My second observation was very different from my first. Today's program was for middle/high school students. Students came in at different times, and they went straight to work on their homework, working on it for the entire first hour. The remaining half hour at the end was spent eating a hot meal and socializing. The coordinator wasn't there today because of personal/family reasons. One of the staff members said there is supposed to be a motivational speaker the last 10-15 minutes, but I assume because the coordinator wasn't there, there was no speaker today.
What probably surprised me the most was how much the students socialized. It seemed that the majority of them were not working on their homework. I'm interested to see if they will act more productive when the coordinator is there, if she keeps them on task more, etc. In casual conversation with one of the staff members, she mentioned to me that she thinks a lot of these students come just for the food and to socialize with friends; most don't seem to be interested in actually learning.
Specifically about the ESL students: there were five there today, and I explained the study to them and the consent forms. I'm hoping with all my heart that they will bring back signed consent forms and be willing to be interviewed as well! Several of them immediately said that they don't think their moms will be willing to be interviewed, but I requested that they still return forms because I need parents' consent for me to interview them as well. I'm hoping for the best! The ESL students sat together and only socialized among themselves the entire time. I'm interested to see if that's the case every time as well.
Two staff members agreed to be interviewed next week and signed the consent forms, so I look forward to having a few of those done! I already interviewed the coordinator during my first observation. I hope to have a lot more by the end of next week.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Observation #1 Reflection
I observed the after-school program for the first time yesterday, and my biggest concern at the moment is the Monday observations... I still have 2 more Mondays left before the program is complete, but I don't know if I'm just wasting my time and collecting extra data by going on those days. Yesterday, not a single ESL student came, and the coordinator said that very rarely do any come for the elementary school program. There are several that come for the middle/high school sessions on Thursdays, so I'm hoping Thursday will give me data that actually helps answer my research question! Monday observations can only give me data on the effectiveness of the after-school program as a whole, which is not the focus of my paper. Should I continue going for the remaining Mondays, or should I use that time to interview middle/high school teachers and parents who have given their consent to participate??
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Study Summary
Topic
The purpose of
this study is to identify the characteristics of a church-based after-school
program and the strategies it implements that are successfully meeting the
needs of the ESL students who attend it.
Motivation
Very little research is available that studies how
after-school programs can help meet the needs of ESL students, a population
that is often underserved in the education system.
Research Question
How does a church-based after-school program meet the
needs of its ESL students through its characteristics and strategies
implemented?
Method
Research Design
Qualitative case study, where data collection is at first
broad, but with constant exploring, analyzing, and reviewing, the data collection
is more focused.
Population
Elementary, middle, and high school students attending a
church-based after-school program once a week.
Data Collection
I will collect data through interviews,
observations/field notes, and document collection.
Data Analysis
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)