Putting reflexivity into practice: experiences from ethnographic fieldwork

Abstract

In this paper, I discuss my use of reflexive writing during my PhD fieldwork, which was an eight month ethnographic study of one early learning and childcare setting. Going into my fieldwork, I was keen to explore how reflexivity could help me negotiate issues that arose because of my professional background as a preschool teacher. In the essay, I discuss my reasons for using reflexive writing during my fieldwork, and argue that reflexive writing exposed issues that might otherwise have remained hidden.

Keywords:

• reflexivity
• early childhood
• ethics
• ethnography

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank Professor Vivienne Cree for her encouragement and support.

Notes

1. All names used in this essay are pseudonyms.

2. Some children and adults have chosen their own pseudonyms.