Interview

       

     

 

     

                         

         

                                                         

                                     

                                         

                                                           

                                                       

                                                                               

                                                                             

                                             

                                                   

                 

                                                                                 

                       

                                                 

             

                             

                                             

                         

                       

Interviewing Techniques Part Two

Interviewing  Techniques  Part  Two Program Transcript

We have now observed one interview. Let's see how the next interview compares  with the first.

LINDA: Oh, hi, Laura, glad to meet you. I'm Linda. (Pleased to meet you, too, hi.)   Please have a seat. Thank  you for  taking the time for  this  interview. Your   participation in this  educational project on workplace morale for  teachers  is  really   important as  a study. It'll help us  understand more about how to support teachers  and ultimately  help the student achievement and student outcomes. We'll be interviewing yourself and about 10 other  teachers, so we'll have all this   information that will contribute to the project. Now, I know you've read about the project and how we're conducting it, but I'd just like to review a few items  with you. (Okay)   First of all, as  you know, your  participation is  totally  voluntary. So, if I ask  you a question that you don't want to answer  or  if you need to stop the interview at any  time, just let me know. Also, as  you know, I'll be audio taping the interview and also be taking some notes. When I finish, when we finish the interview, I'll be giving you a transcript of the audio tape and sharing my  notes   with you so you can look  at them, review them, make any  corrections  that you see need to be made to make sure that we really  capture what it is  you wanted to say. This  study  may  be published and in publication, we won't use any  of your   names  – yourself or  any  of the other  teachers, even if we use direct quotes, we'll use pseudonyms. And it also might be presented in conferences  and professional meetings. Okay  – do you have any  questions? (No)   As you know, we've set aside about 30 minutes  for  the interview and that seems  to be okay  for   you? 



LAURA: That will be okay.

LINDA: Okay. We won't go beyond that time unless  you wish to do so. (Okay)   Audio taping is  still fine? (Yes)   Okay. Ready  to go? (Yes)   Let's start then. Laura, what does  workplace morale mean to you?

LAURA: Workplace morale I would say  basically  means  that it's a fun place to work, that it's a place where you are looking forward to getting up and going to every  day  and that there's nice people there that you enjoy  working with.

LINDA: What makes  it fun?

LAURA: I would say  the idea that you can try  out new ideas, that your   colleagues  support you, that there's a sense of friendship, camaraderie, flexibility   on the part of the supervisor, and support – just feeling supported, I'd say.

LINDA: So, support actually  makes  you enjoy  the work? (Yes) I'd like to hear   some stories  about workplace morale. (Okay)   And if you could tell me a story  

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Interviewing Techniques Part Two

that might have enhanced workplace morale and one that de-­enhanced it – without naming any  real names, that would be really  helpful to me. Do you have some stories  like that?

LAURA: Yeah. I think  I'll start with the one that you call de-­enhanced. (Okay)   At a school I worked at before, there was  a principal who he just didn't – didn't give us  the flexibility  to try  out new ideas. I had a program  I had my heart set on starting. I had spent so much time on it and I really  felt like it would help solve some of the problems  and difficulties  that kids  were having. It was  an after   school program  and I just thought it would just be so – the creativity  and the critical thinking involved would just really  help the kids. And, he just said no way, he squashed the whole idea and I felt bad because I felt like I had nowhere to go. I couldn't even -­ you know, every  time I'd try  to bring it up to the point that he said, “Just please don't bring this  up to me again. Stick  to the basics. That's -­ you know that's what you were hired for.”   And, I was  completely  deflated after   that and so that, yeah, that didn't make me feel very  good about my  job.

LINDA: After  that, did you propose any  other  new programs?

LAURA: No. No, I knew it wouldn't work  out. But I'd had other  times  and it was   because I had other  times  where little things  he would just squash and that was   just sort of like the icing on the cake and I knew you know that there was  nothing else I could do at that point.

LINDA: Had you shared this  idea with any  of your  colleagues?

LAURA: Yes. They  liked the idea and then they  told me about times  that the same thing happened to them. We were all very  frustrated and you know it got to the point that we were just complaining to each other  and that didn't help you know because it sort of you know after  you know complaining and just that negative talk  at least for  me sort of makes  me feel even worse. You know, we were trying to support each other  but that wasn't helpful.

LINDA: When you say  that you're open to constructive critique, I'm interpreting that to mean that you don't need to be told everything you do is  right and good.

LAURA: Right, yeah. (Okay)   Right, like for  instance, you know there's guidelines. (Okay)   You know we need to be told that you know we're going to keep in those guidelines. And you know that's – but it's all in the way  you do it, the way  it's presented.

LINDA: So, my  understanding is  pretty  much on target of what you're saying? (um-­hm)   As we think  about the responsibility  for  workplace morale -­ we've talked about the employees  and the teachers  and the supervisor  or  the principal -­ particularly  in education, does  the community-­at-­large have any  role in it and

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Interviewing Techniques Part Two

what might be the relative roles  of those three groups  – the supervisor, the teachers  and the community-­at-­large?

LAURA: I would say  the community-­at-­large, the only  thing I can think  about is   parents  as  another  group that affects  our  workplace morale in terms  of if they're too negative, if they're not open, if they're not supportive and helpful, that makes   our  job harder. You know, if they're – and especially  if they're not supportive if we have new ideas  or  new programs. That, that makes  – so, they're an important piece. And then the colleagues  are also important, very  important in terms  of that support. But if I were to put it in rank  order, I would say  your   principal, you know for  teachers, the principal is  the most important. The colleagues  second, and then parents, third – even though they're all important, that's how I would rank  them.

LINDA: Could we go back  to an earlier  question a little bit? Do you believe that you've given me enough information or all the information you want about a positive and a negative experience? 


