Nemec+Riff+Insider

For my Riff/ Insiders project I am assigned to a senior English classroom at a local high school.


 * 2/22-** I met with my mentor teacher, Ms. B, before school started to discuss how the semester would unfold for us together. She explained to me the variety of students in her classroom, using stereotypes to cluster them together. She also conveyed to me that she runs her classroom in a college-like style since this is the end of the students' high school career. I believe this is a good tactic since most teachers probably begin letting the students slack off knowing they are graduating. This was just a scheduled meeting to discuss the assignment so I did not observe the class.


 * 2/29-** This was a unique start to my observation. Ms. B contacted me to say she would be out sick and I had the choice of whether or not I wanted to still come in. I knew beginning my observations with a substitute would probably give me false impressions of some of the students, but I still thought it was a good opportunity to compare and contrast the class. By completing an observation chart, it was easy to see how disengaged the students were with the work. One student even yelled he could not focus because he is a "pot head", something I believe might not happen with his regular teacher there. Eventually the sub got the class to concentrate on their assigned reading for about 20 minutes before they lost focus again. While observing the students, I picked one to focus on that seemed to blend in with the crowd. During the leisurely class she was not taking advantage of the sub by being outwardly outspoken or rebellious, but rather chatted from time to time while still staying focused on her work. For my next visit, I will prepare a variety of questions for my interview with the student.


 * 3/7-** Yet again, this is another unique class. Upon my arrival, Ms. B informs me that the students will be enjoying breakfast in celebration of the end of a unit. I sigh at the fact that this may not give me any great insight into the student I chose to observe, however I begin my notetaking regardless. As the student (we'll refer to her as Sara) walks to her desk, she tosses her backpack down and takes her seat quietly. Again, the student is dressed relaxingly in sneakers and sweatpants. After a few minutes of silence I hear her initiate conversation with a peer nearby: "I like your shoes" she says politely. This gave good lee way into Sara being a part of the conversation. As another class comes in to join Ms. B for breakfast, Sara is pleasantly surprised one of her friends will be joining for the day. They pull their desks close to each other and chat quietly while they munch on fruit, yogurt, and bacon. About five minutes into the breakfast feast I overhear an intersting conversation between Ms. B and the two girls.

Ms B: "You should be really proud of your friend Sara, she has worked really hard lately" Friend (smiling at Sara): "That's good to hear" Ms. B (with hand on Sara's shoulder): "I am very proud of you again" Sara provides a modest "thank you" in response.

After overhearing this conversation, I could only help but wonder what Ms. B is so proud about. The girls continue to chat for the remainder of class. At one point, I overhear Sara wishing she could play the guitar. This makes me curious what types of interests Sara takes up outside of school. Upon the conclusion of the class, Ms. B comes over to talk to me about my observations and her input on the day. I told her I had begun observing Sara and that I would really enjoy interviewing her. She was thrilled to say the least, but for reasons that came as a surprise.

Ms. B then went on to fill me in on the struggles Sara and gone through over the course of the year. She was missing school every week, about 2 to 3 times a week. Because of this, she was inevitably slipping behind in all of her school work. Eventually Sara came to talk to Ms. B about how upset she was with the way the year panned out, and Ms. B's response was far from stern. She said she could tell that Sara just needed a support figure to help her get to school and get back on track. She convinced Sara to start coming to school more often, telling her it was not that bad. By the end of the conversation, Sara was in tears and Ms. B played the motherly role that the situation called for. After this turning point, Sara began coming to school on a regular basis; she hasn't missed a day in two months! This situation has made me a little nervous about how an interview may be if questions get too sensitive. However, I am glad I am fortunate to have a student in a unique situation that I can hopefully explore during my observations.

Jamie, I like what you've noticed so far about the classroom and the student, and I'd like to hear more about what you observe: Have a look at the models for the INSIDER and think about what you would want to know about this student in order to learn from her how to teach her better. Watch her for an entire class period: what patterns do you notice? what stands out? It's probably best to use pseudonyms for both your teacher and the students from now on to keep someone from stumbling across your observations in an online search.... Looking forward to hearing your insights! :)