We have been discussing how to interview in doing your field work as well as the importance of being a good listener, paying attention to body language, and surroundings. In "An Anthropologist on Mars" give two examples of how Sacks uses these interview techniques and how they are important to the essay. Be sure to use direct quotes and be detailed in your analysis. Rember to respond to at least one classmate.
In addition, please list one person (who they are/role) that you are planning on interviewing at your site and three questions you want to ask. Be sure to respond to at least two classmates and provide advice on how they can improve their questions.
Sacks uses many interviewing techniques. Many times he is just very attentive in listening to Temple. While riding in the vehicle he asked her question, "As we headed for her house, I quizzed her about the work she had done for her PhD" in this example Sacks asked questions and listened to Temples answers. Another interviewing technique that Sacks used was by observing the surrounding. on page 246 Sacks describes Temples house " A small two story town house, some distance from the campus. Downstairs was comfortable, with the usual amenities- sofa, armchair, television, pictures on the wall- but i had the sense it was rarely used. with this interviewing technique Sacks is observing her house. He doesn't need to actually ask her questions about her house because he can see them for himself.
ReplyDeleteI am planning on interviewing one of the fourth grade teachers from the school that i observed. Last week i had a chance to observe her class for a day. This teacher is my friends mom so I knew her before i went to this school. I plan on asking her "Why she became a teacher", "What about teaching does she enjoy the most?", and " If there was one thing about the school system that you could change what would it be and why?"
I would also ask," Why did she choose fourth grade?" Why not in a lower grade or higher?
DeleteI agree with Angela, I think asking why she chose to teach fourth grade is an important question. This would show you her opinion on the difference between teaching students in a higher grade or lower grade.
DeleteI think your questions are good and because of that your follow up questions will be more important
DeleteI agree with the idea of maybe asking why she chose to teach fourth graders. Overall your questions seem like a great start.
DeletePosted on behalf of ZHenya:
DeleteI think that instead of asking “why she became a teacher,” to get a more detailed response, I would ask her to tell me if she was always interested in teaching and if not, why not? Also, Leann’s pointed out two very different techniques than I did. It made me realize just how many different methods the author used to construct an interview.
The first thing that stood out to me was the fact that Sacks asked Temple about the work that she had done for her Ph.D. This type of question is important because as Temple is answering this question, there are so many possible tangents that she can go off of, which makes for a much more interesting and informative interview. One tangent that she did go off on was her experience with the pigs and her attachment with the enriched pigs that was so strong that she cried when they were sacrificed for the next step of the study. This tangent showed her compassion and love for the animals. Temple expressed her love and attachment by saying “I got to love my enriched pigs. I was very attached. I was so attached I couldn’t kill them.” Another technique that Sacks used was being a good listener. When he asked her about the compressing machine, he allowed her to tell him the whole story of when she was a little girl and her feelings about being hugged by people. This is so important to the essay because it allowed Temple to give Sacks a small look into her life growing up and the reason why she had this machine. Knowing this background lets Sacks and the readers of this essay to better understand Temple. As she gets into the machine, Sacks does not ask any questions, but he stands there and watches until Temple describes how she is feeling while in the machine. She stated “I concentrate on how gently I can do it.” She also talked about how she needs to completely give into it. She said “I’m getting real relaxed now. I guess others get this through relation with other people.
ReplyDeleteI could not create a picture of what this machine looks like, so I added a link to a picture of one.
http://www.therafin.com/squeezemachine.htm
I plan on interviewing 2-4 players of the women’s basketball team. Three questions I will ask them are: how long have you been playing basketball, what draws you to this particular sport, and where do you see encouragement and motivation within the team.
I agree with you that the type of work she did stood out because asking or quizzing about her knowledge is extremely important for interviewing to see if the source is reliable
DeleteI think that the three questions you are asking are very important. By asking the teammates about what draws them to this sport, they are going to have so many old memories come back to them about winning old games and feeling good on the court that they would be happy to share with you.
DeleteI think those are some great questions. I would also ask them why did they choose basketball? and what do you get from it and how do you use it in everyday life?
DeleteGreat Questions but how are you going to choose which players you are going to interview? will you pick players who play different positions?
