Maxwell's Exercise 5.1: Reflecting on Your Research Relationships

I hope this is the right assignment . . .   That's what I get for being late to class . . .

I chose to focus my project for this course on teacher evaluation mainly because it is something I have become passionate about.  As an administrator, I believe it is my job to advocate not only for my students, but also for my teachers.  That being said, I believe it is my job to ensure my teachers are being "judged" fairly and that they are being supported so that they can perform their best in the classroom.  


As a former teacher and current administrator, I have access to a number of teachers and administrators that I can use to gather data for this project.  All of them have become friends through work, either when I was a teacher or since I have become an administrator.  I have been able to establish a positive rapport with a number of potential interviewees and have been talking about teacher evaluation for a while, so presenting myself and my project to interviewees will not be too difficult.  I think the most difficult thing about gathering the data I will need for this project (of course, I'm not even sure my project proposal passed, yet . . . ) is keeping my mouth shut and my ears open.  If I am too comfortable with my interviewees, I may offer too many of my opinions that could influence their responses.  I also have to keep in mind what I have already expressed in regards to teacher evaluation and to whom; I may have already influenced some potential interviewees with my own opinions.  I am not one who feels comfortable speaking in front of a group of people or speaking to people I do not know very well, but when I am comfortable, it is difficult to stop me from expressing my opinions.  


I know a number of teachers are frustrated with the current evaluation process as well as the non-evaluative observations that take place on campus.  I also know a number of administrators who are also frustrated with the current evaluation process and who have difficulty with the current evaluation tool because it is vague and left open to too many interpretations.  If I am able to approach teacher evaluation by using grounded theory, I am supposed to be a "blank slate" and my job will be to collect other educator's thoughts and beliefs.  Let the interviewees talk and "vent" and share their ideas.  What I will need to do is to ensure them that their responses, should they make any critical remarks about their administrators or district- or state-level administrators, will not be shared in the "So-and-so said . . . " way, I need to ensure that their identity will be protected if need be.  


Now that I think about this, I really do need to take into consideration my relationship with those I interview for this project because often, the people I feel most comfortable with are people who share my thoughts and beliefs.  Thus, I would need to consider interviewing people who are not within my close circle of friends or someone I have not seen or spoken to in a while to ensure I have not "tainted" them.  


I may not have completed this assignment as was outlined in Maxwell, but it has gotten me to think about who I choose to interview for this project.  I suppose that is the point of this.