Ethnographic Observation

ETHNOGRAPHIC OBSERVATION

[Summary of ideas from:  Frank, C. (1999). Ethnographic eyes:  A teacher’s guide to classroomobservation. Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann]

Ethnographic observation involves doing field research to observe people you are trying to relate to and understand. “Ethnographers attempt to record, in an orderly manner, how natives behave and how they explain their behavior...Natives are people in situations anywhere, including children and youth in schools...” (Bishop, 1999, p. 17). The community cultural observation provided an introduction to the ethnographic observation.

Objectives

• Select two students in your classroom who are very different in their strengths, needs and interests, to observe.

• Listen carefully to what you see, hear, and feel, and seek to see the world through their eyes and understand their perceptions. Look for significant details, and make brief notes on what you learn. Observe the school setting, classroom, and students, as described below.

• The purpose of this observation is to determine how you might establish community in your classroom, build relationships with these and other students, and understand what school is like for them, the funds of knowledge they bring from home to school in order to create an effective learning environment.

Procedures

1)  Parallel journal notes

•  Observation notes:  Be brief and descriptive, look for significant details, and try to observe from the child’s perspective.

•  Reflection notes:  What do these facts mean? What do you understand about the students’ interests, needs, and strengths in the classroom, based on what you observed? What are the implications for teaching and learning? Other questions you have or need to know?

                                          PARALLEL JOURNAL EXAMPLE

OBSERVATION/DATA                                REFLECTION

2)  Neighborhood observation

• Make a neighborhood visit -- drive, walk, or ride the bus route. What did you see and learn? Connect with your own personal history -- compare with where/how you grew up; identify your assumptions and insights. You could also choose a place in the neighborhood the child visits, and make observations and notes there.

• What kind of neighborhood support is there for assignments expected in the classroom? How will your teaching methods/ materials/assignments reflect your awareness of the child’s background and community?

• What kinds of after-school activities are available for the students? In which ones are they involved?

• You might find it interesting to make a neighborhood map.

3)  Family visit

•  Contact the parents of each of your focus students, and ask them if you can make a family visit to their home, to get better acquainted. Ask your cooperating teacher or another school staff member to accompany you, and be sure that person understands the purpose for the visit. (See p. 38 for information on making family visits.)

4)  School observation

• Walk through the school, or make a school map, observing carefully. What is this place like for your students?  What verbal and nonverbal messages are given?  What is the atmosphere like? What are the norms and expectations you observe which a student must understand or follow?  What kinds of support are there for experiencing the joy of learning?

5) Classroom observation

•  Observe the students’ social interactions and academic engagement in the classroom. Also observe classroom norms, patterns, and physical arrangement.

•  Aspects of classroom life that could be observed:

                        °  Space/objects                       °  Responsibilities (what/who?)

                        °  Time organization and use   °  Goals

                        °  Relationships/interactions    °  People involved

6) Student observation

• Shadow each of the selected students for as much of the day as possible, observing them in other classes, specials, lunch, recess, etc. Clear your observation with any other teachers on the student’s schedule, and be as unobtrusive as possible.  Make observation notes of activities of the students. You will gain important insight, as behavior may be entirely different in settings other than in your class. 

•  Interview each student. Try to conduct the interview so you can enter the student’s world. Think of questions and topics which will give you insight about the child’s strengths, needs, interests, and perceptions of school, and listen well.  You can either script or tape the interview for observation notes. Quotes from the students will help support your conclusions later. Then reflect on the shadowing and interview -- what do you now understand about the child’s story? What are the implications for effectively teaching this child, and others?

7) Resources

Utilize a variety of other resources to increase your awareness and understanding of the students’ cultures:  Artifacts or photos you or others have taken, attendance at a family or community event or cultural activity, or research on relevant information, could all be helpful.  Maps may be included as appropriate.

Assessment (Do not use student names)

Reflect on your journal notes and other materials and information gathered. Summarize your learning in a reflective narrative, addressing content on the narrative checklist. As you reflect on your ethnographic experience, in your narrative story include evidence of two or more of the following professional dispositions:

• Caring

• Advocacy

• Inquisitiveness

• Reflection-in-Action

• Communication

• Collaboration

• Ethical Behavior

• Creativity

• Problem-Solving

MAKING FAMILY VISITS

Rationale

•  Parents are extremely important in the educational process. Their priorities and concerns need to be valued and understood. Listen, respect, learn, and relate.

•  Teachers need to understand students’ and parents’ lives, strengths, and needs -- both within and outside of the classroom.       

•  Relationships and trust are critical for meaningful learning. Empathy means listening to understand the other person’s perspective.

•  Home visits have been a valuable part of education over a long time, in many locations, with very positive results for the students’ and parents’ involvement with school.

•  Preservice teachers need to understand the importance of building relationships with families, and of understanding children’s and parents’ perspectives on school, in the context of their teacher education and through field-based experiences.

•  Reflection on learning from the home visit leads to planning appropriate and differentiated instruction, and involving parents in meaningful ways.

Procedure

1)  Understand that the purpose of a family visit is to listen to parents and child share information on special interests and activities, skills, community background, view of school, goals, etc.

