PEERINTERVIEWS

Purpose:Students will practice communication skills, forge relationships and builda sense of community withintheiradvocategroupbyinterviewingtheirpeers.

TheActivity

Directions

1.(3minutes)Introduction:ateamwithapurposeExplaintostudentsthattheiradvocategroupis a teamwith a purpose – tosupporteachothertobesuccessfulinschoolandgraduate,ontime,withtheirpeers. Discussthefollowingquestionswiththegroup:

•Whatotherteamshave youbeen a partof?

•Whathelpedthoseteamstofunctionwell?

•Whatcangetinthewayofbeinganeffectiveteam?

2.(2 minutes)Set up

•Countstudentsoffby2s. Askthe1stoform a tightcirclewiththeirbackstothecenter;havethe2sform a biggercircle around them, looking in, so thatpartners(1sand2s)faceeachother.

•Havepartnersgreeteachotherandintroducethemselves.

•Ifthereisanoddnumber,youcanparticipate.

3.(20 minutes)Peer interviewsExplaintostudentsthattheyaregoingtogettoknoweachotherbetterbyinterviewingtheir partners. Remind them to listencarefullyandbereadytosharesomethingtheylearnedabouttheirpeers.

•Read a questionfromthelistof QuestionstoGuidePeerInterviewActivity. Askthe1stosharetheiranswerwiththe2sin45seconds.

•Tellstudentstoswitch. Thistime2ssharetheiranswerstothequestion.

•Tellstudentsintheoutercircletorotateclockwise.

•Tellstudentstostop.Whentheoutercirclestops moving,studentsacrossfromeachotherarenowpartners. Repeattheprocesswith a newquestion.

Alternative:

Ifyourgroupistoosmalltoformtwoconcentriccircles(8-12students),theactivitycanbeconductedas a mix-pair-share:

•Studentssilently walk around the room.

•Advocatecalls“stop.”

•Studentspairupwiththepersonclosesttothem.

•Advocateasksoneofthequestionsfromthe listandgiveseachpartner

1 minutetosharewiththeother(partnerwiththelongesthairspeaksfirst).

•Repeattheprocesswithstudentshavingtofind a newpartnereachtimeuntilallhavepairedupatleastonce.

Reflections(10 minutes)

Askstudentsthefollowingquestions,andtake a fewresponsesforeach.

Sharesomethingnewthatyoulearnedaboutateammate.

Howdoesknowingabouteachotherhelpusbecomeateam?

Whatskillsdidyouneedtousewheninterviewingeachother?

Howcanwebuildonwhatwelearnedtodaysooursenseofteamcontinuestoincreaseinouradvocategroup?

Extension(10 minutes)

Utilizetheremainingtimeintheperiodtocheckinwithseveralstudentsindividuallywhileengagein a journalingactivity(e.g.,Whatwasthebestteamexperienceyoueverhad? What madeitsospecial?).

Thefollowingaresamplequestionsforthe“inside-outside” circles for team building.Reviewthequestionsbelowandchoosesixtoeightthatyouthinkwouldbeinterestingand relevant to your group. Feel free to changethesequestionsorsubstitutesomeofyour own.

1.Whatisyourfavoritethingyoudidthissummer,andwhy?

2.Whydidyouchoosethissmalllearningcommunity?

3.Whatdoyouliketodowithyourfreetime?

4.Whatbookshaveyoureadrecently? Whatissomethingparticularlyinterestingthatyoulearnedfromoneofthem?

5.Whatmovieshaveyouseenrecently? Howdoyoufeelaboutthelevelofviolencedepictedinmoviestoday?

6.What is your favorite kind of music?WhatplacedoyouthinkRapmusicwillhaveinhistorybooksoneday?

7.WhatdoyouliketowatchonTV? Isthat a showyoufeelisappropriateforyoungchildrentowatch? Whyorwhynot?

8.Whoarethemembersofyourfamily? Whoareyouclosestto? Why?

9.Areyoutheoldest,middleoryoungestchildinyourfamily? Howdoyoulikethatpositioninthefamily?

10.Whatdoyoulookforin a friend? Howeasyor difficultisittofindthosequalities?

11.What’sonethingyoulikeaboutthisschool?

12.What’sonethingyou’dchangeaboutthisschool?

13.Forreturningstudents:What’sonethingyouwouldliketotellnewcomersaboutgoingtothisschool?

14.Forstudentsnewtotheschool: What’sonethingyouwouldliketoknowaboutbeing a studentinthisschool?

15.Howdoyouusuallyactwhenyou’rein a newgroup?