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Icebreaker – school now
- What do you like about school this year?
- What words would you use to describe your school?
- What do you think your school sees as important?
- What sort of school would you like?
Relational mapping
- Tell me me about your family
- Do your parents ever talk about their school days?
- What do you think are the differences between your parents’ childhoods and yours?
Retrospective & prospective
- Can you tell me what have been some big or memorable things or important times in your life? [Participant-led plotting and discussion of their timeline)
- Can you tell me something about yourself that other people might not know?
- How do you think your friends would describe you to a stranger?
- Where do you see yourself at the end of school?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years? in 10 years?
- Are you much interested in thinking about the future? What about your own future?
- How do you think your own future will compare with your parents’ lives?
- Do you notice or expect any difference in the kind of futures young men and women will have
- What sort of family life do you imagine having in the future?
Political and social issues
- Discussion of current political issues – with opening examples and prompts drawn from prominent debates at the time. In the first round of interviews, there was a focus on race politics and racism, gender politics, sexuality and sexism, and religion.
Racism and Australian society:
- Prompts drawn from examples in the press and social media – eg Adam Goodes, an Aboriginal footballer, being boo-ed while playing; reactions to asylum seekers seeking to come to Australia.
- What did you think of the reactions to this incident? What advice would you have given to (depending on example) Adam Goodes regarding his decision to stop playing?
- Can you tell me whether you think racism is an issue in Australia; at this school? In your town/community: Why/why not?
Gender and sexuality:
- Prominent issues at the time included media discussion of violence against women and children; transgender and LGBTQI issues, with stories from prominent people; ‘marriage equality’, which was not supported by the federal liberal government.
- What advice would you give to the government about marriage equality?
- What are your own views on marriage equality?
- How do you think LGBTQI identities and issues are regarded at school (among your friends)?
- Do you think much about marriage or your own relationships in the future?
Religion in school and society:
- Is religion offered at your school? Do you think it should be taught at school?
- If yes, what do you think should and should not be included in the curriculum? If no, why?
- Do you think religion is an important part of Australian society? Is it or has it been important in your life?
Ethical outlook
- Can you tell me about the social and political issues that are most important to you at the moment?
- What do you think your school values?
- What does a ‘good life’ look like for you?