The Ills of Field Observation
So, for my qualitative methods class, we had to do this trifling "ethnography" exercise. It basically amounted to varying amounts of field observation. I decided to sit outside of an elementary school to see if more women or men came to pick up children. Obviously, I expected to see more women. What I saw instead was...NOTHING.
The first time I went, I went at the wrong time and missed pick up and watched recess instead. So, my brilliant husband looked up what time school let out for me (an idea that I had totally missed in all of my mental clutter). Monday, I returned hoping to see something exciting. We found that all kids had to be picked up by 3:15pm, so I watched from about 10 til until 3:15. I was so confused because I heard the school bell ring...and ne'er a soul appeared, from within or without. I saw a few random people milling about inside the building, but that's it.
So, today in class when we had to report on our experience, I simply said..."Yeah, my observations were a flop." I explained and my professor (whose son apparently attends the school I chose) said, "Wait, you weren't there yesterday were you?" I said, "Yes..." She said, "There was no school yesterday!" We all laughed at the irony. I mean, of all random days for there to be no school for no apparent reason, it would have to be when I choose to observe. Hilarious.
On a different note, if you ever want to do something that makes you feel like a total creep, sit outside a school, drawing a map of the physical space and writing notes about who and what you are seeing. Well, don't do it if you're a man, you may be arrested. Women may go unnoticed, but you will still feel creepy.
7 comments:
I thought the correct procedure was to make up data that already fits your conclusion...
you could tell the principal what you're doing...they probably wouldn't object, and then you might not feel so creepy, and no one would complain. Or set up a spy camera from a helicopter or something, so that you don't have to actually sit there. Or bring a dog and play with it or something like that as "cover." Or ask your professor if you can go pick up his son. That's kinda creepy too...his wife might object...a little to "mr. holland's opus."
Normally, I'm not like this - but WHY do people assume that professor = man??? There have been several instances of this assumption on my blog and I would just like to take a stand. In this case, the professor is a woman. There are lots of women professors here any everywhere (except Grove City where they only teach elementary ed, language and a token science or two).
That's my feminist rant for the day...week...month. (It seldom happens, so relish it when it does).
That's funny - you even said "she", and I still thought it was a guy.
I guess it's because I was trying to imagine myself in your situation, and the vast majority of my college professors were men. I was picturing me going to pick up Dr. Wolinski or Brower's children from school, and picturing it as the elementary school I attended here in Colorado.
Weird, huh. Sorry to assume.
Do you think I could wear and wig and not get arrested? I think what is even creepier is being at a church service where forty-five year old men are dancing and jumping up and down. So weird. But at least I don't have to draw maps of that.
RJ, good point about man assumptions. It is even more powerful for me since I was raised in an all boys school. Sometimes I wonder what women are doing in class with me. Weird.
Not sure what wear and wig is, but it sounds pretty fun.
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