Troubling Fieldwork: When Critical Events/Incidents in Classroom Fieldwork Provoke

Abstract

In this autoethnography, I reflect on troubling fieldwork dilemmas I experienced while conducting qualitative research in a high school English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. Here, I trouble—interrogate and raise questions about—two events involving JanCarlos, a student from Honduras. Using dialogue and reflexive internal dialogue, I present how the events were critical for him in that they altered the trajectory of his school experience and represented “critical incidents” in my research as they provoked emotional responses, interrupted my objective stance, and altered my interpretations. As I watched events unfold, I routinely asked the relational ethical question—“What should I do now?” In so doing, I critically reflect on fieldwork dilemmas and make transparent my position/power in creating knowledge.