Interview Preparation
Based on the scenario, provided the purpose of the interview is to find out of the student has anything going on outside of the school that would negatively impact her grades. Research suggests that if a student is not comfortable outside of the school environment - if there is not safety guaranteed in the home environment - that they will be unsuccessful at school (Hill, 2014). Thus, it is important to determine the structure of the student’s home, whether her needs are being met. By this, I mean her physical needs primarily, but also emotional needs as well. Without this feeling of safety and security - the lowest and most primitive of Maslow’s hierarchy - the student in question will not be able to function successfully.
Building Rapport
As with any counseling situation, the first step is always building a rapport with the client. This rapport is the basis of any relationship. (Hart, 2013) Ideally, this rapport will develop into trust and a mutual respect and sharing. Especially with teenagers, it is important that any attempts to develop rapport be sincere. TEenagers are especially good at determining whether or not a person is being genuine, and if they feel that the person in question has been insincere they will immediately shut down. The best strategy for developing rapport in this instance is to do so over time, to touch base with the student on a regular basis and show interest in the things that they are interested in. This is a slow technique and it takes time, but it is the most genuine and authentic way to develop a relationship with the student. It is important to be honest in any interactions that may occur and to always being consistent in expectations and structure.
Topics and Sequence
Questions and Techniques
I would definitely employ open ended questions in order to get the student talking. It is important that she not feel like this is an interview, but rather a mutual exchange of information. Questions such as “Tell me about your classes” would be open enough for her to give information about which ones she likes, which ones she does not, and any issues she might have with her teachers. Another question I could ask is “What sorts of things do you do with your time when you are not in school?” This gives me information about her likes and dislikes to begin developing rapport, but also lets me know what responsibilities that she has outside of school, such as a part time job or any responsibilities around her home.
Tactics to Avoid
Obviously, it is important to avoid anything that would make the student feel judged or attacked. This would cause the student to go on the defensive. (Carpetto, 2008) This makes the way that questions are phrased very critical. It is better to ask, “Are you having trouble in any classes?” instead of “Why have your grades dropped?” It is also important to determine a holistic picture of the student's life instead of just focusing on school. If the counselor were to just focus on school, then it would seem to the student that they cared only about their academic progress and not about them as a person.
Carpetto, G. (2008). Nterviewing and Brief Therapy Stratagies: an Integrative Approach. Trenton, NJ : Pearson.
Hart, C. L., Ray, O., & Ksir, C. (2013). Drugs, society & human behavior (16th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hill, C. (2014, March 12). What are the Effects of the Home Environment on Learning? Retrieved January 19, 2017, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/151892-what-are-the-effects-of-the-home-environment-on-learning/
