Sample
Mini-Project’s
Subject: Fieldnote#1: My Guidance
From: Jaime
Date: Thursday, 27 March
2003
Assignment_Text
My first priority at the LACC as a guide to
the children is to provide them with something fun to do. When I have gone the
past few times, the children seemed bored. They needed some type of direction to
engage them in an activity. I tried to think of fun things to do in the art room
with the limited amount of supplies that were available. I just think a child is
not going to open up to me unless I seem interested in opening up to them.
I think it is important for me, as an older
student, to initiate the guidance to the children. I think not only introducing
an activity is important, but following up with it and guiding the child. I
think helping them and talking to them provides enough guidance because they
really look forward to meeting and talking to older students. I feel like they
really do not receive enough guidance at the LACC, so I try to correct them and
help them succeed in the activity we are doing.
It is hard to relate to these children,
because they are from a totally different environment and culture than me. I try
to talk to them first to get a sense of their backgrounds before I start my
guidance. I know last week when I went, one boy was getting paint all over his
clothes. I said to him "Be careful with the paint so your mom won't get mad
about your dirty clothes." And he said "My mom doesn't care about me
anyway." This made me really sad because I have never had this experience.
I made him laugh afterwards because it was awkward, but it still made me feel
terrible.
I learned that guiding a child is very
easy. It is just important to be as interested in the child as they are to me. I
think when they see the older college student taking the initiative, they
automatically open up. I am looking forward to providing more guidance as I
continue my visits to the LACC!
Subject: Fieldnote#2:
Weaving Interests
From: Megan
Date: Tuesday, 29 April 2003
Assignment_Text
I
am writing about an experience in the past, but it was one of my favorite times
at the LACC since I started going. It was about 2 weeks ago when I was planning
on going to the art room (like always) but it was closed because a special
activity was going on in there. The woman running it said I could come on and
help out, but I figured this would be my chance to finally get up to the gym for
once. Before I could even get to the gym though a group of girls asked me to
come in the dance room with them. The room was empty, so I figured it was fine
for us to be in there. They all started dancing and practicing for when their
teacher got there. They told me to dance, which I really really can’t do, so
they all started teaching me. One held on to my waist & led me, while
another held my hands. They were all amazingly good. It was crazy to see such
little kids moving around like that. Even some guys, like Issac and a few older
boys, came in & started dancing & they were great too. The teacher then
came in & I got ready to leave, but he asked me to stay. He put on music
& they all went through their routine. I went to just sit down & watch
so I wouldn’t be in the way, but he took me aside and started teaching me the
moves. All the kids were excited and yelling out things for me to do, and
although I never really got any of the dances down it was a great time. I was
really sorry to have to leave when the bus came. My goal when I went to the
dance room was originally to just watch the kids, but I soon learned that
wouldn’t be an option. They really wanted me to dance and everyone took their
turns helping me. (I needed a lot help!) The kids all seemed really interesting
& it was great to see them all moving around. Some of the girls who barely
spoke had huge smiles on their face and were laughing (at me) but they were like
completely different kids. It was also different to see all the boys dancing so
well and bragging who was the best, I know my guy friends never bragged about
their dancing skills. I definitely think a lot of the kids were more comfortable
with helping me as opposed to me helping them. Even though I want to be a friend
to the kids, I think a lot still see us as teachers or adults, but in the case
the roles were switched and they were the teachers. My own comfort level grew as
I spent more time in the room, at first I just wanted to sit in the corner &
watch, but I ended up having a great time dancing with all of them. I didn’t
really incorporate any of my current interests in my guidance, because the only
dancing I have ever done is Irish dancing, but the interests of many of the kids
were involved. I liked that because I felt like they were really happy and I got
to see a new side of a lot of them. The night in the art room was definitely a
night like no other I’ve ever had, so it was really interesting & I ended
up having a lot of fun. The music was all Latino music and the dancing was
something like salsa-ish I’d guess, so I also felt like I was learning about
some of the culture of the LACC. Overall it was a nice break from the art room,
and I felt like I got to better know the kids and their multi-faceted
personalities. I am very glad I stayed down and didn’t go to the gym that
night because I haven’t had a chance to be in the dance room since.