1) Wrap our heads around the question "What does it take to take a picture that reveals the true nature of our interviewees?"
Ms. Selsky, once, a professional photographer, will come by F block to give us some advice, which I will then share with H block. CLICK here for photo tips slide show
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1. Review some of the take aways from Brandon Stanton's advice to college students.
2. Observe and comment on the HONY website. 3. Work on our personal inventory with TARA BARTON, AISJ's sevice learning director.
Treat them as if you are trying to get to know them – what makes them tick
You must be interested in them and they must feel that so they wIll open up
Don't stick to a list of questions, but know what you wish to achieve.
Ask follow-up questions – respond to their answers.
What happened? Is a good question – sometimes the short questions are the good questions.
Make them feel comfortable, be interested in their story.
Show some sort of knowledge of who you are talking to and how they might be feeling.
Trust your instincts – listen to that nagging feeling. What they are saying doesn’t ring true. Use evidence.
Being a little nervous helps you be on top of your game
Sometimes you must tease answers out of them because what happens in their life must be so common they don’t think it’s a big deal
Make them trust you – don’t go in with an agenda – your questions can reveal what your feelings are you must be unbiased – no preconceived ideas when you walk in
Figure out why people are doing things or thinking things. what’s the problem
Strategies to get people to talk:
Persuade by reassuring the person you are interviewing - don’t you think your story is important for the world to know.
Be observant
You have to be truly interested in people-care about them
Formal or casual – depends on who you are talking to
Be honest, be natural
Don't lose eye contact - focus on what you are doing
Record the conversation
How do you stay calm during an emotional interview – hard – we are human. STAY HUMAN you need to be able to feel stuff.
Taking the lead from the online blog and bestselling book “Humans of New York”, we are going to embark on an adventure to find out more about the people in our own community – a place we spend at least a quarter of our day walking, chatting, gossiping, and learning. But,
·who are the humans that make AISJ run smoothly,
·who are the folks that make the campus beautiful,
·who are the guys and gals that make sure we are safe and secure,
·who cleans up after us when we have neglected to clean up after ourselves,
·who repairs things when these things decide not to work or have been disrupted,
·who pays the bills,
·Who makes the “big” decisions,
·who are those fabulous people that make our sandwiches and feed us when we are hungry
·who are your teachers (besides the coaches of your learningJ)?
During this unit research is key, but instead of doing “book” research, you will research how to interview, how to take a portrait photo, how to publish Humans of AISJ, and in a short span of time your goal is to figure out not only how to accomplish these skills, but find out about the people in our community:
·who are they beyond what we see on the surface,
·what do they think about “stuff”,
·what do they care about most in the world,
·what would they change if they could change something
·what is/are their biggest fear(s) and/or joys?
There are lots more questions we will ask and, together, we will have lessons about
·deconstructing the HONY website – what do we see, what do we think?
·how to interview the people in our community so they open up to us
·how to take a portrait photograph
·how to edit someone else’s words so the narrative is succinct and compelling
·how to publish the stories
·how to collaborate, share ideas, solve problems, and help each other to discover the richness and diversity in our community
·how to respond when someone you are talking to shares a story or a thought that might be uncomfortable
·how to reflect upon what you have discovered about the people in our community
We will begin by studying and analysing Brandon Stanton’s work with HONY – how has his work become a literary phenomenon (His FB page has almost 17,000,000 likes and his books are bestsellers).
WHY ARE THESE PORTRAITS AND NARRATIVES SO COMPELLING THAT READERS (AND NON READERS) SPEND MONEY TO LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE PROFILED IN HIS BLOG AND BOOKS?
REQUIREMENTS/EXPECTATIONS
·Minimum of 5 publishable interviews w/portrait – of course you can do more if you wish
o1 friend or fellow student – consider this practice
o1 teacher from any grade level – shoot for HS or ES, someone you don’t know
o3 or more from AAS Staff including our gardeners, dining staff, facilities workers, cleaners, secretaries, motor pool, and security.