DeleteOne example how Sacks interviews is by asking Temple questions ad quizzing her about the work she had done for her Ph.D. Temple answered back about the great differences that developed between the two groups- how sociable and delightful the "enriched" pigs became... Another interviewing technique used is being a good listener. Temple describes this "hugging machine" and Sacks is trying to figure out what it is and how it works. He listens closely to her and she said how she maintains a feeling for others like he remoter, aunt and her teachers.
ReplyDeleteI plan on interviewing a judge or clerk. Three questions I want to ask them is "What type of cases do you specifically work on?" "Why did you pick this exact courthouse to work at?" "What has been the most interesting case and why?"
One interesting question i think you should ask is why they decided to become a judge. Or if that is what they were planning to do when they first went to college.
DeleteI agree that Sacks is a good listener in his interview.
DeleteI also agree with you on how Sacks is a good listener. you can really get a lot of knowledge by listening to the person, you can really get to know more about them and their past background
Delete"On one wall was a large cowhide with a huge collection of identity badges and caps, from the hundreds of conferences she has lectured at" Page 246. I find that this quote is important because it allows the reader to get a visual of the wall while reading this section. You can see just how important she is because of how many badges and caps she has on her wall. This shows a lot about her and her importance. Another important quote on page 247 is when she says, " when she was a little girl, she said, she had longed to be hugged but had at the same time been terrified of all contact. When she was hugged, especially by a favorite (but vast) aunt, she felt overwhelmed, overcome by sensation... I find this to be helpful because after the person you are interviewing is comfortable with you, they begin to open up to you. This is so important because you get to witness how they are feeling and feel a connection with them. The person you are interviewing wants to feel a sense of trust in you and it's imperative to make them feel that way.
ReplyDeleteThe person that I plan on interviewing is my grandfather. I find him to be the most influential person in his business, not only because he owns it, but he works just as hard as all of the other employees. One question I would like to ask him is what made him decide to open the business? Do you need to have special qualities to start a business? And lastly, I would like to ask him, did the business turn out the way you planned? I find that these three questions are important because they would greatly change the way I feel about starting my own business.
I feel like those quotes on pages 246 and 247 were key as well, because I felt like it brought her positives memories of her past, which made her much more comfortable during the interview.
DeleteI would also ask "which seasons of the year are toughest for your business and why"
DeleteYou could also ask him, "Given current trends of the business, where does he see his business 'x' number of years ahead, and why?"
DeleteI agree with both of the quotes you mentioned as being important in the techniques being used. The quote you used on 247 seemed to show how comfortable she became with Sacks.
DeleteAfter reading "An Anthropologist on Mars, by Oliver Sacks, some interviewing techniques he uses is seizing the opportunity when he has it to ask questions . For example, Sacks questioned Temple when she picked him up," As we headed to her house, I quizzed her about the work she had done for Ph.D.,her thesis on the effects of enriched and impoverished had done enivorments on the development of pigs' brains."(245). Another interviewing skill Sacks uses, is his observing skills. Sacks observation lead him to ask Temple more questions which lead in to her personal life.For example,"Temple showed me her bedroom, an austere room with whitewashed walls and a single bed and next to the bed , a very large, strange-looking object."(246) This observation lead Sacks to find out that the strange object was her hugging machine.
ReplyDeleteI am planning on intervieing the teacher of the classroom I am observing. Three questions I will ask her are: What lead you to teach Hearing Impaired students? Did you always want to be a teacher? How many years have you been teaching ?
Another possible question you can ask is what are the most difficult parts of teaching hearing impaired students.
DeleteI think you should expand on the did you always want to be a teacher and be more specific.
DeleteI think your did you always want to be a teacher should ask follow up questions too. There should be more parts to it like what made you decide this carte path?
DeleteI think those are good questions but you could ask her "what she enjoys most about teaching?" I think this answer could inspire you more.
DeleteI would also ask her 'why did you specialize in this specifically?" and what do you enjoy the most while working with these kids?"
DeleteIn this short essay, Oliver Sacks pays good attention throughout the entire essay tot the surroundings of the rooms they were talking in. She describes the downstairs of her house "Downstairs was comfortable with the usual amenities- a sofa, armchairs. a television, pictures on the wall- but i had a sense that it was rarely used" (246). Then she goes on and explains the upstairs, and her bedroom, and more. Explaining the surroundings of where the interview takes place (in this case more then one room) is important because it gives the reader a sense of how Temple lives because of how her home is. Another technique she uses is being a good listener when Temple is explaining how the industrial compressor works. "It exerts a firm but comfortable pressure on the body, from the shoulders to the knees" (247). Then Temple explains to him that she did not get hugged much as a kid, but at the same time was scared to be because they are sometimes overwhelming. So, she found a machine that she modified to give her a perfect squeeze like a hug. Oliver listening to her story is important to the essay because it shows readers what kind of person she is and the reasoning behind her invention. Also explaining the machine earlier in the essay gives the reader an idea that it is going to be possibly talked about later in the essay.
