Preschool Mrs. Burrell. She is the head teacher of this discourse community. She is an amazing teacher and very nice and helpful. Any questions or problems that you have she will help you with them. Mrs. Burrell approves lesson plans for the preschool, watches over our teaching, grades our observations/ projects, puts together events for the preschool, and decides who can go on to the next level. She has been teaching this program for many years now. I first meet her about three years ago. When I walked into the classroom I expected and thought that she was going to be mean and a hard grader. But very quickly I learned that she is a very nice person and I feel like anyone can get along with her. At first I was nervous about how this class was going to be, but Mrs. Burrell made it easy to get comfortable in this class and learn how things work. Mrs. Burrell never has a problem about telling you what things you are doing wrong or need to improve on which I really like because it has helped me be a better teacher in the preschool.
ReplyDeleteQuestions from the field notes:
1.) How did you come up with the schedule for the preschool?
2.) How do you decide which songs you want the kids to do for their graduation?
3.) Do you believe that the layout of the preschool for this year has been more effective than the years before?
4.) How do you calm the kids when they have a fit and bring them to you?
5.) How do you come up with the all the observations?
Questions based off of the readings:
1.) How do you decide who can move on to the next level and stay in this program (stay apart of the discourse community)?
2.) What do you look for in the teachers to be able to let them be a level five and gain higher authority?
3.) What are the ways that you communicate with the teachers that are part of this same program (community) in other schools?
4.) What things do you do with the level two that gets them involved in the preschool and allows them to be identified as an insider of this community?
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteSome additional questions may be:
Delete1.)What made you decide that this is the community you would like to be involved with for a career?
2.)Does this discourse community have a specific lexis?
3.)What is the most challenging part of working with high school kids and toddlers?
4.)What is the most rewarding part of your job?
5.)Besides talking to the kids, what is another form of communication?
Michelle T Balaban
ReplyDeleteENC 1101
Discourse Communities
Paul Mitchell School – Informant
My informant at the Paul Mitchell School is my daughter and Learning Leader, Andrea Ramirez. Andrea has twelve years of experience in cosmetology and has been working at the School for over six years. She has extensive knowledge in the field and worked her way up the ladder of success at the school in a relatively short time. She has several “levels” of training in cut, color and make-up and oversees the Phase II department. Andrea is very creative. Her interest in the arts has given her the tools to make it in this highly competitive community. Her artistic abilities are demonstrated even as she dresses for work, embellishing her black and white required clothing with interesting jewelry, trendy hair and make-up, even down to her knee high boots. A sleeve tattoo covers her right arm; she has a peacock, her personal mascot, from ankle to calf. The butterfly on her elbow was done in memory of her grandmother. One can quickly observe the respect and trust her students have in her just by being there for a short time. I have only observed her on the professional level a few times, but each time I am amazed at her people skills, even when solving problems for the most irate clients.
Interview questions from first interview:
1) Why did you become a cosmetologist?
2) What is your favorite thing about being a cosmo or instructor?
3) What is some of the terminology used in the field?
4) How do you keep in touch with other professionals in the field?
Additional questions:
1) Where do you see yourself in three years?
2) What is the difference between working with male students versus female ones?
3) How do you stay positive, especially on days when problems seem to be the order of the day?
4) How do you view yourself in regards to this community?
5) Are you able to identify the students that will most likely succeed in this business and how?
6) How do you help the students that are not as artistically gifted?
7) What advice would you give a person looking to go into this field?
Some addition questions that you might want to ask are:
Delete1.) How long do you have to go to school to become a cosmetologist?
2.) Do you still learn new skills/techniques today even though you have been in this community for so long? If so, What are some of them?
3.) How do you gain authority in this community?
4.) What types of skills/techniques do you teach the students?
Some additional questions may be:
ReplyDelete1.)Do you think people need to assume a certain identity to be in this business?
2.)Do you prefer to teach others or just be a cosmetologist?
3.)Would you say there is diversity in this community?
4.)Do you think everyone has the same or similar values in the school?
Chet Rosenfeld
ReplyDeleteMy informant is an attorney. She is relatively a new lawyer, having only practiced for about 5 years. Her specialty is banking law and regulatory compliance. She is single and has no children. I mention this because I would like to ask her about the role of family in her life and if it impedes her career. She is also an active volunteer in the community, serving in various roles. I wonder how being an attorney affects other areas of her life.
