Interviews

Advanced

In small groups, have students complete these sentences in preparation for the interview.

1. I feel annoyed when ______________.
2. I feel happy when ______________.
3. I feel sad when ______________.
4. I feel frustrated when ______________.
5. I feel on top of the world when ______________.
6. I feel discouraged when ______________.
7. I feel excited when ______________.
8. I feel angry when ______________.
9. I feel relieved when ______________.
10. I feel proud when ______________.

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the video:

• annoyed (adjective): slightly angry, irritated
  – She felt annoyed when her little brother kept asking the same question.
  – I get annoyed when my phone battery dies in the middle of a call.

• store (noun): a place where things are sold
  – We went to the store to buy some snacks for the trip.
  – The store was out of my favorite candy, so I had to choose something else.

• cry (verb): to shed tears because of strong emotions
  – She started to cry when she heard the sad news.
  – He cried with joy when he won the big competition.

• quickly (adverb): at a fast speed, without delay
  – She quickly grabbed her coat and ran outside.
  – He answered the question quickly before anyone else.

• feeling (noun): an emotion or state of mind
  – He had a strange feeling that something was about to happen.
  – Her feeling of happiness grew when she saw her friends.

Now, watch the interview and answer the comprehension questions. You can also turn on the automatically-generated captions for the video once you start it.

Randall: Alright. In this video it is called, “Feelosophy: Thoughts from the Mind and Heart.” And so I’m going to give you a statement, and you tell me the first thing that comes to your mind. Ready? Emily. “I feel annoyed when ___.”

Emily: I feel annoyed when Nuken screams all night.

Randall: Okay. So, your cat screams all night . . . .  or something like that? Yes. Aubrey, any thoughts on that?

Aubrey: When I go to the store or I, you know, I don’t go to the store very often, but it’s like if I made the effort to go to the store, and the one thing I went to the store for that I’d spent all this emotional energy going to the store for, isn’t there.

Randall: Oh, that would be . . .

Aubrey: I have cried at the store for this reason.

Randall: Well, let’s raise the level. “I feel pissed off when ____.” Aubrey?

Aubrey: When I go to the store, and they don’t have the thing I want.

Randall: Emily and the other thought on that one . . . Something that makes you feel really, really annoyed.

Emily: When people say or do mean things to my family or friends.

Randall: Okay, good. How about this one? “I feel sad when ___.”

Aubrey: When I go to the store and . . . .. You said the first thing that comes to your head.

Randall: That’s true.

Aubrey: I really wanted those gummy worms.

Randall: Okay, now you need to give a new,  a new answer for this next one. “I feel discouraged when ____.” And Aubrey, don’t use the thing that you already used, but I’m going to start with Emily to help you think. Emily? “I feel discouraged when _____.”

Emily: I feel discouraged when work isn’t going as well as I hoped.

Randall: Okay.

Aubrey: Oh, that’s a good one.

Randall: And you’re a ceramic artist for those that don’t know. Uh, Aubrey? “I feel discouraged when I go to the store and they don’t have . . .”

Aubrey: Like, gummy worms. Yeah, I’m actually trying to psych myself up to go to the store because I want gummy worms, and I have four whole dollars. Um, but no. I feel discouraged when, like, I’m training a puppy and he doesn’t magically learn things, you know? I feel like I’m a bad puppy parent, even though objectively, that’s not true.

Randall: Yeah. And the last one: “I feel on top of the world when_____.” Aubrey?

Aubrey: When I go to the store, and they have my gummy worms.

Randall: Emily?

Emily: Um, I feel on top of the world when my day goes well.

Randall: And how would you define that? In a simple way.

Emily: I open the kiln, and everything turned out well.

Randall: Okay. And again, as a ceramic artist, you put that in, fired it up to, you know, 2,350 degrees. Okay. And then you open it up, and the ceramics came out okay.

Emily: Yeah.

Randall: Alright. Well, thank you very much for sharing your ideas on “feelology.”

Intermediate Level

1. Emily feels annoyed when her cat screams all night. What is something that annoys you, and how do you deal with it?
2. Aubrey cried when she couldn’t find something she really wanted at the store. Have you ever felt very disappointed about not getting something? How did you react?
3. Emily says she feels discouraged when work doesn’t go well. What is something that makes you feel discouraged? What do you do to stay motivated?
4. Aubrey feels on top of the world when she finds her favorite snack. What is a small thing that makes you really happy? Why?
5. The interview is about emotions. Do you think talking about emotions is important? Why or why not?

Advanced Level

1. Aubrey’s frustration at the store seems minor but had a big emotional impact. Why do you think small disappointments can sometimes feel so upsetting?
2. Emily connects her emotions to her work as a ceramic artist. How does your job, studies, or hobbies influence your emotions?
3. Aubrey jokes about needing to “psych herself up” to go to the store. What does this reveal about how emotions influence decision-making?
4. The interview shows how different people react to challenges in unique ways. How do you think personality shapes how we handle frustration and disappointment?
5. If you were the interviewer, what other questions would you ask to help people reflect on their emotions? Why?

Objective:
Students will explore emotions and how people respond to them by moving to a designated corner based on their agreement with given statements.

Setup:

• Label four corners of the room: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree.
• Read a statement aloud, and students move to the corner that represents their opinion.
• After moving, students discuss their choice with others in the same corner before sharing with the class.

Agree/Disagree Statements on Emotions & Responses:

1. It’s okay to feel annoyed, but you should always hide it from others.
2. Small frustrations can build up and affect your mood for the whole day.
3. People should always try to control their emotions instead of expressing them.
4. Feeling discouraged is a sign that you should keep trying rather than give up.
5. Happiness often comes from small moments rather than big achievements.
6. People should avoid making decisions when they are feeling strong emotions.
7. Talking about your feelings with others makes you stronger, not weaker.
8. Laughter is the best way to deal with frustration.
9. Everyone experiences emotions in the same way.
10. The way people respond to emotions depends on their personality and experiences.

Follow-Up Discussion:

• Which statement did you feel most strongly about? Why?
• Did hearing other perspectives change your opinion on any of the statements?
• How do you personally handle emotions like frustration, sadness, or happiness?