ReplyDeleteOne person i am going to be interviewing is my dads friend Bobby, he is a captain at the fire station i am doing my essay on. I am planning on asking him what made him decide to become a fire fighter, What does he do on his free time at the station, and what he thinks of the other firefighters he works with.
I agree on why Sacks pays attention to his surroundings, to get a sense of another persons perspective.
DeleteYou could also ask him "What is the best part of your job as a firefighter?"
DeleteI think those are good questions to ask him. If you want some advice you can ask him "What he does to prepare for a fire/emergency?"
DeleteYou could maybe ask a "how" question such as, "How an average day goes at the station," to try to get him going on a topic that may bring up some stories.
DeleteAfter reading “An Anthropologist on Mars” by Oliver Sacks, I find that he familiarizes himself with his surroundings and is a good listener. Once Sacks arrived at Temple’s home, he pays attention to every little detail of the rooms in her home. “On one wall was a large cowhide with a huge collection of identity badges and caps, from hundreds of conferences she lectured at.” Sacks paying attention to his surroundings will allow him to gain a perspective of another person like Temple. Sacks also pays attention to her body language, “she emerged, visibly calmer, emotionally less rigid.”
ReplyDeleteI plan on interviewing one of the owners of Yogurt In Love in West Bridgewater. I want to ask “what inspired them to open a frozen yogurt shop?”, “what are some struggles they face owning a business?” and “what skills or talents will make your business more successful?”
I agree with this, Sacks does an incredible job paying attention to every small detail such as his description of Temple's house. He also focusses on Temple's body expression while talking about her hugging machine.
DeleteA frozen yogurt shop sounds yummy. You could ask them if they make their own frozen yogurt? or Where do they see their shop in 10 years?
DeleteYou could also ask, "From the beginning to now, in what ways has the business changed and in what ways has it stayed the same?"
DeleteYou may want to throw in a "why" question such as, "Why did you choose West Bridgewater as your location?"
DeleteOliver Sacks is a very observant fieldworker. He uses several different techniques to observe his surrounds as well as Temple Grandin an animal science professor. One example of an interview technique Sacks’ uses is the insight he discovered from Temple’s squeeze machine. Sacks observed the fact that this squeeze machine was an artifact to Temple and helps her get through each day. Oliver Sacks was able to hear the story behind the squeeze machine of the importance it has on Temple. Temple’s reason to have this squeeze machine was, “When she was a little girl, she had longed to be hugged but had at the same time been terrified of all contact, especially by a favorite aunt. She felt overwhelmed but she had a sense of peacefulness and pleasure.” (OS p. 247) I thought this was important in his fieldwork because Sacks was able to gain insight for the reason Temple created this machine. Another example Sacks provides his readers on his observant skills on Temple’s body expression as well as the description of Temple’s bedroom. He expresses to us, “Finally without diffidence or embarrassment, Temple showed me her bedroom, an austere room with whitewashed walls and a single bed, and a very large, strange-looking object.” (OS p.246) In this example Sacks provides to us that Temple isn’t hesitant to show him her bedroom, that she even might be proud of her room and the objects in it. Sacks also points out the important objects in the room. He states Temple has a single bed, possibly meaning she lives alone as well as the strange looking object he finds next to it.
ReplyDeleteI plan on asking Eric Donovan an assistant clerk at the Brockton District Courthouse permission to interview him. Mr. Donovan was at the courthouse last time I visited and gave me a tour of one of the courtrooms. Three questions I want to ask him are why did you decide to become an assistant clerk? What is your main goal/objective in every case you handle? What case has always stood out from the others and why?
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/1a/e8/2c/1ae82c98cde98a1b3be3c9806bee9e6c.jpg
This is a link to a picture of a young boy using a hugging machine
Another question that you could ask would be, "How do you deal with the most difficult cases?"
DeleteI agree with the importance of how Sacks finds an important artifact such as the hugging machine and makes it a main point in the interview.
