Case Study
During my third year field experience, I was given the opportunity to work with a child and document his learning. Throughout my experience, I was able to form a bond with the young learner, as well make modifications to the curriculum that he was following. The following will explore my documentation, observations, examination of work, justification for modifications and evaluation of the overall case study.
Introduction
Throughout my field experience at Meadowbrook Elementary School, I was able to observe and work very closely with the young and eager learners. Over a period of two months, I worked hand in hand with my cooperating teacher, Mr. Kelly. During my time as teacher, I not only learned from my colleagues, but also the children who I taught on a daily basis. One student in particular caught my attention last year during my second field experience at the same exact school. In returning to Meadowbrook Elementary, I was looking forward to teaching the grade five students that I taught last year. During my previous experience, Michael (pseudonym) was a child that caught my eye not because he behaved or acted out in inappropriate manners, but because I knew that he could succeed if given the chance to shine. With limited time, I was only able to begin the process of getting to know this particular student.
This time around, time was still the essence, yet I now had the opportunity to build upon what I had already observed during my previous stage and put it into action this field experience. The subsequent document will introduce you to the school context in which the student is situated within, as well as provide insight based on my observations on how Michael performs socially and academically. In doing such a case study, I, as a teacher, will be able to reflect upon my observations, experiences and assessment practices in order to grow and progress as an educator.
School Context
The surroundings in which young children learn and develop can greatly influence and play a monumental role in their overall growth as a learner, but also their emotional and physical well being in school. A variety of atmospheres, including the school, classroom and community environment plays a vital function in the shaping and construction of a positive learning environment. Given my understanding of how significant the various environments are in a child’s developmental years, I have taken the time to learn about the context in which I am teaching in, not only to gain a sense of the environments, but also to have solutions to problems before they arise.
As I have learned throughout my studies thus far, learning and achievement can take place in a variety of different atmospheres. It is in these uniquely structured areas that we as eternal learners are enabled to not only grow and flourish, but also accomplish a range of tasks that are of importance to each and every one of us. It is important to understand that achievement, success and learning does not only transpire in the school environment, but can take place in variety of other spaces that allow you to feel comfortable enough in to explore, discover and learn. In many cases, the community environment is as vital a function as the classroom and school surroundings in the shaping and construction of positive learners.
Situated in Lachine, on 52nd Avenue, Meadowbrook Elementary School, the only remaining English language elementary school in the area, features a very unique and qualified staff of educators that play a vast role in the early educational years of the school’s population of eager and various leveled learners.
During the first day of my third field experience, the advancework began the very moment Mr. Kelly, my cooperating teacher, and I met the children outside in the schoolyard. At the time, I was unaware that we were in fact performing advancework, but as I reflect upon my beginning weeks, I have memories filled with effective information gathering. Upon meeting the children, Mr. Kelly instructed all the young children to line up against the school wall, and run to the other side of the schoolyard. As I helped line the children up against the wall, I had the chance to say hello to a smiling Michael, who gave me the impression that he was looking forward to not only the upcoming grade six school year, but also the challenge ahead. The first thing he said to me was “Mr. Dufresne, you’re back! I’m really excited to be back in school and to see you, of course”.
Mr. Kelly mentioned to me that it is important to do such an ambiguous activity each new year of school as it allows the teacher to observe which children were the competitors of the class. As I watched on, the children took off and surprisingly; Michael kept up with the rest of the class. As the first day began, it was my hope that Michael would continue to show his drive to succeed not only in schoolyard play, but also in the classroom as well.
Student Profile
Michael, a grade six student, is a well-mannered child, who displays a passion for school and learning. Unlike most young children, Michael is rather fond of coming to school on a day-to-day basis and is always eager to please his peers and educators. Whether it is because of the close connection he has with his aide, Ms. Terri, or due to the fact that school is a place where he feels comfortable in, Michael demonstrates a clear cut positive outlook for learning. His optimistic perspective is based not only on how he acts in the classroom environment, but also by his cheerful and upbeat attitude.
