Friday, October 25, 2013

Homework: Interview Someone Who Has Been There


About this project:

I think it’s important for high school juniors and seniors who are getting ready to start out on their own [whether it’s at college or in a job or both] to begin thinking about money and credit.  I also feel that it’s important to ask people who have really “been there.”  As an adult, if I want to know who has the best cell phone plans or the cheapest texting, I ask a teenager.  If I want to know the best new video games, I ask a teenager.  I do that because they have the experience to help me make a smart decision.  As a teenager, you should seriously consider who has the most experience getting out on their own, getting credit, saving money, being successful, getting in financial trouble, etc. 

That’s why for this project I want you to interview “those who have been there.”  You will choose people whose opinions you respect, and ask them a series of questions.  You will use the answers to these questions to write about what you have learned.

Instructions:
        
You will choose four people (men or women from different age groups) and interview them.
  • Take notes as they answer the questions – especially on things for which they offer advice.
  • Try to ask follow-up questions if you want to know more about a certain subject.
  • After each interview, summarize your experience (what was interesting, what were their reactions to the questions, what was surprising, etc.) in a paragraph.
  • Next week we will begin typing our results in an essay and posting them to our blog.

LEARN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE

#1: A person between ages 18‐23 who has been on his own for over two years:
  • What kind of things did you buy before you started out on your own?
  • How did your spending patterns change when you were really on your own?
  • What do you wish you had known about spending or saving money when you started out?
  • How do you feel about using credit?
  • What were your parents/caretakers attitudes about borrowing money and being in debt?
  • What would you have done differently with your spending patterns if you started over again?
  • What advice can you offer a person starting out?
#2: A person between ages 24‐30 who has a family:
  • What kind of things did you buy before you started out on your own?
  • How did your spending patterns change when you were really on your own?
  • What do you wish you had known about spending or saving money when you started out on your own?
  • Now that you have a family, have your spending patterns changed?
  • How do you feel about using credit?
  • What were your parents/caretakers attitudes about borrowing money and being in debt?
  • What would you have done differently with your spending patterns if you started over again?
  • What advice can you offer a person starting out?
#3: A person between ages 35‐60:
  • What kind of things did you buy before you started out on your own?
  • How did your spending patterns change when you were really on your own?
  • How have your spending patterns changed since you were 35 years old?
  • What do you wish you had known about spending or saving money when you started out?
  • If you have a family, have your spending patterns changed?
  • How do you feel about using credit?
  • What were your parents/caretakers attitudes about borrowing money and being in debt?
  • What would you have done differently with your spending patterns if you started over again?
  • What advice can you offer a person starting out?
#4: A person older than 65:
  • What kind of things did you buy before you started out on your own?
  • How did your spending patterns change when you were really on your own?
  • How did your spending patterns change during your child rearing years?
  • How have your spending patterns changed since you were 60 years old?
  • What do you wish you had known about spending or saving money when you started out?
  • Did you use credit during your younger years?
  • What were your parents/caretakers attitudes about borrowing money and being in debt?
  • What do you wish you had known about spending or saving money when you started out on your own?
  • What would you have done differently with your spending patterns if you started over again?
  • What advice can you offer a person starting out?


(I will get you a copy of these questions so you don't have to copy/print)

No comments:

Post a Comment