·You will practice your interview skills and portrait photography BEFORE you interview the real subjects.
·You will work collaboratively in PIPPPS – Professional Interview, Photography, Publishing Packs - helping each other to produce beautiful portraits of the humans in our community – you will be each other’s critical eyes.
·You will transcribe and edit your interviews, choosing the most poignant or interesting story.
·You are in charge of keeping your photo portraits and your story narratives organized – how will you do this?
·You are responsible for any cameras you check out.
·It is up to you to follow the calendar and stick to deadlines although you will have flexibility in how you will achieve these deadlines.
·Self-management of time is key.
WHAT WE WANT TO REMEMBER
·The skill of interviewing strangers takes time, practice, and patience, but good interview skills can reveal the heart and soul of the people we encounter every day, but do not know.
·Communities are filled with people from different cultures with interesting stories worth hearing. We simply need to care enough to ask.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS
·How can asking the right questions reveal who a person is and what that person thinks on the inside as opposed to what we see on the outside?
·Why is it important to know the people in our community?
·What is the best way to publish our Humans of AISJ?
TENTATIVE-FLEXIBLE-COULD POSSIBLY CHANGE SCHEDULE
HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANS OF AISJ
(We will also continue reading REAL TIME during this process)
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
8 Finish Debates /Reflection
Intro to HONY/HOAISJ
9
Guest star – Alex Crawford/interviewing
Finish Debates/Reflection
Intro to HONY/HOAISJ
10 –
Research – photography and interviewing
Sharing mini-lessons and resources – we will experiment on each other
11 –
Research – photography and interviewing
Sharing mini-lessons and resources – we will experiment on each other
12 – NO SCHOOL
15 PD DAY FOR TEACHERS – NO KIDS
16
Guest star – Ms. Barton on Personal Inventory
17
Guest star – Ms. Barton on Personal Inventory
18 Human Rights fare – Intro to HS
Lots of guest stars to talk to.
19
Research – photography and interviewing
Sharing mini-lessons and resources – we will experiment on each other
22
Guest Star
Ms. Leet on Interviewing
Practicing interviewing techniques and portrait photographs
23
Guest Star
Ms. Leet on Interviewing
Practicing interviewing techniques and portrait photographs
24
25
Brainstorming
What do we have to do to accomplish this project? Permissions – from whom? Strategies?
26
Brainstorming
What do we have to do to accomplish this project? Permissions – from whom? Strategies?
2/29-3/4 CWW
7
Interviews - Debriefs
8
Interviews - Debriefs
9
Interview - Debriefs
10
Interview - Debriefs
11
Interview - Debriefs
14 Interviews
15 Interview
16 Edits/Positioning
17 Edits/Positioning
18 FESTIVAL OF RACES
3/21 – 3/28 SPRING BREAK
28 SB
29
CATCH UP – FINAL REVISIONS
DONE
30
CATCH UP – FINAL REVISIONS- DONE
All portraits and narratives revised, complete, and uploaded to blog
31
All portraits and narratives revised, complete, and uploaded to blog
Reflections
APR 1
All portraits and narratives revised, complete, and uploaded to blog
Reflections
POETRY BEGINS
Information about the project and the photographer
8. RI.17: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums to present a particular topic or idea.
8.W.5: Clear and coherent writing
8.W.6: Using Technology, including the internet, to produce and publish work
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
TRANSDISCIPLINARY SKILLS
Collaboration- students work with interview pods to discuss strategies to ensure success or problem solve
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving – problems are sure to arise in this unit
Research – Interviewing, Photography, and other mini-memoir examples beginning with HONY
Personal Management – This is a unit that will allow freedom - Flexible structure depending on what needs to be accomplished and when it needs to be accomplished
Communication – Interviewing strangers, feedback, debriefs/check-in, working in your PIPPPS
Reflection – part of the ongoing process – problem solving, honesty, experience, take-always, challenges
