Memo Blog Post # 7 (Field Notes)

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October 14, 2018

Memo Blog # 7  

Field Notes
Part of our final project will be completed with the field notes we have been taking for the past days. I have been taking descriptive notes, but I still think I am not focusing enough on my research question(s). Last week was a bad week for me because the class I did not see the class I choose for this project. Monday we had no school, Wednesday the 8th grade students took the PSAT and Friday they attended a high school presentation. I was not able to take enough field notes. Hopefully this week I will be able to take consistent and valid notes so that I can get enough data for to begin organizing my data to work on my classroom research. 

As stated in my research proposal, I will be utilizing different sources which will yield enough and consistent data. For my project I chosen 4 Heritage Learners. I choose these students because I believe will become a valuable data resource as I focus on answering my main and sub questions accurately. Taking notes on what I observed during a school day is great, but I still find it a bit hard to teach and take notes, as I have Spanish I and II in the same period. I have to constantly walk from one side of my classroom to the next to help students who constantly need my assistance. 

Note taking is without a doubt beneficial element for teachers because we can pause and think about how the day went. What I could have done better if I had a bad day, or how I can make my teaching practice better. Field notes are important when analyzing and reflecting on my teaching practice and how I am able to encourage and engage my students. 

As I take field notes I try to speculate on what I am learning about within my learning community and about the subjects and their needs. I now will do by best to pay close attention to on my research questions, I will make sure to note patterns of behaviors and connections that I hope can see between the environment and the subjects that might be important when determining community needs and needs of stakeholders. I will focus on Including thoughts that come to me while I write down what catches my attention as the day unfolds within the observation field. 

Taking notes as I teach and observe at the same time made me realize that not every situation, time is the same. Students behave differently on different occasions based on their life experiences at home. I am hopeful that the data I am collecting will be valid and reliable ans I am aware of the fact that student’s needs may and will change depending on the situation. I also hope we keep on having a high percentage of students that are present in school everyday despite of the Bus Strike. Having all subjects present at the time of observation is vital for data collection.

We need to show them that we believe in them. Most students have the potential to succeed. It is our job to show them the path to become successful lifelong learners. We also have to assure them that we will be next to them all the way. They will welcome respond by performing well when they know who have high expectations from all of them. Taking field notes will help us not only discover their potential, but to keep on encouraging them to reach their full potential as they become independent life long learners. 

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