Step 2: Summarize what is already known about the focus student(s) and the context.

The purpose of this step is for you to collect and summarize existing information that is easily available in order to begin describing and understanding the focus student(s) and their context(s). Some suggestions follow:

• Summarize what you know and have observed about the student or group and the context.

Information about the student or group could include a description of their performance or behavior in your class and other contexts.

Information about the context could include reflections on your own gender, social class and cultural background; cultural context of the school; peer influences or interactions; and contexts of the student and their family.

• Summarize other information currently available to you about the student or group and context.

School records and other educators' experiences with the student or group may provide useful information about the student or group.

As you collect and summarize the available information, be aware of the complexity of culture:

Cultures may exist around "communities of practice" related to ethnicity, social class, gender, jobs, hobbies, status, neighborhoods, peer groups, etc.--or some combination of these factors.

Students may bring cultural beliefs, values and behavior from their home that are different than those of the school.

You and other educators bring your own cultural beliefs, values and behavior to school.

Culture is not static. Students can develop new beliefs, values and behavior through their social interactions with peers and educators.

Individuals in particular programs, classrooms, and schools develop cultures, too.

There is considerable cultural variability within ethnic groups, and members of a ethnic group may not accept all the beliefs, values and behavior that are the "norm" in their group.

Power relations among people and social groups is an important dimension of social interactions.

Suggestions for writing

You might write a memo for each source of existing information, describing what you found and exploring how that information might be useful in understanding your puzzlement.

You might draft this section of your final report by drawing on your memos to summarize what you know about your focus student(s) and their context(s) and your preliminary thoughts about influences on your puzzlement.

Step 1-Focus | Step 3-Questions