Mietchen--Research in Context

Abby Mietchen
Research in Context
Evergreen Jr. High
PART 1: THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY
School Demographics:
73% White
14% Hispanic
6% Asian
3% Black
38% Free Lunch
6% Reduced Lunch
16% Gifted and Talented
7% Limited English Proficiency
10% Special Education
Exercise 1.1 General Observation
Take a walk around the school, both inside and out. Write down what you see. Here are some
things to which you might want to pay particular attention:
1. The halls. Who is in the halls? What kinds of social groups do you see? Are there
any groups which are ethnically diverse? Are there any students who are alone?
Do you notice any difference in behavior between students who are alone and
those who are in groups? Look at the posters and student artwork hanging in the
halls. Who is represented?
Evergreen is grouped into pods that are segregated by subject area. The English pod is
on one side of the second floor. At Evergreen, all students are in the halls at some time, but, for
the most part, the halls are empty during class time. To leave class, students must first request
permission and then wear a lime-green safety vest, something the students dont much care for.
In terms of social grouping, students tend to spend time with those whose interests match their
own. For instance, discernable groups include the Student Body Officers and students in theatre
prepping for the musical in the spring, The Music Man. Additionally, students in similar classes
tend to spend time with one another, both moving from class to class and helping each other
with work during breaks. One of the best things about Evergreen is that I have not observed
many loners and students all seem to be spending time in pairs or groups. There are groups
that are ethnically diverse and they tend to spend time before school around the front office,
since they often arrive by bus and therefore make it to school early.
2. Lunch time. What do students do during lunch? What happens in the lunch
room? Outside in the halls? Outside of the building? What kind of student
clusters do you see? Where do students sit in the lunchroom? Is there any
pattern of seating? Are there students who are alone? Do you see any students

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with exceptionalities? How are they treated by other students? What issues of
inequality are you aware of?
Because it is wintertime, students are limited to eating lunch in the gym and in the
lunchroom. There are two lunch times every day to accommodate population size. Additionally,
certain students may request to eat lunch in the library, but there is an application process and
the privilege of eating there may be revoked if students are loud or messy. No students are
allowed outside of a few halls during lunchtime, so they do not tend to wander too far. While
there are no assigned seats in the lunchroom, groups tend to congregate in similar areas,
though that can be switched up since students do not always have the same lunch period on
both A and B day. From what I observed, students with exceptionalities tend to spend a great
deal of time with the Special Education instructors and I was not able to observe more than a
few in the lunchroom. However, they seem warmly regarded (they get hi-fives and greeted hey
so-and-so) by their peers and Evergreen has a culture of nice kids who reach out to help
others. However, because I saw so few students with exceptionalities in the lunchroom, that
raises a question of inequality because of lack of visibility.
3. Dress. How are students dressed? Comment on neatness and apparent
affluence. Also note differences in dress among groups. Are there ways besides
dress that students use to individualize and/or maintain group affiliation?
During the winter, students are dressed more in clothing that does not break dress code,
simply because its so cold outside and they need to wear more to stay warm. Students
consistently appear neat and tidy (though new-found body odor is a challenge in most junior
highs) but there is a distinct difference between poor and affluent students. Poorer students
tend to wear the same clothes consistently (there is one Nepalese student in my class who has
worn his older brothers black sweatshirt every day that Ive seen him) but all students seem to
have access to appropriate, closed-toe shoes. One of the ways in which students maintain
group affiliation is through t-shirts, like for Dance Company or Mixed Chorus. The dress code
here seems very reasonable and freeing enough that students are able to express their style in
a variety of ways. One of the ways girls individualize is through the makeup they wear. Many
girls are bare-faced, but some look like college-aged women. One of my students wakes up at 5
to do her face which gives me a great deal of sadness, as shes 14.
4. Language. What is the out-of-class language like? How is it different from inclass
language? What sorts of emotions do they express? What about body
language? Note differences in languages among groups. What about hybrid
language patterns?
Out-of-class language is rife with swear words, which is a poorly enforced rule that is
supposed to end in detention, but barely ever does. Very few students would dream of cursing
at a teacher (though it has happened to me) but, out of class, it is a chronic problem. Even the
most apparently-straight-laced students are not immune to doing so. Body language is huge in
this age group and the ways in which they greet each other (bro hugs and high fives) represents
the need for social acceptance that many young adolescents crave. As with most teenagers,
everyday drama is huge and emotions tend to go 0-60 very quickly. There are always friends
who arent talking, boyfriends who are being stolen, and rumors that are being started. However,

