From: Miguel Berkstrom
Submit: Post Field Note
VisitDate: 10/04/96
Date: 08 Oct 1996
Time: 20:04:51
Remote Name: www-j4.proxy.aol.com
Miguel,20,male Maurice,age?,male Jesse,age?,male Victor,age?,male
When Victor entered the room at about 3:40 I could already tell he was an outgoing kid. He had grass stains all over his clothes, and he was a little sweaty, as if he had been playing outside all day. I asked him his name and what school he went to. He quickly replied with "Victor" and "West Lake". Then Maurice asked him for his first and last name, which he gave. Next Maurice asked him if he spoke english and Victor replied "Pequito." This is when I noticed that he was a real outgoing kid. He was willing to speak to a group of strangers in a language that he only knew a little! Later Jesse and I helped Victor fill out his paper work which he did in spanish. I read what he wrote and made sure he filled in the right stuff. Next, we went to the game room and got out Connect Four to play. He was very good, but got bored quickly with it. I noticed this, and asked him if he wanted to pick another game. He said yes and we went to the game cubbard. He chose Dominos. We took them to the play room. He was quite good at dominos to my surprise. As we were playing he asked when we were going to play on the computers. I told him maybe a little today, but probably more next week. We did get to play on the computers for a few minutes. We played Solitaire which he enjoyed and caught on quickly to. When it was over I said goodbye and told him I looked forward to seeing him next week. This encounter with Victor was great. I really felt I was guiding him through these games and he was learning them. Also, these games were teaching him numbers at the same time. Also, I know my spanish is going to improve tremendously over this quarter.
Informal Learning is very similar to being a counselor at a camp for me. When I work at my camp during the summer I teach children all the time in totally informal settings about almost anything. I think I am really going to enjoy this practicum.
I noticed these things because I was seeing informal learning working, and I was doing it! Now that I see that it works so well I look forward to my next visit with the kids.