As a grade six student who is excited to be heading off to secondary school in the following year, Michael has been putting in quite the effort academically, as well as socially, ever since the beginning of the school year. Being a moderate intellectual development child, he is several years behind in cognitive development, which includes subject areas such as mathematics and language, as well as short attention spans. The intellectual development may be slow, however, Michael is able to learn within the ‘regular’ class. Along with my Mr. Kelly and Ms. Terri, we made several appropriate modifications and accommodations for Michael as a learner, so that he could progress in a suitable fashion, building upon his strengths and slowly helping him with his weaknesses.
Observations
September 17th, 2009
As this point in my field experience, I had begun to take on the responsibilities of teaching the students various subject matters, such as math and language arts. Given that Michael was working on a modified program, he was not following the math program most of the other children were doing in the classroom. For instance, I began to teach the concept of fractions, touching upon the way in which we add, subtract, multiply, divide and compare. Given Michael’s learning disability and difficulty in math, Ms. Terri put together a special workbook just for him that allowed him to build upon his knowledge of how to add and subtract simple numerical values.
On this particular day, I had the opportunity to work with Michael in a one on one setting, which enabled him to concentrate and stay on task far more than when there is movement and action in the classroom environment. When I sat down beside Michael, and opened up his workbook to a fresh new page that focused on questions, we began to explore mathematical problems that illustrated one addend and the sum, leaving a space for the missing addend. Michael looked at the page in front of him, and explained to me that he wasn’t quite sure how to begin the problem, showing me that he didn’t have full confidence in himself; something that I had hoped to change. In order to construct a clear mathematical understanding of how to solve missing addend questions, I broke down the first problem into parts, thus allowing the student to follow along and foucus on each particular step. I explained that in order to begin such a problem, we first must take the sum number and subtract the addend given to find the missing addend.
By modeling the first equation, Michael was able to follow my step process, acquiring an understanding that would allow him to proceed in solving the problem. After I had explained and illustrated what to do with the first problem, I asked him to try the next one. As I watched on, Michael demonstrated in a slow manner that he knew exactly what to do and even began to explain the step by step process to solving the missing addend equation to me as he worked through the problem. By reviewing or perhaps even introducing the process of the missing addend approach and explaining each step in a slow, calm and helpful maner, Michael gained a more finely tuned comprehension.
September 23rd, 2009
During this particular day, I helped and guided Michael through another section in his math workbook. Building upon his understanding of addition, a concept that I worked with Michael on the previous year, he had successful progressed to equations that involved adding a double or triple digit number and a lower digit number.
As I sat there beside Michael, I struggled in formulating a method that would allow the young student to not only complete, but also understand the problem at hand. I wanted to help him grasp an easier way of completing problems that were more complex, so I utilized a number of the strategies that were presented in Van de Walle and Folk’s informative teaching manual, Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally. Given that he was struggling with equations that involved using the addition operation for a large, double-digit number and a small, single-digit number, I thought it would be best to explain the strategy of counting on. In doing so, I was able to help Michael grasp a very new, and unheard of strategy that made equations such as 87 + 9 much easier to solve.
In order to achieve this, I first explained and demonstrated that the counting on strategy involved fluently counting numbers in forward order and not starting counts with the number one. Given that Michael was quite used to starting his counting at the number one, he was quite hesitant and unsure of how to begin, thus I showed him by illustrating what to do using the first example on his worksheet. Surprisingly, he grasped the concept quite quickly and was eager to attempt the counting on procedure himself. Michael noticed that in using and implementing such a strategy for solving equations that involved adding various double digit and single digits, which he had explained in the beginning as being “terrible” and “not fun”, had made the solving process more simplified and easier to handle. Having explained and gone over the counting on approach, I hope that the new strategy that I illustrated provides him a helping hand in solving future problems that involve similar factors.
September 30th, 2009
As my observations increased, I began to notice some of the various modifications that are performed to Michael’s studies. As an example, the weekly Word Sense is modified to be suitable to the young learner capabilities. The Word Sense itself is a back-to-back sheet of paper, which is handed out every Monday morning with a set of words that are based upon a theme or topic that is to be explored throughout the week. In Michael’s case, the educators and I collaborate on a weekly basis to modify his word sense. Now, this does not mean we make it easier, such as giving him fewer words to study, but rather we modify the words in order to allow him to grow academically, taking small steps each consecutive week.
