Researching Teachers and Classrooms

Question 1

How does power and status affect researching teachers?

Answer 1

• Teachers have more power due to their age, experience and responsibility within the school.
• In the classroom, teachers might see it as ‘my classroom’ where the researcher is a trespasser.
• Heads, parents and pupils might constrain what teachers do

Question 2

How can researchers overcome power and status when researching teachers?

Answer 2

• They need to develop a ‘cover’ if they do a covert investigation, e.g. representing as a supply teachers
• Although this gives researchers access, they may have a lower status and may not be treated equally

Question 3

How might impression management affect researching teachers?

Answer 3

• The researcher might have to find ways to get behind the public face teachers put on and study them ‘backstage’. However, staffrooms are small so a newcomer will stand out and be treated with suspicion
• Teachers will be aware to not make critical comments about the school, so might not answer questions honestly. So observational methods might overcome this.

Question 4

How does the classroom being highly controlled affect research?

Answer 4

• It’s layout, pupils’ time, noise levels and dress is all controlled. So, behaviour might not reflect what those involved really think.
• In classroom interactions, teachers and pupils know how to conceal their real thoughts and feelings

Question 5

How do gatekeepers affect researching classrooms?

Answer 5

• Access to classroom are controlled by gatekeeps, including head teachers and child protection laws.
• The more gatekeeps to a research setting, the more difficult it is for researcher to obtain and maintain access

Question 6

How do peer groups affect researching classrooms?

Answer 6

• Pupils may be insecure about their identity and status, so they may be more sensitive to peer pressure and conform, which affects how they respond to research
• To overcome this, supervision when pupils fill in questionnaires to prevent peer influence. In group interviews, true attitudes may be hidden behind the dominant attitude