The next step in Night of the Notables is to interview an expert on the student's chosen person. Yesterday in class we discussed who, when, where, and how to interview an expert.
Who: Choose an expert in the field. An expert is someone that has a degree in a related field, has works published, or has clocked over 1000 hours in research. This disqualifies most hobbiests and "my neighbor". Some ideas for who to contact would include museum curators, professional organizations that highlight the person, authors of biographies about the person, college professors in a related field, ambassadors from the country, coaches, directors, or fan club organizers.
When: Emails requesting interviews should have gone out yesterday (3/10/14). The interview needs to be completed no later than March 28th. We discussed setting up interviews for late afternoon or early evening.
Where: Interviews should be conducted in public places. Libraries and coffee shops are both great options. Parents should accompany their student on the interview and sit nearby after being introduced. Safety is vitally important. If an in person interview is not possible, students may conduct their interview by phone or Skype. Email is not an acceptable alternative, the purpose of the interview is to practice oral interpersonal communication skills.
How: In class we rehearsed how to introduce yourself, how to introduce your parent, and how to ask the person to be seated. We discussed asking for permission to audio record the interview and how to take notes if they decline. We then wrote 5 - 7 questions that would be appropriate to ask. The questions we're looking for are not "What was their middle name?". We are looking for , "Why did you choose to study this person?" "What impact has my notable character had on the world in your opinion?" I encouraged all students to end their interview with "What do think is the most important thing I should learn about this person?" The interview should last about 30 minutes. If you and your interviewee have the time and inclination to talk longer, do so!
Many people in the past have said that their interview was by far the most meaningful part of the interview. Make it work for you!
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