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what Ive been surprised about in my observations is that English Learners rarely speak in their
native tongues even outside the class. They may save this for time at home.
5. Interests. If you are unobtrusive, you will be able to overhear fragments of
conversations. What do the students talk about? Note differences in topics for
different groups.
Students talk about normal teen things like music and sports. Girls often talking about
shopping, TV shows, movies, and male classmates they find attractive. Many of the 9th graders
are starting to talk about getting ready for high school (most will attend Olympus High). Because
of the nature of when I completed these observations, Winter Break (and Christmas) were very
prevalent in conversations. However, it was extremely interesting to observe how conversations
indicate socioeconomic status. For instance, one student remarked that his family had gotten a
new boat for Christmas, right while passing a student who had said in class not an hour before
that she had received candy in her stocking. What Ive learned about Evergreen is that it is a
fairly heterogeneous school, especially socioeconomically. Whereas schools on the West Side
tend to be highly diverse and schools on the East Side tend to be highly homogenous, I feel that
Evergreen is a good middle-ground where you can find everything that both polar opposites
tend to miss.
6. Groups. What groups can you identify? How would you characterize each group?
How rigid is group definition? That is, are some students members of more than
one group? OR do some members of groups at least mix with members of other
groups? Are there loners? What are the characteristics?
As I state before, many of the groups tend to form through shared classes, interests, and
school clubs. The SBOs are extremely popular and many of them are involved in other school
activities (one of them is the lead in the musical). They are very straight-laced but are always
surrounded by people in between classes and at lunch. Other groups that tend to form are
sports teams -- basketball is in season right now. Evergreen has a wide variety of clubs and
activities for students to participate in and, while some participate in more than one, perhaps
half the school participate in at least something. As I state before, one of the best things about
Evergreen is that there do not appear to be loners and there is a tight sense of community and
friendship at this school.
7. Territory. Does each group have its own territory? Which one has the most
territory? The least territory? How closely guarded is each groups territory?
There do not appear to be places in which groups claim territory that are not specifically
allocated for them, like the band room, SBO room, and dance room. Because of the culture of
the school and the transience of groups, territory is not closely guarded (minus the rooms I list
above) and students appear to go as they please. Therefore, the size of territory that is not
confined to a specific room is hard to determine because I have observed a variety of students
in different places in such a way that territory does not seem to be an issue at the school.
8. Classroom. Observe students in the classroom. How does their behavior differ
from out-of-class behavior? Or does it differ? What kinds of conversations occur