DeleteAfter reading "An Anthropologist on Mars" by Oliver Sacks, I noticed that Oliver uses many interviewing techniques while interviewing Temple Grandin. When I first started reading this Interview, and Oliver got picked up by Temple, I noticed Oliver was so interested in temple and her career he wasted no time to Interview her. "As we headed for her house, I quizzed her about the work she had done for her Ph.D., her thesis on the effects of enriched and impoverished environments on the development of pigs' brains.(245). For this technique Oliver had already planned out what he was going to ask Temple. When they arrived to Temples town house, Oliver makes sure to add in every detail describing what her town house had looked like. With all the details he gave I could paint a picture in my mind of what the town house looked like. "Downstairs was comfortable, with the usual amenities a sofa, armchairs, a television, pictures on the wall but I had a sense that it was rarely used. The link below tells you more about Temple and her life through out the years. http://www.autism.com/advocacy_grandin
ReplyDeleteI plan on interviewing Joanne Hogan, one of the teachers who is in charge of the children's center. I plan on asking her "Whats her favorite part of working at the children's center?" "Does she like working with the age range she does, or does she wish she taught older kids?" "Is there things she doesn't like about being a teacher?"
I also liked how detailed he was when describing her home. It helped me get a small sense of who she is. Also, for your interview questions, I suggest that you add some that do not ask her what she likes or dislikes. You probably have many more questions written out, but I just noticed that you posted ones asking only what the teacher likes and dislikes.
DeleteI would suggest asking a question that cannot be answered with "yes" or "no". Ask a more open ended question instead.
DeleteIn the reading of " An Anthropologist on Mars" by Oliver Sacks the authors did a good job with describing his observations. On pages 246 and 247 he did a job with his observations skill when describing rooms, it made the reader feel like they were taking the tour with Temple. One technique he used in his interview was the asking of questions like why, what, and who. Because of those question Oliver was able to get a lot of information out of her, which is something i hope to obtain during my interviews.
ReplyDeleteOne person I plan on interviewing is the owner of the barbershop, because he's the most important in the place. Three question I plan on what asking are 1) How long have you've been in business? 2) What separates this barbershop from the other ones in the neighborhood? 3) What do you plan to do with the shop once you decide to retire?
Another question you can ask is "how do you define success as a business owner"
DeleteAnother question you should ask is " Did you ever plan on having a different career or did you want to a barber since you were little?"
DeleteI think Sacks did a good job on his descriptions too, and shows how to be a good interviewer by observing everything around him in such detail
DeleteYou could ask them how long have they been cutting hair? or As a barbershop owner did you have any awkward hair phases?
DeleteIn the reading " An Anthropologist on Mars" by Oliver Sacks, I think that the author did a good job on describing what he was observing on his journey. She describes on page 246, " downstairs was comfortable, with the usual amentities, a sofa, armchairs, a television, pictures on the walls, but I had a sense that it was barely used." I liked this because it was very descriptive and made me feel like I was right beside them observing the same things. Another example of descriptions throughout the article was when they were describing " the devise had two heavy, slanting wooden sides, perhaps four by three feet each, pleasantly upholstered with a thick, soft padding". I think it's important in articles like this to give as much detail as possible in order to paint a picture for the reader.
ReplyDeleteOne person I know I am going to be interviewing is Mrs. Dugan because she runs the guidence office. Some questions I might ask her is, why did you choose this career? Do you think it's difficult to manage all of the guidence officers scheduals? What is the most rewarding part about your job?
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ReplyDeleteSacks is really good at interview techniques. One great technique he had was paying attention to what was around him during the interview. “On one wall was a large cowhide with a huge collection of identity badges and caps, from hundreds of conferences she lectured at.” This shows he looks around to see what it looks like around him , who's around him, and what it looks like around him. He is really observant which is important. Another important quote was "As we headed for her house, I quizzed her about the work she had done for her PhD" Even though there really busy at the moment Sacks still uses his times wisely and is still interviewing her. This technique is important because you should ask as many questions as you can because you probably never see that person ever again.
ReplyDeleteA person that i will be interviewing is a defendant in a civil case. Some questions that i will be asking the the defendant is What is your case about? Does your lawyer cost a lot of money ? And the last question i will ask is , The procedure of being in court is it a lot work ?