2) Arrange the family visit.  It works well to send the parents a letter explaining the purpose of the visit, and requesting a convenient time to come. If the parent prefers to meet someplace other than the home, that’s OK.  However, at home, students can show you favorite things or places, something they have made, etc.  Choose a partner to visit with you – an educational assistant, your cooperating teacher, another teacher, the school counselor or social worker, etc.  Be sure this person clearly understands the purpose of the visit.

3)  Make the visit at the scheduled time (review guidelines for an effective visit).

4)  Reflect on learning and implications for classroom instruction.

Guidelines for an effective visit

1) Keep the visit brief, but let the family lead on how long to stay. Allow about 15 or 20 minutes for the visit. Visits of this nature can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the teacher and the family. Plan on 10 - 20 minutes, which is plenty of time.

2) Be prepared for unexpected occurrences, such as:

• Cancellations

            •  New situations and surroundings

            •  Sharing of emotional and troubling information

            •  Views different from the visitor's own”

(Kyle, D., and McIntyre, M., 2000).

3) Remember that the parents and family members are experts on the children.  Observing and listening, as well as asking and answering questions, can provide insight.

4) Personal sharing is sometimes appropriate.

5) Some teachers have reported they were uncomfortable at first with the idea of visiting their students' homes, but this discomfort seems to dissipate once the actual visits begin. Keep in mind that parents often feel this same way when having a meeting with a teacher.

6) If parents are uncomfortable with the idea of a home visit, you may suggest meeting at another, neutral location.

7) Possible questions to start the conversation might relate to:

• The child's interests, favorite activities, strengths, and areas of expertise.

            • What the child wants to learn about most, and what the parents have

discovered about how their child learns best.

            • The parents’ goals for their child this year.

• An invitation to the parents to visit or volunteer in the classroom, areas of interest or special skills they would like to share with the children.

8) Dress appropriately, and leave jewelry at home and purse in office or car trunk. It can be awkward if you lose or forget something at the home. Carry keys, necessary cash, and driver’s license on person.

9) You need to be: Prompt, flexible, and a good listener.  Keep language appropriate, and respect cultural and ethnic values.

Sample Letter of Introduction for a Family Visit

Dear ______________,

As a student teacher in __________’s classroom, I would like to visit with you and

your child at your home.  During our visit, I hope to learn about your child’s interests

and activities away from school.  I would also like to listen your interests and concerns regarding your child’s education.  Since I will be working with your child this semester,

I will enjoy an opportunity to get acquainted.

_________ will be joining me for our visit, and it will last about 15 or 20 minutes.

Please let me know of a couple of dates and times after school that are convenient

for you, in the spaces below. We look forward to meeting with you and your family.

Sincerely,

Please return to teacher:

_______________________                          _______________________

           Child’s name                                                     Parent’s signature

Date: _______ time _______,          or             Date: ________, time______

Home Visit REFERENCES

Brandt, R. (1998). Listen first. Educational Leadership, 55, 25-28. A guide to home visits.   

Available at www.michigan.gov/documents

Frank, C. (1999). Ethnographic eyes:  A teacher’s guide to classroom observation. Portsmouth,  

NH: Heinemann.

Knapp, D. (1999). Parents grateful that teachers make house calls.  Available at  

     www.cnn.com/US/9909/07/teacher.home.visits

Kyle, D. and McIntyre, E. (2000). Family visits benefit teachers and families -- and students

     most of all. Retrieved February 3, 2008, from www.cal.org/crede/pubs

Peralta-Nash. C. (2003). The impact of home visits in students’ perception of teaching.

    Teacher Education Quarterly, 30(4), 111-125.

Teacher visits hit home. Available at www.educationworld.com

REFLECTIVE NARRATIVE & RUBRIC

Include the following information in your narrative, as you become the storyteller of your focus students’ stories, and of what you’ve learned about them, and how to teach them well. 

Background

• Begin with background description of community, school, classroom (reference your school culture & community observations) leading up to your focus students.

Profiles

• Description of who the focus students are (use a first initial or pseudonym for each student), their community, school, and classroom.

• Discuss what these settings are like for the students? Why?

• What was learned about the students from the ethnographic observation -- their strengths, unique interests, experiences, and needs?

• Describe how you got to know the students outside of the classroom.

• Explain your understanding of settings and events from the student’s point of view, of what motivates them, their goals and dreams, what they think about school, and how it is going for them. 

Implications for teaching and learning

• State implications for instruction, and how you will relate to and encourage the students. What factors should be considered in teaching them -- strengths and skills they have, understandings they struggle with, learning styles, interests, and experiences? How will your teaching will reflect your understanding of the focus students? Explain what you learned that was especially important about each student. 

• Describe what have you learned about teaching, and next steps you’d like to take in creating a supportive classroom community for the students.

• Include some in-text quotations from students or reference materials, examples, and a reference list. The citations and reference list should follow current APA style.

• Identify at least TWO (or more) Professional Dispositions in your final reflections.

Assessment criteria

E -- Excellent, complete, shows good understanding of the students

G -- Good, basic information present, could have more detail and show more understanding.

N -- Needs additional information and explanation.  Some basic points are missing.