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in the class? What groups can you identify? Are they different composition and
nature than out-of- classroom groups? How does group behavior differ? What
issues of diversity do you see in the classroom? Do you see students with
exceptionalities? How are they received by other students? What
accommodations do you see the teacher making for his/her diverse classroom?
Student behavior is fairly different in class, particularly when it comes to language use.
However, students are incredibly talkative at the school and can often be hard to get on task,
particularly during transition times. Additionally, student behavior in class tends to get worse as
the day goes on, which makes sense because theyre still waking up in first period and excited
to go home in fifth. In my mentors classroom, there is a seating chart and problem pairings
have been consciously split up. Students talk more freely before first period because they can
spend more time before class with their friends. However, students in later periods spend less
time talking before class because of issues of time getting from one place to the next. Issues of
diversity are key here. The core classes are far more diverse and the honors classes far more
homogenous. Two of my students receive aides through the school for their exceptionalities.
One comes every day, one came twice and then stopped coming. They appear to be received
well by students and the aide is a non-issue. In my mentors classroom, she accommodates
students by using student pairing regularly and reading texts out loud, since there are a variety
of ability levels, particularly in her core classes. However, one of the things that concerns me
about Evergreen is that she has her sheet of students with 504/IEP plans, but it only lists the
problem and does not provide the required accommodations/solutions. For instance, a student
may be listed as behavior disorder, limited parent support and thats it. That is of deep concern
to me.
Summary: I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Evergreen, which is why I requested to
Student Teach here. I appreciate the diversity of the school and the behavior of the students.
There are days in which it is difficult, of course, but, for the most part, students are respectful
and kind to teachers and to each other. I think it is fascinating to observe early adolescents
because of the ways in which their need to be individuals but also need to fit within a group
create this tension that they must resolve. To teenagers, everything is a big deal and the end of
the world. However, Ive also realized that while many are sassy and challenge authority, there
is an underlying need to please, so most students fall into line fairly easily. I really appreciate
how the diversity of Evergreen is a non-issue for both white and nonwhite students and I also
love how no student appears to be friendless. I think Evergreen is a really wonderful place
where teachers are committed to their students and where students seem fairly eager to learn.
Evergreen is not a perfect school, but I think they do many things well and Im glad to be here.
What I learned from my students as I talked with them about their Funds of Knowledge is that
learning needs to be relatable to their life, which can be accomplished through pop culture and
movies references. If you can connect curriculum to the everyday lives of students, not only will
the information stick, but students will have a much better time learning. For instance, we were
discussing symbolism and I related it to the example of Katniss (from The Hunger Games)
holding up three fingers, a symbol of hope and the rebellion. Many students understood it better
after I explained it. Additionally, movement needs to be a part of each class, because I have
observed that students sit and listen way too often and it tends to drain them physically and

Mietchen--Research in Context

mentally. During a review game, I constantly had students up at moving to the buzzer and no
student sat longer than a few minutes. I will apply both of these observations into my teaching
by connecting information to real life and finding ways to integrate movement into the class
period. Furthermore, sports are hugely important to this age group and I apply this to how I
discipline students. If they answer a question correctly or seem to be on their best behavior, Im
fond of saying You are such an All-Star and they really respond positively to being told that.
The three Funds of Knowledge that Ive best identified is through making pop culture
references, movie references, and sports phrases. Additionally, the learning style that Ive
identified in many of my students is kinesthetic and I want to find creative, engaging ways to
bring their learning styles and FoK into my teaching.
Questions:
1. Why dont teachers receive full/abridged IEP plans?
2. Why do Special Education students not spend more time
integrated outside of class?
3. In the two honors classes Ill be teaching, several students sit at
the back table, as there are not enough desks. Why are class sizes capped when
fitting them physically in a room becomes impossible?

Exercise 1.2 Student Shadow From your observations both in and out of the classroom,
identify two students who fit into at least two of the following groups (you may choose your
students to focus on a more pointed diversity issue if you would like): Groups: Students of color;
Working-class students; Girls or boys; English language learners; Students struggling with
some aspect of the curriculum (ability level). Shadow each student through at least three (3)
different lessons. Take ethnographic notes regarding such things as his/her interaction with
other teachers, interactions with other students, quality and type of work in content areas, etc.
In addition to your notes, address the following: Why did you choose this particular student?
What insights did you gain? If you had to teach this student, how would your insights help your
interactions with him/her? What issues might you need to address in your curriculum to facilitate
this students learning? What questions would you like to ask this student if you could interview
him/her?
Student #1: Male, 8th grade, emigrated in 2012 (fourth grade) from Eritrea to escape political
violence in country. Muslim. Speaks Arabic.
Lesson #1
Interaction with teacher: Pleasant, eager to please, warm and friendly (first period)
Interaction with other students: Extremely chatty with boy next to him. Will quiet down when
class begins, but very chatty beforehand
Type of work: Taking SAGE Semester 1 post-test
Quality of work: Appears to take longer than his peers to finish. Asked me for help, though I
couldnt offer it
Lesson #2