Sacks uses many interviewing techniques. He is very attentive and interested in what Temple has to say. One important technique he uses is paying attention to the setting and items such as badges and the squeeze machine. He noticed "one wall was a large cowhide with a huge collection of identity badges and caps, from the hundreds of conferences she has lectured at."This shows that he uses the setting to learn more about her and to come up with more questions. Another important technique he uses is that he seems interested and makes Temple feel more comfortable. When he sees the squeeze machine he acts very interested to get Temple to talk more about it. When Temple asks him to try it he feels "a little foolish and self-conscious- but less so than I might have been because Temple herself was so wholly lacking in self-consciousness". Even though the squeeze machine is strange to him, he tries it out to learn more about Temple and make her feel more comfortable talking to him.
ReplyDeleteI will be interviewing two preschool teachers at the school I am observing. Some questions I will be asking are "what made you want to become a teacher?" "what do you enjoy the most about teaching?" and "how many years have you been teaching?"
I think these are good conversation starter questions. Seem very interesting.
DeleteI like those questions, but another one you could ask is:
DeleteWhat is the hardest part about their job?
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ReplyDeleteIn the reading " An Anthropologist on Mars" by Oliver Sacks, he uses good interview techniques such as his observation skills.He understands how Temple's emotions are much different from others, saying on page 246, "without diffidence or embarrassment (emotions unknown to her)". Sacks also does an exemplary job of describing the locations surrounding him at all times, giving visuals. He describes the typewriter on pg 246, "her typerwriter absolutely bursting with manuscripts and books," which shows as an interviewer, he is very aware of his surroundings. He converses with Temple while also observing at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI plan on interviewing the provider of the daycare I've been observing, Lynn. Some questions I will ask include, "What made you decide to do daycare?" "Do you think that over the years you've improved as a daycare provider?" and "What is your favorite part about your job?
I think you chose good questions that will lead to detailed answers
DeleteI really like your second question because I believe the answer will be reflected on her work as well emotion, which can be the base of other upcoming questions.
DeleteYour last question is great because the daycare provider will love talking about that.
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ReplyDeleteYou could also ask "Do you think its difficult working with children or is it something you enjoy?"
Deleteyou questions will give you tons of detailed answers. you could also ask is there a reason you enjoy working with younger kids opposed to older kids
DeleteAfter reading "An Anthropologist on Mars" by Oliver Sacks, I observed Sacks paying good attention to the surroundings of the rooms he was in with Temple. I also observed on how he is a good listener and listened carefully to Temple when she was explaining the "hugging machine". One of the quotes that I chose is on p246 is "Temple showed me her bedroom, an austere room with whitewashed walls and a single bed and next to the bed , a very large, strange-looking object. Sacks observes and finds out that this is Temple's "hugging machine". Another quote I chose from the story is also on pg. 246 "On one wall was a large cowhide with a huge collection of identity badges and caps, from the hundreds of conferences she has lectured at." This quote gives you a good visual of what is going on in the story and you can get a sense of how it relates to Temple. All of those caps on the wall mean something important to Temple.
ReplyDeleteFor the interview, I plan on interviewing Matt Elia who is the Asst. Director at the New Bedford Regional Airport. I plan on asking him "what lead you into becoming an aviation and why did you choose this route" I also want to ask him "Wat skills do you use to manage an airport" and "What makes your role/ job so important to the airport"
I also agree with those quotes because they do give a good visual and are described very well.
DeleteOne technique that Sacks used was focusing on what Temple had to say and show to him. A second technique was that he then sparked deeper questions off of Temple's answers and examples. An example of this is on pages 246 and 247, when Temple showed Sacks her "squeeze machine" or "hug machine." This can really give greater insight to what something means to a person and why something that might be insignificant to others is so greatly revered by an individual.
ReplyDeleteI plan to interview my Station Manager, Dave Irving or my Station Administrator, Kim Calderella (depends on availability). The three questions might be:
Do you feel that your role has any impact on the culture within the workplace, and why?
Do you feel any significant attachment to anything within your work-space, and why?
Have you adopted any new cultural trends or artifacts after entering your current role, and why?
Those two techniques were the ones that stood out to me, also. By not interrupting or cutting her explanations short, he got to know Temple in a deeper way than he probably expected to. Also, I love your questions! One question I would suggest asking is "Do you feel that your role has any impact on the culture outside of the workplace, and why?" Since you said "station manager" I am guessing that you are studying a radio station, so maybe this question could start up a conversation about the type of music that is played.