LAURA: Oh, yeah, no, oh, yeah. The – oh, I'm glad you mentioned that (That's okay, it's all right)  because the situation I'm in now is  like night and day  (Okay)   comparing to the other  one. We really  have a collegial atmosphere. It all starts   with a program  this  principal said to us  and it was  his  idea – he said, “I want each of you teachers  whatever  your  interests  are to develop a program  that's going to enhance student learning, student critical thinking and student creativity,”  and he left it open to come up with what we wanted to do and he said, “I want you to meet every  week, provide each other  support and feedback. And, you know, I'll be at these meetings  and we'll help each other  and we'll brainstorm,”  because he really  believed that that's going to really  help things. And for  me, I just -­ you know I felt like I was  so thrilled, you know based on my  other  experience, I thought this  is  wonderful. So, I developed a media literacy  and a documentary   producing program  for  the kids  in my  class. And other  teachers  did totally   different things. And we meet every  week  and we talk  about it and we give each other  really  helpful feedback  and it's become just this  great – it's really enhanced our  interest and you know we're interested in each other, we care, we give each other  good feedback. And, you know I'm friends  with some of the teachers  now that I didn't you know hardly  know just because of the support. And the principal is  there. He reigns  us  in when he needs  to and we can handle it because we know we have his  support, we know he's just sticking to the guidelines  that are there and but otherwise – and if we're going too far, he'll help us  brainstorm  for  a way  to work  around it or  address  it so that you know it's appropriate. And, I'm just really  thrilled. And the interesting thing is  it – it is  more work  but we're able to really  make changes  and see it. We can see everyday  in that classroom  we see it with the kids. We see it on their  faces  and then we see it – I see it in their   assignments  in grades  going up, and struggling kids  doing better  because they're excited about school. And, you know and we're starting to bring in pieces  of each

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Interviewing Techniques Part Two

other's  programs. Every  -­ you know all these programs  are quite different and it's just been wonderful. It's still in process, but so far  everything is  completely  good and I think  you know part of it is  that it's a good principal, but all of us  as  teachers   at this  particular  school just jumped in and we're ready, we're open and ready  to try  it out and it's been working really  well and so I'm happy.

LINDA: Laura, I want to respect your  time and I notice we're at 30 minutes.

LAURA: Oh, we are, okay.

LINDA: Yeah, already. (Oh, wow) I do have one more question, but it's time's up, so I'd like to know if you'd like to stay  or  go.

LAURA: Okay, well, you know I was  going to go but I have to say  I'm really   enjoying this. I don't mind answering another  question, (You're sure?)  go right ahead. (Okay)  I'd like to. (All right.)  Thanks.

LINDA: I'd like to know some of your  ideas  on how a school might ensure a positive workplace morale.

LAURA: Well, I guess  a typical school that aren't doing sort of these unusual motivating programs, one thing, simple thing they  could do is  just more social occasions  for  the teachers, more opportunities  for  teachers  to get to know each other  on a social level because I've been at schools  where I only  like have one or   two teacher  friends  that are my  close friends  at the school. And, you know don't really  know the others  and I feel it can be a bit isolating. And just to be able to talk  and to be able to share experiences  and ideas  and just I think  it could start with just you know social parties. You know, little after  school you know get-­ together  hour, just informally, I think  that would help. I think  it would be a simple way  to help to be able to support each other. And, then I guess  the key  thing is  a supervisor  who sort of makes  it a point to be flexible and trusting and supportive. I think  that's a key  element and that's going to affect everything.

LINDA: If you had to like say  three or  five words  – the most – really  key  in terms   of this  area, what would you say?

LAURA: Respect, support and openness.

LINDA: Okay. Laura, is  there anything else you'd like to share with me on this   topic  that I've not asked you about or  that you would like to have an opportunity   to say? 


LAURA: No, I can't think  of anything else. I think  we've covered everything on this  topic, yeah.

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Interviewing Techniques Part Two

LINDA: Well, thank  you so much. And as  I say, I'll be sending you a copy  of the transcript and also my  notes. If you see any  corrections  or  anything that I've missed, please do let me know. Thank  you so much, Laura.

LAURA: Okay, thank  you. Thanks.

LINDA: Bye-­bye. (Bye-­bye)   Have a good class. (Okay)   Okay.

LINDA: You now have observed and collected data on two interviews. As a researcher  doing qualitative studies, you need to carefully  plan for  the time it takes  for  you to collect, organize, analyze and interpret data. It can be quite a bit of time. Estimate for  yourself, for  example, how much time it would take to collect data for  10 audio taped 40 minute interviews. As you estimate the time, plan for   contacting and scheduling the interviews, travel time, conducting the actual interview and transcribing the interview. That estimate feeds  into your  feasibility   planning for  the study  and it's important for  you in order  to allocate adequate resources  to fulfill your  research goals. You have observed various  qualities  of interviewing. Now, imagine yourself as  an interviewer. What would your  body   language be like? How would you establish rapport? What about the phrasing of your  questions  – how would you phrase questions  to draw the participant into dialog? In order  to practice that, you might consider  a question and write it 3, 4, 5 different ways. Then evaluate the phrasings  in order  to see which would be most effective. You might even try  them  out with some folks. As  an interviewer, you are a scientist and an artist. As a scientist, you must use strong and rigorous   research designs  and procedures. As an artist, you are painting a relationship to establish comfort with your  participant so that the participant can contribute as   much as  possible to the study. Practice your  science and art by  designing and conducting interviews. Invite people to observe those interviews  and give you feedback. Participate yourself as  an interviewee and observe others  conducting interviews. One way  to do that is  to observe and critique interviews  conducted on news  programs. This  study, observation and practice will develop you as  a skilled interviewer.

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