Mietchen--Research in Context

Interaction with teacher: Said good morning and had a big smile on his face. At the end of the
period, came up and asked about grade in class.
Interaction with other students: His seat partner was absent, so he was noticeably more quiet
and reserved. Sits in front corner of the room.
Type of work: Introduction to poetry (guided notes) and oral discussion of The Jabberwocky
Quality of work: Took notes as required, seemed hesitant to participate in oral recitation of
poem. Mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out. Seemed to struggle with the extrahard gibberish words in the poem.
Lesson #3
Interaction with teacher: Did not acknowledge teacher, arrived late to class.
Interaction with other students: Got off-track in group work, but seemed to enjoy having the
chance to talk with others
Type of work: Analyzing The Narrow Fellow by Emily Dickinson
Quality of work: Does not use quotations, unable to figure out who the fellow was

I chose this particular student because of an interaction I had with him post-election in
November. The air was full of tension and emotion, as could be expected. He came up to me
and asked, Why do people hate me? which just absolutely broke my heart, since I know that
he is an immigrant and Muslim. I chose him because of how hard he tries in class as an English
Learner and how willing he is to do his best, even if he struggles substantially with class work
and assignments. I gained the insight that he does well with guided notes but needs to be
monitored during group work, since he is an extremely social young man. If I had to teach him, I
would do more checks for understanding, since he is learning English, I would pair him with
someone who is proficient in English, and I would determine expectations for group work. I need
to think about guided reading to facilitate this students learning and provide him with more
models for assignments, since he seems to do well with those. If I could interview him, I would
ask him more about why his family left the country, where he thinks he succeeds and struggles
in school, how life is difficult for him as an English Learner, and how people in his home country
view the purpose of education.
Student #2: Female, 8th grade, First-generation (parents are from Mexico), speaks about
75% Spanish
Lesson #1
Interaction with teacher: Will respond when asked a question, but extremely quiet (third period)
Interaction with other students: Refuses to talk to other students
Type of work: Taking SAGE Semester 1 post-test
Quality of work: She is an extremely intelligent girl and breezed through the test. After finishing,
she read her book.
Lesson #2

Mietchen--Research in Context

Interaction with teacher: I told her good morning and she responded very quietly and smiled a
half-smile.
Interaction with other students: Sits in the front corner of the room near the door. Will not talk to
students, even when prompted.
Type of work: Introduction to poetry (guided notes) and oral discussion of The Jabberwocky
Quality of work: Took notes as required, completely refused to participate in oral recitation of
poem. Is never rude or disrespectful, just wont do it. The girls in the class were having a hard
time participating, so they had to do it (just the 8 of them) in front of the class. She moved her
lips but no sound came out.
Lesson #3
Interaction with teacher: Said hello when greeted, but quickly buried her head in a book.
Interaction with other students: Refused to work with partner on assignment and they each
completed it separately.
Type of work: Analyzing The Narrow Fellow by Emily Dickinson
Quality of work: Finished the worksheet in its entirety, every answer was correct, one of the first
to figure out who the fellow was
I chose this particular student because she is very, very bright and does well in school, but is
completely unwilling to engage in any class activity that requires talking. In fact, before I got to
know her, I mistook her silence as disengagement. I gained the insight that school anxiety is a
very real thing for students and I also learned to not make the mistake of assuming silence is
the same as being uninvolved. If I had to teach this student, I would use a mix of both individual
and group work so that she has somewhere where she feels comfortable and knows she can
succeed, but also so that she is encouraged to go outside of her comfort zone, since working
with a partner is a key skill in the post-junior high world. I need to make sure my curriculum
includes both of these types of learning so that I can teach to a wide variety of students.
Additionally, I think individual work (especially in writing assignments) will be a good way for me
to gauge her understanding of a topic. If I could interview her, I would ask her if this anxiety has
been with her since she was a young child or if it has been brought on by adolescence. I would
also ask her to describe female role models in her life because if theyre extremely quiet, it may
explain her behavior. I would ask her to describe her ideal classroom/ideal school day.