For instance, the Word Sense (Sample B) attached, which is dated September 9th, 2009 was the first ever Word Sense that we had implemented in the class. During this particular time, I had already begun arranging and preparing a science lesson that would be exploring the concept of friction. As aforementioned above, the Word Sense’s act a building of vocabulary for a particular theme that would be explored in the near future. Therefore, the words that were to be studied were based around my upcoming lesson’s topic. In Michael’s case, the educators and myself modified the assignment; altering the words so that Michael could comprehend and formulate full sentences. As seen in Sample B, Michael was successful in his first completion of this particular Word Sense and given the positive results and growth, we have continued the way in which we modify his word sense to this day.
October 5th, 2009
With having had the chance to already work with Michael in a number of subject areas, I began to see a commonality that transpires in his academics as well as social interactions. Not knowing at the time that moderate intellectual students often have weak confidence. Michael clearly demonstrated to me on a number of occasions that he has a very weak confidence, as well as a low self-esteem. Whether it was when he was doing schoolwork or when he was interacting with his peers, my observations show that there was plenty to improve upon in these given areas. After having researched the subject of moderate intellectual development students in the classroom, I began to realize that for Michael to improve and progress, he would need to have a support system that would ensure that he would try new things and take risks in learning.
October 13th, 2009
Today in the Gathering Michael shared an announcement that was a quite interesting and illustrated a new self-confidence. The Gathering is an activity that is apart of the A.R.T (Anger Release Therapy) project that we begin our day with at least three times a week. It provides the children with a chance to start their day in a calm and relaxed fashion, and through the implementation of the Gathering, it enables the students to share announcements and acknowledgements with the classroom members. In this particular Gathering, Michael participated by sharing an announcement that not only made me happy to hear, but showed me a sign in Michael that I had not seen before. Michael’s announcement told the story of his weekend, in which he attended his Aunt’s wedding. The way in which he told his story and the words he used showed me how exciting the experience must have been for him.
What made the particular announcement even more exciting for him was that everyone was interested in what he had to say. As I looked around the classroom, his peers were attentively listening to every detail that he explained. Seeing each and every student in the class one hundred percent focused on Michael not only made me pleased, but I could see by Michael’s smiling face that he was quite happy as well. What I observed this particular day illustrated to me how much Michael has improved in his level of public speech, as well as his self-confidence, an area that he has shown difficulty in.
October 19th, 2009
As a review for the grade six math test on fractions, I found a fun, interactive game entitled Fractions: Soccer Shootout that I displayed on the smart board. When the children came in from recess, I explained that we would be end our math review with an activity that was fun and enjoyable. As the children set up their pages for the work they would be doing, I spoke with Michael and told him that I would like him to stay for the review. Given Michael’s level of learning and understanding in mathematics, he follows a particular program that has been created for him. However, I wanted him to stay and have some fun with his peers instead of going to his aide’s workroom, an area that is quiet enough for him to concentrate. Mr. Kelly, my cooperating teacher, and Michael teamed up and worked together to solve the problems.
This teaching experience is a memorable moment in my early teaching career due to the fact that the children not only worked together and showed great interest and involvement, but because Michael was apart of the learning experience. He was so excited to be working on the math that his classmates were doing. Each and every time Mr. Kelly and him raised their hands with an answer, his smile got bigger and I saw his confidence level grow a little bit too.
Reflection: Modifications for Assignments
The following will provide a description and examination of the attached samples, labeled A through E, as well as a reflection upon the modifications that were used and whether or not they successfully worked in helping Michael learn and ultimately progress.
Examination of Student’s Sample Work
Sample A (Free write - Charlie Cheetah Takes a Trip)
In this particular assignment, the class had two minutes to choose any image or picture from the classroom National Geographic library collection. The children would then use the picture of their choice as a story sparker or building block in writing a story based off what is found in the picture. In this particular piece of writing, Michael found a picture of a cheetah that he thought was “funny” and “interesting”. Together, we began to address the image itself. In order to do so, I modified the process of writing the free write for Michael by breaking the development part into digestible chunks. For instance, I first had Michael make a bank of words that he felt were important to the picture. The key words that he wrote down were then used to create the story. I wanted to slowly build the story, so the chunking method worked quite well. Michael’s final product was a great positive step in the right direction and a piece of work that he was very proud of.
