From: May Sarmac
Submit: Post Field Note
VisitDate: 11/06/96
Adult-Run:
Children-Run:
Collaborative: Selected
Unclear-Philosophy:
Bottom-up:
Top-down: Selected
Unclear-Approach:
Informal: Selected
Formal:
Unclear-Type:
LearningArea: ZPD
Date: 11 Nov 1996
Time: 01:17:16
Remote Name: mingong-pc08.ucsc.edu
Ana, female, 6; Manuela and Maria, females, 11; Mercedes and Miguel
Manuela and Maria were playing the Lion King on a CD Rom. They were trying to put together a puzzle, but it was too complicated. I suggested clicking on the different icons for help, so they did. To make the puzzles easier, the space where the puzzle pieces go had outlines of the diffrent shapes that go there. At first they still had trouble putting the puzzle pieces where they are supposed to go. I pointed out the corner pieces had straight edges on two sides and pieces that go in the middle were crooked on all sides. Maria caught on quickly and solved her puzzles quickly, but Mauela was still struggling with her puzzles (they took turns putting with the mouse and putting the puzzles together). Maria and I would point out to Manuela that straight edged puzzles don't go in the center. She slowly realized this and then quickly solved her puzzles. I thought it was understanding of Maria to just let Manuela take her time with the puzzles. Maria would point and tell Manuela where to put some pieces, but if Manuela didn't listen to Maria, it was no big deal. Maria would just sit quietly in her seat and wait for her turn.
After a while, I went to the next room to color with them. They pretty much kept to themselves or joked around with Miguel. That's how I got to know Ana. She and Mercedes were coloring at the same table as Manuela, Maria and I were coloring. Ana told me that coloring was one of her favorite things to do in school (besides recess). When I asked her if she liked to do that at home, she said she doesn't color at home because she has nothing to color with. Ana was never satisfied with anything she drew and threw it away. I guess since she doesn't color that often, she didn't feel confident with her art to like it.
I think the situation with Maria and Manuela was collabortative because the three of us didn't really know where to click to get an easier puzzle, but it was adult run when they needed clues to solve their puzzles. I think it was top down approach because they started out with a difficult puzzle, then went to an approach that made it easier for them to solve it.
I noticed these events because oftentimes, I see the kids behave opposite of these girls. I was surprised to see Maria so patient with Manuela beacuse the kids are sometimes impatient with each other when one kid knows how to do someting well and the other kid doesn't. I also noticed that Ana wasn't satisfied with her drawings because I she seemed so excited about drawing at first and in the middle of drawing each picture, she would say it is ugly and trash it. I thought most kids would be proud of or at least like their drawings.