Dear Editor,
On Jan. 4, fifth-graders at Scott Elementary School in unincorporated Leyden Township interviewed me. I was there as part of a larger event where students interview adults in various professions and then write a report.
While the aim of the activity, as I understand it, is to improve the writing skills of the students, I gained several insights on being a journalist from the students. I’d like to pass those insights along for the benefit of our newsroom.
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Five fifth-graders interviewed me while a third-grader took video of the interview on a tablet computer. This is brilliant! The intimidation effect of five interviewers plus a videographer — even if they’re only belt-buckle high — practically forces a single subject to respond. And if the subject attempts to leave, all the interviewers have to do is form a circle around him (perhaps while pretending to play Ring Around the Rosy to keep nearby supporters of the subject at bay). Please immediately bring this to the attention of upper management who, I am sure, will immediately quintuple their hiring of reporters.
In our single-minded pursuit of information, sometimes we reporters anticipate certain answers (or lack thereof). Better to keep an open mind. This occurred to me when I asked fifth-grader Mike Deveer if he had any idea what type of work he’d like to do when he grew up.
“Construction,” he replied.
Why construction?
“When I was little, I grew up around Legos,” he replied.
When the interviews were complete but before the bell rang for the next period, each of the fifth-graders asked to pose for a photograph with me. As reporters, we generally keep out of our article or photos but perhaps this a mistake. Nothing restores good will to an interviewer-interviewee relationship like posing for a photo afterward. Imagine it like this:
“President Nixon, why did you order the break-in on Democratic Party national headquarters? And, by the way, do you mind smiling at the camera with your arm around me after you answer?”
Thank you, Editor, for considering these insights and thanks to the fifth-graders at Scott School for supplying them.