5. Field Work Observation and Interview Report
REQUIRED KEY ASSESSMENT – MUST BE POSTED IN the School of Education’s electronic assessment portfolio system and in Blackboard
(NAEYC 3, 4, 5; CEC 3, 4, 5, 8; ACEI 3, 4, 5; NSTA 5, 8, 10; NCTE 4; NCTM 14 (Elementary), NCTM 16 (Middle & Secondary), ACTFL 2, 6, IL/PB 13; and TESOL 3, 4)
This assignment may be modified, based on NYSED requirements for virtual field work, if schools are impacted by COVID-19 policies or closures.
In this course, you will be reading and learning a lot about the foundations of education, including theories, philosophies, and laws that have influenced how children are educated in the US. This foundational field work assignment gives you an opportunity to conduct an investigation of what really goes on in schools. You will begin by selecting a specific topic that interests you and that you can investigate by conducting your preliminary field work assignment, which includes observations and interviews. For example, you might choose a topic such as:
· Technology in the Classroom
· Student-Teacher Relationships
· Parent-Teacher Relationships
· Classroom Management and Discipline
· Diversity and/or Multicultural Education
· Gender Equity in the Classroom
· Single sex schools vs coed schools
· The Role of the Arts in the School
· School Environment (physical structure, facilities, school culture, etc.)
· Special Education
· After-School Programming (arts, athletics, academic support, etc.)
· School Management (role of the administration)
Next, you will select two schools where you will conduct your fieldwork observations. You may elect to compare two public schools, a private school and a public school, a public school and a charter school, etc. Once you identify a topic and select the schools, you will visit the schools and conduct observations and interviews with school staff (10 hours total). You will then analyze your observation and interview data. You will compare and contrast the two schools and relate what you found in “the real world” to what you read about in the textbook. You will discuss how what you leaned will inform your future work as an educator and a member of a school community.
Elements of the Assignment
Here’s what you’ll need to do to complete the assignment:
Visit two schools
· Use the Observation Permission Forms
· Conduct an observation study at each school
· Take objective field notes
Interview at least one adult at each school
· Do NOT interview a minor!
· In preparation for the interviews, you will want to write down a number of open-ended interview questions that you believe will help you get the information you need to investigate your topic. This will also ensure that you remember to ask the interviewees at both schools the same basic questions.
o Before conducting your interview, and after you have had a chance to observe the school for a little while, you may see things that prompt you to add a few questions to your list.
· If the person you interview is comfortable being recorded, you may want to record your interview. This will help you remember what was said as you write your report.
· Take notes while interviewing. Immediately after the interview write down any information you might have missed while doing the interview.
Collect “other” data to corroborate your observation and interview data. You will need to cite this data in your report. Depending on your topic, this data may include:
· Documents
o School flyers
o School newsletters
o School newspaper
· Internet data (For demographics, please check: http://data.nysed.gov.).
o Number of students enrolled
o Racial demographics
o Percentage of special education students
o Percentage of English-language learners
o Percentage of students who get free lunch (This is a proxy for the Socioeconomic Status (SES) of the population)
o School mission statement
Analyze your field notes and interview data
After you complete your two observations and two interviews, you must reflect upon and write about what you have seen. You must relate it to what you are reading and learning about in this class. You will need cite your sources using APA style and include a reference list. You must include at least one citation from the course readings, and you must cite any of the documents or internet sources you used in your research. You may also cite additional texts. Citing appropriate texts demonstrates your understanding of the relationship between theory and practice (or how what you read about relates to what goes on in reality).
In your 4-7-page paper, you should compare and contrast the salient aspects of what you observed in each school. Depending on the focus of your paper, this may include a description of the school buildings, the classrooms, what was used to decorate the school walls (school banners and emblems, slogans and mottos, multicultural images, student art, professional artwork), the demeanor of the students, student-teacher rapport, parent-teacher rapport, the kinds of books in the libraries, the teaching materials and methods used, special services or accommodations provided, etc. Did anything surprise you? Did anything impress you? Did anything challenge your conception of what goes on in schools?
How did the people you interviewed add to your understanding of the schools’ pedagogy, practices, policies, or protocols? Were they able to help you interpret the things you observed? Were they open and willing to discuss the topics you mentioned?
In summary, you should discuss how your observations and interviews will inform your future work as an educator and a member of a school community.
Submit your 4-7-page Fieldwork Paper and complete the Field Work Log
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