Hall’s “Powerful Poetic Inquiry” and Falk’s “Data Collection Tools”

Allisa Hall’s “Powerful Poetic Inquiry” from Stephanie Jones’ Writing and Teaching to Change the World

O.K. I will confess right away that poetry has never been my thing.  I often don’t get it.  I have occasionally memorized a poem, been impressed by some poetic spoken word performances, and enjoyed the Pablo Neruda verses we wrote about in class.  I have also looked for poetry by multi-ethnic writers to share with students.  But writing poetry seems extremely daunting to me.  I came into this topic slightly skeptical about its relevance or usefulness to me.

My response to Hall’s two poems is barely measurable.  I found the preceding narrative versions sufficient.  However, I found a couple of lines of this essay to be poetic in their own way and thought provoking.  In quoting sociologist Laurel Richardson, who “described poetry writing as an experience that sharpened her critical eyes and ears, enabling her to become more attuned to the lived experiences of others” Hall writes that “the process affected [her] willingness to know [herself] and others in different ways.’” (Jones, p. 74) Hall also brings up Cahnmann (2003) who wrote that “while the demands of writing poetry are great, so is the potential ‘to make our thinking clearer, fresher, and more accessible and to render the richness and complexity of the observed world.’” (Cahnmann, p. 34 as quoted in Jones, p. 76)

-becoming more attuned to the lived experience of others

-being willing to know one’s self and others in different ways

-making our thinking clearer, fresher, and more accessible

-rendering the richness and complexity of the observed world

These are amazing payoffs!  Who wouldn’t want to experience this?  In the realm of pedagogy could these enhanced ways of tuning in, expressing, and experiencing make any impact on how we as teachers reach our disenfranchised students?  Could these enhancements help teachers assemble the conditions for a critical pedagogy identified by Jones in chapter one as (1) an openness to unpredictability, (2) a commitment to ethics, and (3) a commitment to the aesthetic?  Hall believes that yes, writing, and in particular “poetic inquiry enabled [her] to enact critical pedagogy.” (p. 80) 

What practical suggestions do I take away from this?  “Focus on the moment and the moment only.” (p. 78) “Write personally.” (p. 80) “Commit to returning” to my writing. (p. 81) I will try all these suggestions with writing group exercise #2 on page 82: “Find a poem in a memory.”  I will write about a memory with detail, let it sit, return to it, then pull out the powerful phrases and burning questions to arrange in poetic form.  Maybe it’s not too late to “get” poetry, personally.  And if that results in any of the bounty that Hall, Richardson, and Cahnmann have found, it will be worth the time and effort.

Falk & Blumenreich’s Chapter 6: “Data Collection Tools” from The Power of Questions

I plan to use interviews for my research question about what effective means are there to propel students past the language learning plateau that often confronts intermediate level language learners; that slowdown or stalling of progress in learning that previously moved ahead steadily.  I plan to interview both students and teachers.  This chapter had a lot of practical information about interviews. 

• “Interviews are best suited to finding out in-depth information from a small group of people.” (p.  98)
• Use open ended questions of various types (i.e. broad, specific, follow-up)
• Plan interview questions ahead that relate to the research questions, without using the research questions themselves
• Be flexible during the interview and follow where responses may lead        
• Take notes; notice other cues such as body language; consider recording       
• Transcribe only what is relevant to the research questions; transcribe very soon after the interviews

There were more guidelines in figure 6-3 on page 103 as well as in Exercise 3 on page 114.

Using these guidelines, I began to compile possible interview questions for my project. These questions are for teachers.  I will have other questions for the students.

1.      Can you share examples of students who had reached a language learning plateau, students who seemed stuck at a standstill in their language learning?

2.      What signs were there that the student was experiencing a plateau?

3.      How were the different modalities (reading, writing, listening, speaking) similar or different in the student’s progress?

4.      What strategies did you use in your teaching that may have promoted progress for those students experiencing a plateau?

5.      What were the results?

6.      What do you recommend teachers do to propel students forward who are experiencing language learning plateaus?

7.      What do you recommend students do to propel themselves forward when they are experiencing language learning plateaus?

I think I have a combination of broad, specific, and follow-up questions that are all open ended.  I want to include a question about stressing grammar, conversation, or vocabulary strategies without leading the interviewee, but I am drawing a blank. My question about strategies is broad and perhaps I should leave it that way and see what comes of it.  Perhaps if I specify grammar, conversation, or vocabulary I am tainting the question with my assumptions. I welcome any thoughts about that.