Land Puente English 102
Fall 2012
Midterm Project: How Have you Been Schooled?
Observe one of your classes at Chabot (or visit a K-12 class). Write a 1 1/2 – 2 page essay
in which you apply a theory from either “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work” or “Pedagogy
of the Oppressed.”
Include a brief yet thorough summary of the key arguments that Anyon or Freire make about
the variety of curriculum offered to students. The purpose of this summary is to set up the issue that
your thesis relates to. That means in your summary you should define important concepts for your
reader, using only the most relevant information from the reading you selected. Imagine your reader is
not familiar with these concepts. Then, take a stand on which approach to curriculum design and
pedagogy the instructor you observed predominately demonstrates. To support your points, include
specific details from your observation notes. Analyze each detail thoroughly to demonstrate how what
you observed relates to the theory.
Even though you may recognize that the instructor’s style crosses over categories, you will need
to develop a thesis statement that places the instructor in some sort of category. Your statement may
sound like:
o
o
o
X fits squarely into the problem-posing model because ….
or
Even though some of the routines the instructor employs appear to be based on Freire’s
banking model, X generally designs activities that align with the problem-posing
approach to learning.
or
The lessons that X offers during her math class align with Anyon’s analysis of the
Executive Elite classrooms.
Steps:
Read, annotate, & discuss: “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum” and “Pedagogy of the
Oppressed”
Complete: 2 classroom observations (Field Notes forms are on Blackboard).
Midterm Exam: 1 ½ -2 page essay. Submit on Blackboard by ____________________.
Field Notes/Class Observation #1
Course Title:
_________________________________
Instructor Pseudonym:
______________________
When does the class usually meet?
_______________
Is this a typical class session? (Yes/No)
Total # of students: _____
________
# of men:
Description of class setting:
Date &
Time(s)
# of women: _______
___________
Age range(s):
Additional notes about students:
Observation Notes
Questions/Reactions in Field
What is happening? Who is/is not talking? What activities
are going on? What questions are asked? What materials
are used? What are specific students doing? How do
students react to teacher comments?
Record any of your initial emotional responses or
critical thoughts about what you observe
*Additional note pages available on Blackboard.
Pre-writing: Analytic Notes
1. Before a researcher decides on his thesis, he needs to analyze his data to discover what it reveals. He should not assume he knows how the
class operates before carefully examining his notes. The data should drive his thesis.
2. Generally, researchers identify a code for specific analytic categories to help them classify information. The researcher then uses these
codes to classify or categorize each note. When creating codes, a researcher ought to be as specific as possible. However, he may end up
refining a category or adding a new code once he begins to classify the field notes.
General code (ok)
E.E. = executive elite class
Specific code (better)
C.E. = creativity encouraged (executive elite)
Specific code (better)
R.I. = receive information (Banking or Working class)
Specific code (better)
Copy = students take notes or copy information without comment (Banking)
Sample Field Notes
Code
students perform poems
teacher asks 3 students to explain reasoning for math problem before providing the right answer
teacher asks if anyone wants to add to one students’ summary of biology chapter
students copy notes from the board for 8 minutes while teacher lectures
3. Now it’s time for you to examine your data and make analytical notes about the two observations you have conducted. First, come up with
a list of several codes. Then, ask yourself, how would I categorize each item I observed?
4. Once you have categorized your field notes, you may wish to add a little more information. Ask yourself: What else do I know about the
course (grading or attendance policies)? How would I categorize that information?
5. At this point, you are ready to review your analytic notes to look for patterns. Can you group any notes? Do you see a combination of
approaches? What overall philosophy do the notes suggest the teacher operates from?
Graphic Organizer – Social Class & the Hidden Curriculum of Work by Jean Anyon
Social Characteristics (pages 2-3)
1. Working Class
2. Working Class
3. Middle Class
4. Affluent
Professional
5. Executive Elite
Curriculum – materials, types of questions, what happens in the classroom.