Amble Hollenhorst
Dr. Kim De Vries
ENGL 5870
3 March 2009
Log for Second Half of Class on Tuesday, February 24, 2009
• Writing Prompt:
1. What do you think is the biggest challenge you will have in doing observations?
2. What do you want to investigate in these observations? What questions do you want to ask?
Several minutes were spent in answering this question in writing, individually. At the end of this time, Kim asked students to answer the first question and students answered in counter-clockwise order around the table.
• The most common concern was the fear that note-taking may not happen in real time, that we may not get the ‘real’ stuff going on because personal bias may get in the way of our observations.
• One student was afraid that they might tune out on the class if the teacher seemed ineffectual or boring.
• We may not write enough detail when we observe
• Coming in ‘cold,’ not being part of the continuity
• The very presence of an observer in the classroom will change the environment, making it less authentic
• Having spent so many years as a student, we may slip back into that role and look at the classroom from that perspective, which will change the observation
Kim responds to some of these concerns, and students chime in or laugh, but generally quiet while others speak. Some of Kim’s suggestions are to bring a tape recorder as a way to ensure that we have a backup of what went on so that we don’t miss the details. She also suggests that we discuss our observations with the teacher and ask questions in order to clarify what we see, but that the fact that we intend to share our results with the teacher may change what we choose to write and the perspective that we take. Students rarely raise their hands, instead simply voicing questions and comments during natural pauses.
Kim then asks students to answer the second part of the prompt, this time responding in clock-wise order. These answers include:
• Basic Writing
• Different teaching styles and their effectiveness
• Rapport with students
• Decentering authority in the classroom
• Are there different types of instruction that different types of students are more likely to respond to?
• Language barriers as they influence class participation
• Student writing level
• Mini lessons
• Revision
• Teacher-Student interaction through essay writing and revision
• Transitioning between activities
• Interaction between different types of students and the level of teacher-initiation of this interaction
• Teacher interaction with ESL students as opposed to ‘mainstream’ students
• What level of responsibility is left to students in their own learning?
• Are there gender or culture biases exhibited in the classroom or curriculum?
• How does class size affect instruction?
Kim responds to each student individually, asking questions in order to clarify their goals, and responds with comments and suggestions. Students are rarely commenting or asking questions of each other. When dealing with community building, Kim points out that some of that which we witness in the classroom could have been initiated outside the classroom in dorms, clubs, neighborhoods, etc.
After discussion of this topic has ended, Kim asks if there are any last minute questions or concerns about observations. Kim answers several questions and then dismisses the class.