DeleteIn this reading Oliver Sacks does a great job in listening to Temple, the person he is interviewing. You see this technique being used when he asks her about her hugging machine and then allows her to go into stories about her childhood and why this machine gives her comfort. "When she was a little girl, she had longed to be hugged..." This is important because actually listening made her feel comfortable with answering his questions and able to branch off topic to gain more information. This also allows him to gain a good sense of her personality during the interview. Sacks also did a good job in describing the places that he observed including the house, "On one wall was a large cowhide with a huge collection of identity badges and caps, from hundreds of conferences she lectures she lectured at." This is important in observing the space and gaining extra information just by looking at his surroundings.
ReplyDeleteThe person that I will be interviewing will be the senior class guidance counselor at my previous high school. The three questions that I might ask are, "Why have you chosen to be a guidance counselor?", "What types of roles do you have as this counselor?" And "What is your favorite part about being a guidance counselor?"
Another question you can ask is What type of issues have happened that you found challenging as a guidance counselor
DeleteSacks uses the interview techniques that we have been going over in class by letting Temple tell her story without interrupting or asking other questions and then by talking to her in a comfortable environment. On page 245 to 246 Sacks lets Temple talk about her, “beloved enriched pigs,” and never interrupts her during it. This allows Temple to get into her story and show how emotional she feels about the story. She was able to say, “I wept and wept,” which in part had to do with sacks not getting her distracted with other questions. Another technique Sacks used so well was allowing Temple to get comfortable in her own environment. He was able to get her into her most comfortable place her “Hugging machine.” Sacks went as far as even trying it out himself to get Temple really comfortable with everything. When Temple was in the “Hugging machine,” she even said, “I’m getting real relaxed now,” showing her comfort with Sacks around.
ReplyDeleteI am planning on interviewing the assistant coach of the Boston College basketball team. This is one of the two people who I really focus on in my ethnography as I am observing the career of coaching. I would like to ask him: 1. How he feels about his current position? 2. What the hardest part of recruiting/coaching are and what the funnest parts? 3. Which coaching spot did he learn the most from and if he would ever take a coaching job at a higher level and why?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d9/Fetal_Pig_Cerebelum.jpg/200px-Fetal_Pig_Cerebelum.jpg
In "An Anthropologist on Mars", Sacks observes and uses his analysis to connect his prior knowledge to the ones he is learning while walking through Temple's home. He listens for a long time and then finally asks question when he is really confused about something like the "hugging machine". I like his observation when he mentions "she could not turn to human beings for solace and comfort". This quotes is an example of his insight and analysis of Temple. I also noticed that Sacks was a very good listener because everything flowed well.
ReplyDeleteI will be interviewing Chris the program director at the radio station. What kinds of events do they manage? Any local or famous artist played or been to the school? Any adults involved in the process, if so what do they do?
The three questions that you posted are great, but one question that could give you a lot of insight into the station is "what artifacts are important to you and to the people who work here"
DeleteBy paying careful attention to what Temple was saying, Oliver Sacks was able to really get to know Temple by being a good listener and carefully observing her. After giving her a hug, he thinks that she returns the gesture. He clearly was noticing her body language. After careful listening, Oliver gets to know Temple a little better. She says she “thinks in pictures” and her experience with visualizing words, concepts and memories is not much different than others with autism. One person that I plan on interviewing at my site is a counselor. Three questions I would ask would be 1. What made you choose this career path? 2. What advice would you give to someone who wants to work in counseling field? and 3. What do you think is the most challenging part of your job?
ReplyDeleteI like your questions because they can really build off of them and give you a long response.
DeleteSacs does a great job interviewing Temple. He not only listened to her but made her feel comfortable, interviewing her in her own environment and talking about familiar things to her; like her "hugging machine". "When she was a little girl, she had longed to be hugged..." (246). He also was asking questions that allowed for Temple to provide detailed stories leading for Sacks to fully understand her emotions. He describes her emotions as "without diffidence or embarrassment" (246).
ReplyDeleteI will be interviewing Patty the director of special ed at Foxborough High. Three questions I may ask are, what is the most rewarding part of the job? What's the most difficult? What is your favorite teaching moment?
I like the questions you've picked because they're a bit open-ended. Which means you can form another question based upon their response.
