Multicultural Interview
I explained to my cooperating teachers that I was doing a project in class in which I would have to interview two of our students. My teachers thought it would be okay for me to interview our students as long as I didn’t put their names in my paper. My teachers even recommended two students who they thought I should pick considering their social skills and their normal level of participation. I selected two of the students they suggested and explained to them before the interview that I was very interested in my students and to get to know them better I was going to interview them. They seemed excited to talk to me so I proceeded with the interviews during snack time.
*Student #1 represents the fourth grade male student interviewed
*Student #2 represents the fourth grade female student interviewed
*Teacher represents myself as the interviewer
INTERVIEW #1:
Teacher: I am just going to ask you a few questions about your life and the things that you do at home okay?
Student #1: Okay.
Teacher: Were you born in the United States?
Student #1: No.
Teacher: Where were you born?
Student #1: In DR [Dominican Republic].
Teacher: When did you move to the United States?
Student #1: When I was 4 [years old].
Teacher: Did you know how to speak English when you moved to the United States?
Student #1: No.
Teacher: But you know how to speak English now. Does your Mom speak English?
Student #1: She knows how.
Teacher: What language does your Mom speak at home?
Student #1: Spanish.
Teacher: Who lives with you at home?
Student #1: My Mom, my little sister, and my Grandma.
Teacher: Does your Grandma know how to speak English?
Student #1: No, she speaks Spanish.
Teacher: Can you tell me about what you usually do on the weekend?
Student #1: I play with my friends and cousins and we usually go to the park. And sometimes I go to Target with my Mom.
Teacher: That sounds like fun! Do you spend a lot of time with your relatives on the weekends?
Student #1: Yea, I play with my cousins at the park and go to their apartment sometimes.
Teacher: Do your cousins live nearby?
Student #1: Yea, they live in my building.
Teacher: What are some interests you have?
Student #1: Like at school?
Teacher: No, outside of school. Do you play any sports?
Student #1: I like basketball.
Teacher: Do you play basketball?
Student #1: Yea, at the park.
Teacher: I notice you bring a basketball to school too, do you play at recess?
Students #1: Yea, most of the time.
Teacher: Do you watch basketball?
Student #1: Yea, college basketball and NBA.
Teacher: I guess you really like basketball! I think that is all I wanted to ask you. Thanks!
INTERVIEW #2:
Teacher: I am going to ask you a few questions about what you do at home okay?
Student #2: Okay.
Teacher: Where were you born?
Student #2: In Brooklyn.
Teacher: So you were born in the United States?
Student #2: Yes.
Teacher: Were either of your parents born in the United States?
Student #2: No, they were both born in the Dominican Republic.
Teacher: So your nationality is Dominican?
Student #2: Yea and Hispanic.
Teacher: Do you know how to speak Spanish?
Student #2: Yes.
Teacher: What language do you speak at home?
Student #2: Spanish a lot because my Grandma doesn’t know English.
Teacher: Does your Grandma live with you?
Student #2: Yes.
Teacher: Who else lives with you at home?
Student #2: My brother, my Mom, and my Dad.
Teacher: Can you tell me about the types of things you like to do on the weekend?
Students #2: I watch TV and play with my brother.
Teacher: Do you see your relatives a lot?
Student #2: [Looks confused] Yes…
Teacher: Relatives means your aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Student #2: Oh yeah, I go to my aunts house a lot.
Teacher: Does your aunt live close by?
Student #2: She lives upstate.
Teacher: Really? I live upstate too! Is there anything else you like to do in your free time?
Student #2: Umm…[student seems to be thinking].
Teacher: Do you play any sports?
Student #2: Not really.
Teacher: Do you like watching any sports on TV?
Student #2: No.
Teacher: What about singing or dancing?
Student #2: I like dance.
Teacher: Do you take dance classes?
Student #2: Yea, here.
Teacher: Ok. Thank you! That’s all I wanted to ask!
*Student #1 represents the fourth grade male student interviewed
*Student #2 represents the fourth grade female student interviewed
*Teacher represents myself as the interviewer
INTERVIEW #1:
Teacher: I am just going to ask you a few questions about your life and the things that you do at home okay?
Student #1: Okay.
Teacher: Were you born in the United States?
Student #1: No.
Teacher: Where were you born?
Student #1: In DR [Dominican Republic].
Teacher: When did you move to the United States?
Student #1: When I was 4 [years old].
Teacher: Did you know how to speak English when you moved to the United States?
Student #1: No.
Teacher: But you know how to speak English now. Does your Mom speak English?
Student #1: She knows how.
Teacher: What language does your Mom speak at home?
Student #1: Spanish.
Teacher: Who lives with you at home?
Student #1: My Mom, my little sister, and my Grandma.
Teacher: Does your Grandma know how to speak English?
Student #1: No, she speaks Spanish.
Teacher: Can you tell me about what you usually do on the weekend?
Student #1: I play with my friends and cousins and we usually go to the park. And sometimes I go to Target with my Mom.
Teacher: That sounds like fun! Do you spend a lot of time with your relatives on the weekends?
Student #1: Yea, I play with my cousins at the park and go to their apartment sometimes.
Teacher: Do your cousins live nearby?
Student #1: Yea, they live in my building.
Teacher: What are some interests you have?
Student #1: Like at school?
Teacher: No, outside of school. Do you play any sports?
Student #1: I like basketball.
Teacher: Do you play basketball?
Student #1: Yea, at the park.
Teacher: I notice you bring a basketball to school too, do you play at recess?
Students #1: Yea, most of the time.
Teacher: Do you watch basketball?
Student #1: Yea, college basketball and NBA.
Teacher: I guess you really like basketball! I think that is all I wanted to ask you. Thanks!
INTERVIEW #2:
Teacher: I am going to ask you a few questions about what you do at home okay?
Student #2: Okay.
Teacher: Where were you born?
Student #2: In Brooklyn.
Teacher: So you were born in the United States?
Student #2: Yes.
Teacher: Were either of your parents born in the United States?
Student #2: No, they were both born in the Dominican Republic.
Teacher: So your nationality is Dominican?
Student #2: Yea and Hispanic.
Teacher: Do you know how to speak Spanish?
Student #2: Yes.
Teacher: What language do you speak at home?
Student #2: Spanish a lot because my Grandma doesn’t know English.
Teacher: Does your Grandma live with you?
Student #2: Yes.
Teacher: Who else lives with you at home?
Student #2: My brother, my Mom, and my Dad.
Teacher: Can you tell me about the types of things you like to do on the weekend?
Students #2: I watch TV and play with my brother.
Teacher: Do you see your relatives a lot?
Student #2: [Looks confused] Yes…
Teacher: Relatives means your aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Student #2: Oh yeah, I go to my aunts house a lot.
Teacher: Does your aunt live close by?
Student #2: She lives upstate.
Teacher: Really? I live upstate too! Is there anything else you like to do in your free time?
Student #2: Umm…[student seems to be thinking].
Teacher: Do you play any sports?
Student #2: Not really.
Teacher: Do you like watching any sports on TV?
Student #2: No.
Teacher: What about singing or dancing?
Student #2: I like dance.
Teacher: Do you take dance classes?
Student #2: Yea, here.
Teacher: Ok. Thank you! That’s all I wanted to ask!