Student Interview Assignment
Van De Walle and Lovin describe the diagnostic interview as a “one-on-one” discussion with a child to help us understand what that child thinks about mathematics. Interviews may vary in length from 5 to 20 minutes. It is a form of assessment which is often not used because of time constraints, but one which can tell us a great deal about how much a students understands, and how he or she understand.
For this assignment, you will do two interviews. You will write a one-two
page summary of each. Be sure to outline your planning for each interview (ie. the questions/ activities you used), how it went, as well as any final reflections for each.
Please conclude with a one page report outlining any similarities/ differences between the two interviews. Did one go better than the other? Why or why not? Did you feel one was markedly better than the other? Why or why not
DOING THE INTERVIEWS
We can think of getting ready for the interview as a three-part process: before, during, and after.
BEFORE:
Make sure you discuss with the classroom teacher what you would like to do. You will want to secure a suitable location for this in which outside distractions are minimized.
Take time to plan the particular questions/ activities that your interview will be based on. Van De Walle and Lovin provide some key consideration on page 33 of the text. The classroom teacher may be able to provide some valuable feedback on how to structure/ conduct your interview.
DURING:
When working with the student, it is important to explain to the child what you are doing and to make it as comfortable as possible. Explain to the child that you will be taking notes throughout the interview, and that you would like to learn about how she or he does these kinds of problems. Van De Walle and Lovin provide some important tips on effective interviewing on page 34 of the text. These are essential to follow.
AFTER:
You will want to summarize what you learned from your experience. What did you learn about how the child understands and does mathematics? How did the student show understanding (or conversely, not show understanding). How can you take what you have learned from the interview, and improve that child’s classroom experience? And finally, what would you do differently in such an interview.