DeleteThroughout my reading, "An Anthropologist on Mars" by Oliver Sacks, he does a great job interviewing Temple when he quizzed her about the work she had done or her Ph.D. This interviewing technique was important to the essay because it established emotion throughout the interview process. I felt genuine sympathy for Temple when she described how the pigs, at the end, trusting her, let her lead them on their last walk. She explained the fact that she was very distressed at their deaths saying, "I wept and wept" (246). Sacks also does an amazing job when describing his surroundings, constantly giving his readers a visual. He especially does this when he describes the squeeze machine on pg 246, "the device had two heavy, slanting wooden sides, perhaps four by three feet each, pleasantly upholstered with a thick, soft padding." This technique shows Sacks is very aware of his surroundings.
ReplyDeleteI will be interviewing one of the employees of the Better Bean Coffee Company. The three major questions I want to ask is: How do you personally feel in the environment you work in? Why did you choose to work here? What do you notice about the people within this cafe?
I like your topic, you should probably ask something like:
DeleteDo you see your job here as a career in the future ?
In “An Anthropologist on Mars”, Sacks uses many different interview techniques. One thing Sacks does really well is pay attention to his surroundings, not just on Temple. “Downstairs was comfortable, with the usual amenities - a sofa, armchairs, a television, pictures on the wall - but I had the sense that it was rarely used.” In addition, Sacks also indulges himself in what Temple is telling him. "When I asked her why one should seek to submit oneself to such pressure, she told me. When she was a little girl, she said, she had longed to be hugged but had at the same time been terrified of all contact. When she was hugged, especially by a favorite (but vast) aunt, she felt overwhelmed, overcome by sensation; she had the sense of peacefulness and pleasure, but also of terror and engulfment.”
ReplyDeleteOne person I plan on interviewing at the radio station is Tom, the General Manager. Three questions I would like to ask him are:
1.) How did this radio station come about?
2.) How did you get your start at the radio station?
3.) How did you become the general manager?
Those question are really good, but another question you could ask is:
DeleteWhat made him want to be part of a radio station?
Sacks interviewing skills aloud her to get closer to Temple. Temple was able to open up and talk more about person things like the squeeze/hug machine. The first thing Sacks did well was that she "quizzed her about the work she had done for her PH.D"(245). What Sacks did was a good way to get an conservation going and aloud Temple to talk freely about the things she loves doing. The quiz was filled with good question and Sacks feed off the answers. Sacks was paying attention and was able to get a lot out of Temple. The other did thing was when Sacks asked about the squeeze machine on page 246, which was in her room out in the open. Asking about the machine kind of unlocked the past about Temple and gave Sacks a better understanding about hey type of person Temple is. Sacks techniques are important to the story because she was able to get a lot of information in depth. She did not ask closed ended question she asked open ended question that got Temple talking. Also Sacks made it feel more like a conservation then an interview, which aloud Temple to be more comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI plan on interview one of the residents and the question I have are; how did they become homeless?, Does the shelter feel like home?, and what was there initial reaction to being in a shelter?
I like these questions, you should probably ask something like :
DeleteHow does it feel knowing that the people you live with arent your actual family ?
In Sacks article he uses a lot of techinques for the interview one of which is observing, Sacks observeed the house several time and that's how he would ask questions for question on page 246 sacks stated, "What is that? I asked. "thats my squeeze machine", Temple replied" as Sacks goes on he talks about how Temple showed him a compressor and he had asked what it does. What this proves is that Sacks asks questions for observation. These questions helped figure out why Temple was the way she was and why she chose to have her PHD in animals. Another techinque that Sacks has is good listening for example when he asked her why should someone put so much pressure she told him about when she was a little girl and didnt want to have contact with people. Sacks knew everything in detail about the things that she told him, for example on page 247 he states "she started to have daydreams- she was just five at the time- of a magic machine that could squeeze her powerfully but gently,.. ... ". What this proves is that Sacks listened to Temple very well, which is a good thing to do while interviewing someone.
ReplyDeleteSomeone I am planning on interviewing is one of the teachers at the Children's Center
1. How long have you been working at the Children's Center ?
2. Do you feel like you gain a bond with the children while working with them ?
3. What is the hardest part you deal with while working with the kids?
Oliver Sacks did a great job in interviewing making the people he interview comfortable. The first thing that he did was he would visit them in an area where they liked and used to. Instead of doing it in a hospital like most doctors would do in an office. (244) Making them feel comfortable made them also come out with answering his questions and able to branch off topic to gain more information like he did with temple. (245) That way got him in to the second interview topic was getting the details on where temples home, her own words, which made her unique. Changing it from a normal interview.
