Inform a group of students that you are going to observe their behaviour at break (friends will be best).
Carry out the observation for about 10 minutes.
You should write down some notes about the observation during a part of this time.
When you have finished the observation, inform the other students that you are no longer observing and ask them for feedback.
During your observation:
- Did they think more about what they were doing and saying – things they would normally do spontaneously?
- Did they change their behaviour?
- Did they try to understand how you were seeing them and what you were thinking?
- Did the addition of the note-writing make a difference?
On another day, when you are being just one of the group again,you could observe whether they are behaving more spontaneously. You will have to warn them of this of course! What do you find?