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Empathy Interview Host Guide

We want to hear from you! This guide shows you how to set up the recording, keep the conversation going, and record it with Polaris. Anyone can host. You don't need special training, just a willingness to listen.

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get set up

before you press record

  • Sit close. The mic should pick up both voices. About a hand's width away works.
  • There are no right answers. Say this out loud at the start. It changes how people answer.
  • Set the norms. Give everyone time to share, balance the positives with the challenges, and don't name specific people.
  • The conversation is anonymous. Names are removed automatically. If someone names a peer or a teacher, it does not go in the report.

using the microphone

  • Point your device at whoever is talking, or position the mic so it faces everyone.
  • If the room gets loud, move closer. Don't shout.
  • If something interrupts the conversation, like an announcement or someone walking in, wait it out. Then ask the person to repeat their last thought.

record with polaris

Polaris records the conversation, writes it out, and removes names before anyone reads it. One person, the host, records for the whole group.

  1. 1
    Sign in. Go to polariseducation.ai and click Sign In with your school email. The first time, enter the four-word join code your school shared.
  2. 2
    Give consent (first time only). Polaris walks you through your rights. You can pause, stop, skip any question, or leave at any time. You'll also choose whether to change your voice in the recording. If anyone in the group turns that on, every voice in the recording is changed.
  3. 3
    Start a room. Choose Talk with classmates, then Host interview → Create room. You'll get a two-word room code like fantastic-fox. One recorder per group.
  4. 4
    Bring everyone in. Share your room code. Others join through Join interview, or at polariseducation.ai/join. That address is the easiest thing to write on a whiteboard.
  5. 5
    Set up the recording. A short walkthrough appears the first time you host. Put the device in the middle of the group, with everyone facing it at about the same distance. You can reopen the walkthrough any time from Recording tips.
  6. 6
    Record in one go. Tap the mic before you read the first question. Polaris reminds you if you forget. Move between questions with the arrows. You can pause and resume if there's an interruption. Nothing is sent until you submit.
  7. 7
    Finish and submit. When the conversation is over, press Finish Recording, then Submit. Stay on the page while it uploads. Your voice is in! means you're done. You can't re-record after you submit, so wait until the conversation is truly over.
3–6 people per group 20–40 minutes 4–6 questions docs.polariseducation.ai

start the conversation

read this aloud

Once the recording is on, read this script to the group. It covers consent and the norms, and you can put it in your own words.

"To help your school understand your thoughts, we're recording this conversation. It will be typed up and shared with educators at your school. If you'd rather not take part, you can leave at any time.

A few ground rules before we start:

  • Listen respectfully. Let people finish their thoughts.
  • Step up, step back. Share your ideas, and make sure everyone gets a turn.
  • Disagree kindly. It's okay to disagree. Just be kind about it.
  • Take your time. You can pass, and we'll come back to you.
  • Don't use anyone's name. Say "a teacher" or "a student" instead. This conversation is anonymous, and your name won't appear anywhere.

There are no right answers. Ready to start?"

run the conversation

facilitator tips

  • Read the question aloud and give everyone time to process. Silence is okay!
  • If someone looks stuck, you can offer:
"Take your time." "It can be anything that comes to mind." "Want me to read it again?"

sharing your own thoughts

  • You're a participant too, not just a recorder.
  • Once others have had real time to answer, you can share and then turn it back:
"That makes sense. For me, it's been a little different… [your thing]. Does any of that match what you've felt, or is yours pretty different?"

follow-ups: go deeper

When someone finishes answering, don't jump to the next question yet. We want as much detail as possible!

"Tell me more about that." "What did that feel like?" "Can you give me an example?" "What made you say it that way?" "What would you change about it if you could?" "Who else does this affect?"

echoing back

  • Repeat the last few words they said, with a question in your voice: "…you felt engaged?"
  • Nine times out of ten they'll keep going on their own.

reading the room

  • Keep going when: they're animated, they pause but look like they're thinking, or they laugh nervously. A nervous laugh often means there's more underneath.
  • Ease off when: they get quiet in a closed-off way, their voice shrinks, or they say "I don't really want to talk about that." Thank them and move on.
  • You never have to finish every question. A real conversation about one thing beats rushing through ten. It's also fine to ask questions that aren't on the list.

things to avoid

  • Don't argue with an answer, even if you disagree. Your job isn't to convince.
  • Don't fix it. If someone shares something hard, "That sounds really frustrating" is enough.
  • Don't lead questions. Ask "How do you feel about lunch?" instead of "Lunch is bad, right?"
  • Don't fill silence too fast. Count to four in your head first.

wrap up

closing the conversation

  • Ask: "Is there anything else anyone wants to talk about?"
  • Thank everyone for joining.