ReplyDeleteI’m going to ask the person working at the veterans office here at Bridgewater:
1. Where I could look for ROTC.
2. What I can do with my degree for this university.
3. Should I get a different degree if it would help .
Posted on behalf of Michael K:
ReplyDeleteOliver Sacks did a great job in interviewing making the people he interview comfortable. The first thing that he did was he would visit them in an area where they liked and used to. Instead of doing it in a hospital like most doctors would do in an office. (244) Making them feel comfortable made them also come out with answering his questions and able to branch off topic to gain more information like he did with temple. (245) That way got him in to the second interview topic was getting the details on where temples home, her own words, which made her unique. Changing it from a normal interview.
I’m going to ask the person working at the veterans office here at Bridgewater:
1. Where I could look for ROTC.
2. What I can do with my degree for this university.
3. Should I get a different degree if it would help .
Posted on behalf of Zhenya:
ReplyDeleteOne characteristic of a good interview that is shown in this excerpt is how the author describes Temple’s experiences and then relates them to his own life. For example, when he says, “Upstairs was her study, with her typewriter (but no word processor), absolutely bursting with manuscripts and books— books everywhere, spilling out of the study into every room in the house. (My own little house was once described as “a machine for working,” and I had a somewhat similar impression of Temple’s.)”
This defines one of the best qualities because it provides the reader with a detailed description of her house as well as a feeling that is related to this image. When the interviewer referred back to his home I thought of my dorm and mentally compared all three places at the same time: Temple’s house, the author’s house, and my house. Possessing the ability to make connections to my own life made me better visualize the observations that were made. Another quote that demonstrates this quality of an interview is when the author describes what he sees Temple doing as she is using the “squeeze machine” and then he describes how he feels while performing the act himself. He states, “It was
indeed a sweet, calming feeling—one that reminded me of my deep-diving days long ago, when I felt the pressure of the water on my diving suit as a whole-body embrace”.
He connected her out-of-the-ordinary experience to something a lot of people can relate with and have experience doing.
Another quality of the interview was that the author wrote down not just what Temple was saying, but also what she was doing while she was talking. This quote is the perfect epitome of when he uses this tactic. “While telling me this, Temple knelt down, then eased herself, facedown and at full length, into the “V,” turned on the compressor (it took a minute for the master cylinder to fill), and twisted the controls. The sides converged, clasping her firmly, and then, as she made a small adjustment, relaxed their grip slightly.”
The author describing the process of how the machine works along with continuously telling the rest of Temple’s story makes me feel as though I am at her house. I feel this way because if I was there myself, I would not just be listening to her words. I would also be experiencing all the other senses simultaneously while I was interviewing her. Overall, the author of this excerpt does a great job taking what some people would make into a dull question and answer session and making it into Temple’s story through his writing.
One person who I want to interview at my observation site is the head teacher, Mrs. Shafer. Thre questions I would ask are as follows:
1. What were your interests and hobbies as a child. As an adolescent? As an adult?
2. What was your dream job? Did it stay your dream job as you progressed through high school and college?
3. How did you get to where you are today. (Your career)
After reading "An anthropologist on Mars" I can see several different examples and strategies that are used for a proper interview. First he is very observant with his surroundings and uses that information to his advantage in orer to formulate a better interview. I am planning on interviewing one of the Psychologists there who is currently attending school to get her Doctorate. I will ask her about her experiences at the counseling center and about her path to get this far in the field on clinical psychology.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading "An Anthropologist on Mars", I could see that Sacks used many different interview techniques. One technique he used while interviewing Temple was asking questions ("quizzing her") on her work about what she had to do to receive her Ph.D. This technique is strong because as shown in the text, Temple gave so many different responses and stories which helped Sacks understand her more. Another technique Sacks used was his observations. This helped him because he was paying attention to the details of her home and it helped him understand what kind of a person Temple was without just asking her questions about herself.
ReplyDeleteI am interviewing a counselor from the counseling center. Three questions that I plan on asking are "What made you want to become a counselor?", "Did you study psychology or sociology in college, which led to you becoming a counselor?", and "Do you plan on helping others in just counseling or in other ways?".