Qualitative Data Collection
A little after mid-semester, we have began to catch our stride and develop a niche for the TA's. They have been incredibly helpful in terms of helping me collective qualitative data with regard to student engagement and participation, especially.
They film classes, they map movement around the room, they track airtime, and they help me set up learning activities. They alleviate some of the stress and hurriedness that, sometimes, result from me managing shifts between learning activities that require sets up and transitions. I give them a little structure and they use their agency and creativity to observe what I ask them to and more; they often bring different things to my attention in unique ways. The sophistication of their data collection and observations have drastically improved as the semester has progressed.
They film classes, they map movement around the room, they track airtime, and they help me set up learning activities. They alleviate some of the stress and hurriedness that, sometimes, result from me managing shifts between learning activities that require sets up and transitions. I give them a little structure and they use their agency and creativity to observe what I ask them to and more; they often bring different things to my attention in unique ways. The sophistication of their data collection and observations have drastically improved as the semester has progressed.
Jade '20 has been mapping the flow of classroom conversation relative to where I position myself in the room. Some students in particular will really predicate their vocal participation on where I am relative to them during any classroom discussion.
Helping me grow and reflect as a teacher
Ellie '20 has been keeping track of air time during classroom discussions. She pointed out to me on October 26th that I spoke for almost half of the time that we had a mini discussion on Sarah Baartman.
Ultimately, one specific question arose for me during this unit: how much scaffolding of skills, content, and etiquette are needed for student-centered discussions around sensitive topics that could potentially invalidate students in the class or evoke historical trauma? Admittedly, I have some anxieties with students discussing Sarah Baartman, white voyeurism, and anti-Black sexism and misogynoir, for example. It undermines my goals and value of student-centered discussions. Finding the balance between a very strong, alert presence that is responsive and crisp to students’ lapses in appropriate language and a teacher-led, teacher-centered resemblance of a discussion is particularly difficult for me. On October 26t, I felt that it was extremely important for me to have ownership over that discussion, especially being accountable to the students in my space that identify as girls.
Ultimately, one specific question arose for me during this unit: how much scaffolding of skills, content, and etiquette are needed for student-centered discussions around sensitive topics that could potentially invalidate students in the class or evoke historical trauma? Admittedly, I have some anxieties with students discussing Sarah Baartman, white voyeurism, and anti-Black sexism and misogynoir, for example. It undermines my goals and value of student-centered discussions. Finding the balance between a very strong, alert presence that is responsive and crisp to students’ lapses in appropriate language and a teacher-led, teacher-centered resemblance of a discussion is particularly difficult for me. On October 26t, I felt that it was extremely important for me to have ownership over that discussion, especially being accountable to the students in my space that identify as girls.
Even before the two of them started to complicate and nuance their observation tools and data collection methods, they were still helpful to me and their classmates. For example, their assistance in class and data collection were instrumental to my completion of my Unit Design Final Project.