What's Important To Me? You?
- Find a person to interview — a friend, a new person in your life, a parent, a grandparent, a neighbor.
- Structure the interview as follows. Be sure to take notes on their responses:
a. Open with “Tell me about yourself” to establish a dialogue.
b. What is important to you right now?
c. Why is it important to you right now?
d. Ask a couple of clarifying questions based on their responses.
Notes about Interviewing:
Interviewing is an art. Allow time for the other person to process and formulate an answer Silence is okay too. Pay attention to body language. Use nonverbal cues such as nodding, eye contact, and leaning forward to demonstrate understanding. Be genuinely curious and fun to talk to. Being reasonably concise and energetic will go a long way in impressing people. Never interrupt the person speaking and wait to disclose your opinion, taking care not to judge.
Begin by asking open-ended questions “Tell me about yourself” is a great opener. Follow up by asking specific questions (use mirroring see below) to seek clarification. Mirror their language to encourage them to open up and elaborate further. Repeat select key words spoken to you with care and empathy in your voice. This lets the other person know you are listening and deepens the questioning.
- Create a piece of art for your interviewee that demonstrates your understanding of what’s important to them. This can be a poster, photo, drawing, illustration, painting, comic, song, poem, dance, collage, or sculpture. It can be an act of kindness or way of helping this person. This piece should evoke something about your interviewee’s interest and demonstrate that you listened.
- Share the art you made using the submission form at the top of this page!