Questions:
1. Why or how did you decide to become a lawyer?
2. Did law school prepare you for your job?
3. The legal community has its own language, is it difficult to learn?
4. How did you get into banking law and is this the area you wanted to practice?
5. What are your long-term goals?
6. What roles do you see yourself playing?
7. Do you feel pressure from more experienced partners?
8. Have you ever given someone incorrect legal advice?
9. If you wanted to start a family, would your employer be alright with that?
10. Do strangers ask you for advice?
11. How do you respond to the stigma surrounding lawyers?
12. Do you watch any legal television shows and are they accurate?
13. Did you make the right decision, in other words, do you like what you do?
14. How do you relate to other attorneys?
My informant is Tyler Hiller. Due to the community in which I decided to do my project, I have had to change the names of both all persons included but also the name of the fraternity itself. So any name you see mentioned in any of my work is a fictional alias. However, the person whom’s alias is Tyler Hiller, is a sophomore and an active member of the fraternity I am researching. He holds an executive position and is a part of the recruitment committee along with being the intramural sports chair. He is a respected and involved member. Tyler is a friend of mine from high school so when I mentioned the idea of researching and writing my paper on his fraternity, he was excited. He however was hesitant since many people like to criticize greek life, but I reassured him that I would be writing in a positive voice. Tyler has helped me tremendously already by pulling some strings for me and allowing me to sit in on meetings and has built a certain trust between me and several other brothers. Tyler is the person who first brought me to the house.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was writing field notes and simply observing, I had so many questions to ask. Questions ranging from what certain acronyms meant to asking the brothers how the greek community have changed their lives. Some questions I’m going to ask include
1. Is there a negative or positive view placed upon non greek students by members of the greek community?
2. Do most members understand where certain negative stigmas about fraternities stem from?
3. How do you respond to those stigmas?
4. Do you find employers to be interested in involvement in greek life or do they view it as simply a club?
5. What/ who were the reasons that you decided to become a member?
6. Is there any truth behind the reputation held by fraternities?
7. Philanthropy seems to be a large topic of discussion- how involved are you in community service and philanthropy works?
8. Has becoming a member of the greek community hindered or helped your person or social growth?
9. How do you see yourself in this community? Do you think you are an essential aspect?
10. What skills or traits do you help implement into new members?
11. What would you tell someone from the outside looking in?
Chet Rosenfeld
DeleteAdditional Questions:
1. What pressures exist in this community?
2. What bonds you to the other brothers in the house?
3. Are there lifetime benefits?
4. Do you think rushing was a good decision?
The person I will be asking will be my aunt. She was the reason why I got into becoming a physical therapist. But for now I want to start off as an physical therapist assistant. My aunt was doing the same work as a PTA would do. She got tired of it so she actually hired one to help her get some stuff off her back. Some of the questions I am hoping to get an answer to are:
ReplyDelete1. Is becoming a Physical therapist hard to do?
2. How long did it take for you to become a certified physical therapist?
3. Why did you decide to chose a community full of senior citizens?
4. What made you become a PT?
5.Do you have your own techniques when operating on a patient?
6. What skills are needed to become a PT?
7. What sort of work were you doing before you hired the physical therapist assistant?
8. Why are you and the husband the only PT's working in the clinic? You have so many rooms.
9. Do you or are you looking to hired more physical therapists?
10. How much reputation have you gained over the years since you began?
11. Are you still learning new things as a PT every time you work?
12. Did you have to make sacrifices to become what you are today?
13. Were there any obstacles as you progressed in your major?
14. What are you looking into new PT's working into? Do you plan to hire more of them?
15. What sort of paperwork do you need to complete during your job?
16. DO you have any suggestions for anyone looking into the field of a Physical therapists?
Chet Rosenfeld
DeleteAdditional Questions
1. Can you specialize within your field?
2. What trade journals do you subscribe to or read?
3. Are there any theories you disagree with in your field?
4. Could you practice in any state, or are you licensed in only one region?
5. Who governs your community?
My informants are the CEO’s of Smokin Aces his name is Tomaris Hill. Tomaris and Dior are childhood friends they’ve known each other since first grade, they resided in Palm Beach until they graduated from high school and left for college. They moved to Orlando where they attended UCF and graduated. Tomaris and Dior created the company two years ago. Tomaris is more out spoken where Dior is more laid back. They blend their minds together to come up with different events which they inform their workers of at every meeting.
ReplyDeleteQuestions
1) What made you want to become and event planner?
2) How did you get started?
3) What qualifies your workers to be a part of your company?
4) How do you know who to go into business with?
5) Why aren’t your meetings more focused on business?
6) Do you guys ever bump heads about events?