As stated by González (1995), "...[using varied sources of ...information] illustrate[s] the multi-dimensional facets of the students that teachers become aware of as they learn about the families’ household networks, survival strategies, and resources" (p. 18). Based on this, I realized that an interview with Jase’s mom was probably the best way to gain information about her family culture. I was apprehensive about this because of our history. I informally spoke with other teachers who had Jase as a student in the past and many of them had similar experiences with Dondra. One teacher told of a situation where Dondra lunged at her from across the table. The principal told of a time when Dondra became so angry that she had to be asked to leave the meeting due to her treatment of the teachers. Still, these same people also spoke of very positive experiences with Dondra in which she praised them for their care of Jase.

I took the opportunity to speak with Jase’s mom Dondra after an IEP meeting in January in which Dondra seemed happy with Jase’s progress in school. I told her a little about the CIP process and why I had chosen Jase as my subject. I also informed her that I would be looking at my own cultural perspectives as Jase’s teacher to see if I could improve what was happening at school. I wanted to give her the feeling that, as González (1995) states, "...[I was not] attempting to convey educational information, but [was] seeking to understand the ways in which [her family] makes sense of their everyday lives" (p. 3). Dondra surprised me with her enthusiasm for and interest in the project and the ease with which she began talking. I did not find it necessary to ask very many questions because Dondra told me a lot of information without being asked.

I did begin, however, by asking if Jase had many friends in her neighborhood. Dondra named a few of the girls that Jase often played with in their apartment complex and said that they seemed to get along well most of the time, aside from some "girlish" stuff. She said that the children might play together a few times a week when the weather was nice. I asked her if Jase seemed to enjoy her time with these girls and said nice things about them. Dondra replied that Jase would often complain that one did this or that to her, but she was always willing to go back out and play with them again another day. Dondra also said that these particular girls were African American although many of the children in her apartment complex were European American and Hispanic, and that Jase would talk to all of them when she had the opportunity.

Dondra also told me some information about Jase’s father and his involvement in her life. She began by telling me that even though he lives in New York, he would make monthly trips to see Jase and call her each week on the phone. Jase was excited by the visits and phone calls and would talk about them constantly. Recently though, Jase’s dad had remarried and had a baby with his new wife. His visits and phone calls to Jase were becoming less frequent and he was questioning his paternity of Jase. It was at this point during our conversation that Jase's mother became very upset and began crying. She expressed her anger at Jase’s dad for doing this to Jase and her willingness to sue him if he did not continue to pay child support. I asked if Jase knew about her father’s actions and Dondra told me that she did and she was upset by it. She reported that Jase cried when she heard her mom and dad fighting on the phone and when her dad would not call her. Dondra said that Jase once made a comment about her dad loving the new baby more [than her]. Dondra was concerned that these recent events might cause Jase to behave differently in school. I assured her that I would let her know if she seemed upset or began talking about her dad at school.

During the course of the interview, I also discovered that, according to Dondra, Jase gets a lot of attention when she goes out in public. Her mom told me that strangers will approach her to talk to her and Jase will converse with them forever if she is allowed. Most people comment on her clothes and some have even give her money. Jase is always extremely polite and seems to relish the attention that she is given. Dondra told me of four such situations and was smiling as she recalled all the details of each.

Dondra allows Jase to buy fashion magazines each time they go to the store and she noted that Jase does not just buy the African American magazines, but is interested in all cultures and people. She also said that Jase has a good relationship with Dondra’s boyfriend and that he is taking her out on a three hundred dollar shopping spree when he gets his tax return. I wondered if all of her emphasis on appearance and popularity was, as Ogbu (1993) states, "a survival strategy to compensate for apparent lack of equal opportunity for equal and fair competition in mainstream economic and other institutions" (p. 97).

From the interview, I gathered that family is a very important support system for Dondra. She and Jase live with Dondra’s mother and her sister visits often. It appeared to me that they all have an equal role in caring for and disciplining Jase. She is often the only child when these three women are together. I told Dondra how I have heard Jase make comments that I felt she was repeating after having heard them from an adult. While they were not inappropriate, they were not always correct for the situation. Even her voice intonation would mimic what she had heard. I told Dondra about the day that Jase was upset with a friend and said, "Family is supposed to take care of each other," and gave her some additional examples of what I meant. Dondra seemed surprised to hear that Jase was saying these things, but did agree that sometimes Jase tries to become part of the group by acting like an adult.

As an additional method of gathering information, I began watching Jase’s interactions with her peers more closely. I took notes and found a few common factors through different situations. The first was that when she was in a large group of students and sitting next to someone to whom she wanted to talk, she would talk to that person while the teacher was talking, even after the student told her to be quiet. Additionally, when she was working with a group to accomplish a task, she was more likely to socialize than work. This behavior could have been the result of an attention issue, processing difficulties, a cultural difference between home and school, or a combination of all three. I also noticed that when Jase was having a problem with a peer, she did not refocus on academic work until she felt she had an opportunity to express her feelings and that the other party heard her. On a class survey about problem solving, Jase reported that she feels the teacher should solve problems for her and that talking it out was her favorite way to solve problems.