PART II: THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY In their chapter Pre-service Teachers Enter
Urban Communities (Gonzales, N; Moll, L; Amanti C. Eds. 2005, Funds of Knowledge) Buck
and Sylvester state that making use of the communities surrounding the schools as
laboratories of learning will enhance teachers understanding of their students funds of
knowledge and reveal infinite areas of focus for curriculum. In fact, they claim that teachers
who long to avoid the streets and residents of their school neighborhood are unlikely to
capitalize on the knowledge possessed within the community.

Mietchen--Research in Context

It is, therefore, important to find out about the community from which the learners come and in
which the school is situated. As you are carrying out the following activities, look for ways the
community can serve as a resource rather than as a constraint.
1. First, take a look around your school community.
2. What is something that shows the natural beauty of the area? One of the best things about
the area is that there is a very clear view of both mountain ranges, so it provides a great
backdrop for the school.
3. What is something that shows the area is changing? There is massive construction underway
on 2300 East and the roads are being re-done and beautified. Additionally, Olympus High
school was rebuilt a few years ago and this newer, beautiful school is attracting more families to
the area.
4. What is something that shows the growth in the area? New businesses are moving in and out
of blocks around 2300 East and 3900 South and these businesses are bringing more
employment to the area.
5. What is something that is kid-friendly? There is a pizza place in the 2300 E and 3900 South
business complex, but it is a fairly far distance away from the school and would be a significant
walk for students. There is a distinct lack of teen-friendly things that are very close to the school,
but the Red Balloon toy store is located about two blocks from Evergreen Jr.
6. What are the local businesses? There are gas stations, a Papa Murphys, Kinkos, and Fresh
Market that are several blocks from the school. In addition, the school is very close to 3900
South, where there are a variety of local restaurants and the toy store mentioned above.
7. Is the community proud of the school? What do they seem to be most proud of? The
community (part of the Olympus High system) seems very proud of the school. However, there
does not appear to be a great deal of parent involvement at the school which may be due, in
part, to the fact of it being a junior high versus an elementary school. Parents in this community
seem supportive of education and students view school with standard teenage apathy. The
community seems to be proud of Evergreen in that is prepares students for Olympus.
8. How diverse is the community? (both ethnically and socioeconomically) The boundaries for
Evergreen are massive and extend from 2700-500 East and 4500-2700 South. Closer to the
school, the neighborhood is mainly Caucasian but farther from the school, the community is
much more racially and socioeconomically diverse.
9. Where do people work? For students who live close to the school, their parents tend to be
white-collar professionals. For students who live farther away from the school, their parents tend
to be blue-collar workers.

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10. How do people spend their leisure time? During the winter, families tend to spend their time
doing sports like skiing and snowboarding, attending movies, and spending time with their
families. Most of the students at Evergreen are involved in some type of extracurricular activity,
like music lessons, sports activities, etc. In addition, hanging out with friends (playing video
games, talking about boys, etc.) seems to be a popular pastime with teenagers.
11. What is something that surprised you and your partner about the area? Evergreen is quite
easy to miss while driving and I miss my turn off 2300 East at least twice a week. Before
approaching the school, there is little indication that a school even exists in the community, in
stark contrast to the visibility of Olympus. It means that the school is very safe and that traffic is
rarely a problem, but the school is not visible at all.
12. What is something you feel could be improved about the area? Something that could be
improved about the area would be the width of the street, since pick-up and drop-off -especially with the buses -- can be a very harrowing time at the beginning and end of each day.
However, the crossing guards do an excellent job of directing traffic. Additionally, signs along
major roads could be used to help people find the school, as it is so easy to miss.
13. Is there something about which you would like to ask people in the community? I would like
to know why people selected this school for their student rather than having them attend
Wasatch Jr., Churchill Jr., and Olympus Jr., since the school is open enrollment.