RE: THE ART OF IRRITATING - good questioning and becoming a creative interviewer
Thank you, Reinhard, I appreciate how you went through the article and let me know of the process while reading it. That is indeed very interesting.
when an American asked a German "How are you?", and they'd get into a real detailed answer of how they feel and how their day was and how much they love their dog and so on, and the Americans would look at them puzzled and in disbelief... talk about expecting a certain answer!?
LOL. I had the same experience! Oh, this Germans :-)) and Americans. After some time everyone knows the etiquette. Guess you know what I mean.
That is quite interesting that you give me the feedback that you had no expectations even though I built it up - or so I thought. I find it funny because it shows me the difference and variety in how people respond and that my assumptions can go wrong. Even more interesting that it interrupted your flow (which can be good and points to the theme in the article itself. To reveal what I was after and give some of my thoughts in creating my post: "Hmm... it must be a really really good and unusual question. It has to blow the readers mind. ... or... at least... it has to NOT meet his/her expectations... BUT, I am building up an expectation... and what, if he/she is going to be disappointed? Like "well, that is a boring question..." In the end I left the example as it was:)
Yes, the scaling questions I use quite often, they are indeed very useful. Cute, your students. I didn't know that you are also teaching! How often do you give lessons? Can you say something more about this work of yours?
LOL!!
Your examples for the different types of questions are very interesting, but I don't know, if I could do this and come up with good questions of my own. Seems to me quite difficult to get it right and it seems to come with a great deal of responsibility.
That is why I call it a "high art" - I am still in the process of making a habit out of it and on a scale from 1 to 10 I would give myself a 5-6 :)
"The gods must be crazy!"
OHHHHHHH!!! Is that the movie, where a coke bottle falls down from above and a little pygmy finds it in the middle of his desert?? Oh gosh, I saw that one quite often in my youth!! It awakes so much memories!
On which part of the story do you make the connection to yourself? Is it the overall part as life as a journey?
Oh yes, perfectly understand what you mean by
That's what makes it so funny, when a new German is entering the circle 😂
I didn't mean to make it sound like the way you built up expectation for your question didn't work.. at the point I was simply "too busy" in a sense of "completely absorbed... you know, that being "too busy" and totally concentrating on your text is a kind of expectation too, if you really think about it. Like being glued to the screen, curious of what is going to come next!
I'm not really a teacher, but a few years ago, the head of a local school asked me to do an "art day" there. It was so much fun that I did a few more events like that and eventually I did one at this special school (Sonderpädagogisches Förderzentrum). The Headmaster (or is it mistress when she's a woman?), much easier in German, (also die Direktorin) is very committed and in the end she hired me to come once a week for two hours in the afternoon. I have 11 kids who have a certain talent and who chose to be in the group. They have become such an important part of my life and I always hope, I can make a difference for their future. It breaks your heart, when you hear what these kids have to deal with... Maybe I will make a post about that project some time.
For years that movie (yes, its the one with the bottle) was my absolute favorite and I lost track of how many times I have seen it. I would say, the connection is that overall absurd, yet wonderful journey :-)
Does watching the movie dozens of times count as a fact about myself? 😇 Not that I would be aware of being challenged to talk about five or whatever amount of facts.. au contraire: you are now challenged to find those I have dropped all over the place 😁
True. That was my intention :-)
You can be certain about the fact that you ARE going to make a difference for your young students. They will think of you in the future and either consciously or unconsciously appreciate your influence in any way. Remember who made an impression on you in your own childhood. It was always the adults who made you feel that they perceived you and tried to teach you something with vigour and empathy. I have loving memories of these adults. Some I let know of my gratitude, some I didn't. So you don't always know. What you give, you get back. Even if it's just a detour.
Yes, make a post about it, I will enjoy reading it! :-) I also deal with young adults who have difficult biographies and I refuse to look at them as victims. When I do not focus on their tragedies but instead wake up their potentials it gives me and my client the feeling that things are changeable. I get annoyed sometimes of the staff which actually serves more the shortcomings rather than the resources. But of course one can be empathetic at the same time, you know?
Rascal!! :-D maybe I should write five facts about YOU!! LOL
I love "my" kids. They are anywhere from 9 to 15 and with some of them I have worked for several years now. I'm still trying to think of a way to make a post and at the same time protect their privacy.
When we hold our, what I call the "master class", I don't focus on their problems, at least not directly. I know the stories from the other teachers, but from the kids, I only take what they give me as it comes up in relationship to what they are creating. I treat them as equal and often call them colleagues. I want them to feel like real artists and make them feel special. We sometimes even meet at a "Künstlerstammtisch" in my wife's café. I'm also trying to get them on BR3 TV. Its important that they get some public attention and that also their parents see, that their child isn't just one of the "dummies".
Oh, I could just go on and on about them and how they warm my heart, even with all the tragedy in the back ground 🌻
😱 Reminds me of our captain on the submarine. When were released for the weekend, he'd say "I wish for you, what you wish for me"... his way of scaring us 😂
Edit:
Your "threat" doesn't scare me... you need to know, I have... friends!
There is this Russian, Viktor. I covered his ass once when he was a teenager. He came back to me as a young man to thank me. He added (in his lovely Russian accent): "Rheinchard.. if yiu ever chave problam, yiu tell Viktor and then Viktor make problam go away!"