As I will be traveling to a Tibetan community, I originally wanted to research and come to some sort of conclusion on what the prominent parenting type is in Tibetan families. I have recently met with a professor of mine, who teaches a methods class in which I'm currently enrolled, and he pointed out to me that this question, specifically the term "parenting types" is very vague and will be hard to determine, seeing as:
- I would have to find families that have children that fit into certain age groups
- I would have to observe many families in their natural settings
- It is very unlikely that I would be able to build up enough rapport with families in the community to make half of the observations I would need to make to draw any kind of conclusion.
So, he suggested that I focus primarily on the question "What do Tibetans consider to be 'good parenting'..."
Which is I think just what I have been searching for, and I feel as if this question has been just out of my reach/on the tip of my tongue/in the back of my mind for quite some time now. It is very relieving to finally have something I can focus on without feeling hesitant about whether it's really what I want or not.
With that in mind, I must remember that our departure is still 3 months away, and this question and my project as a whole will still change and mold into something a little more concrete, and then will undergo more modifications upon arrival into the area, as limitations present themselves. But, meanwhile, as I focus on my current situation, I have realized that with this new question, the community has become full of almost endless possibilities on who I approach to interview, survey, and befriend, because almost everyone has parents or are parents, and almost everyone has an opinion on what should and should not be done. I feel as if a weight has been lifted from me, because I was limiting myself so dramatically and didn't realize it. So, when it comes to method, I think that I would like to:
- Have informal/unstructured interviews with members in the community
- Also have more formal/structured interviews with members of the community
- Possibly conduct surveys (depending on how well my questions can be translated)
- Observe families (I really hope our host family has children, but if not, then I would like to find a couple of families that I can observe and learn from)
- Look into any classes that might be held in the community that touch on parenting
So with these things in mind, I feel as if I'm a little more ready and confident in my project. Also, I just got in the mail a book called The Tibetan Art of Parenting by Anne Maiden and Edie Farwell. I will begin to read it this week and hopefully get more of an idea on what is considered the norm in regards to parenting in Tibetan families, and that can help me prepare and formulate my questions a little better.
In conclusion, I am excited that my question is finally taking shape of what I have imagined, and I look forward to continuing shaping my project as I continue my prep course, and as I enter the field.
Wow Julia, that book you just got sounds like it is right on target with what you want to do. Way to go! Congrats on getting your plane tickets too. Now it is really happening haha.
ReplyDeleteI think the direction you have taken your project question is a good one. The different types will probably feed in a sub group and you will probably find information and ask questions within that, but you are more focused which is nice. Who are you looking to do informal interviews with vs structured?
Hey wife. Good journal entry. I'm glad that you've found a question that you're excited about, and I think you will have a lot of fun doing this project. You could even practice a few questions on TJ. I bet he'd give you some funny answers on what good parenting is. Do you think you'll still do much observation, or will it be mostly interviews now? As you've told me before, what parents think is good parenting and what they actually do can be very different things, so observing might not be a super accurate way to answer your question... but it might be interesting to see how their practices match up with what they think.
ReplyDeleteThe shift in your question after talking with your professor sounds like it will be such a helpful one. Studying perceptions/attitudes/beliefs seems like it will be so much more accessible.
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of feasibility, I think you'll want to keep thinking realistically about what you'll be able to do in terms of methods. What are the specific purposes of the different interview types? How do the kinds of information you get from those answer your big question? What will you practically be able to do in a day, a week, a 90-day visit?