Sample B (Word Sense – Friction theme)
The weekly Word Sense assignment is one that the children in the classroom have begun to see as a regular part of the school and have actually taken a liking to the weekly assignment. As mentioned above in my observation for September 30th, 2009, Michael is provided a Word Sense like the other students, except it is slightly modified. Being that it is modified, does not mean that we make it easier by giving Michael less words or that we don’t have him look up the definitions. In reality, Michael follows the same step-by-step process like all the other students. In terms of modifying the Word Sense, Mr. Kelly, Ms. Terri and I all collaborate on a number of words that we feel would be suitable, yet challenging for Michael.
As seen in Michael’s Word Sense that was focused around the subject of friction, he did supremely well. Not only did he achieve a 45/45 for his Word Sense worksheet, but he showed us as educators his will to try his best. Each and every written word illustrates his drive to succeed. Based on my understanding of moderate intellectual students, I made sure to provide Michael with an encouraging, supportive learning environment that allowed him capitalize and gain success. Throughout the process of doing his first and subsequent Word Senses, I continually made sure to help and guide him through the step-by-step process of completing a Word Sense in order to maximize his success.
Sample C (I Want to Be – My Poem)
Following the reading of a short story entitled I Want To Be, Mr. Kelly and I instructed the children in the classroom to write their own I want to be poem in a similar fashion to that of the story. In doing so, I knew Michael would have some difficulty in beginning this assignment, therefore I made appropriate modifications that would allow him to see that he can write a well, written poem/story. Given that the poem would be about Michael and what he would like to be, I explained that he could be anything he wanted to be. As soon as I began to explain the instructions in one on one fashion and more simplified manner, Michael began to name a number of different things he would like to be.
Together, we wrote down his ideas in point form as I felt breaking the assignment into shorter tasks would make the process a more encouraging one. With each completed task, I would not only acknowledge and praise him, but I would encourage him to continue his hard work and effort. Once he had explained all his envisions of what he wanted to be, I began his opening sentence and would leave it unfinished so that he could complete the sentence. I continued this process until he had added each of his point form ideas to his poem/story, which turned out to be a great accomplishment not only for him, but myself as well. Throughout this process I had modified his process of writing in a way that allowed him to achieve success and most importantly; see himself as a writer.
When I read this particular piece of writing, his eagerness to please and help people shines in each of his written ideas. All he wants to do is help and please others, and his poem illustrates that beautifully.
Sample D (Creating sentences)
Mr. Kelly and myself enjoy using imagery in a way that allows the children a chance to analyze the photographs and pictures. An activity that the students did early in the school year was to analyze a photograph from a magazine in order for them to be able to create a story based around the particular image. When working with Michael, I immediately broke the process of this assignment in “chunks” as it had work in previous activities that required writing. Before beginning this assignment, Michael and I went into the resource room, which was a much more quiet room to do work in. Michael can be easily distracted by his surroundings, therefore keeping distractions such as talking, movement and transitions to a minimum consequently allow him to have a much more deeper concentration on the work at hand.
Following our move, we sat down and began talking about the picture he chose. The attached picture shows a woman and a man standing beside a car outside of a nice big house. As we looked and talked about the picture, Michael told me some point form ideas to write down that he would use to create sentences. With the six point form ideas that he came up with, he was able to formulate them into sentences. By breaking down the main task into much more smaller and achievable tasks, Michael is able to gain a sense of confidence in his work that will allow him to continue onto the next step, such as formulating his created sentences into paragraphs or a short story.
Sample E (Math – Money and addition)
When I worked with Michael, I wanted to make his learning experience one that was challenging, yet enjoyable at the same time. In math, Michael began the school year learning about money, which mainly focused on the concepts of identifying, adding and subtracting various amounts of money. Given that our classroom was equipped with a money set that featured pennies, nickels, dimes, dollars and a number of bills, I was able to use flash cards that read a certain amount in written form. Once the card was shown, Michael would have to show me one way of representing the amount on the card using the manipulatives at his disposal. To further reinforce this concept, I went a step further by asking Michael to show me another way of representing the exact same amount, but this time using different amounts of money than the example he had already illustrated.
By teaching in an engaging manner and using manipulatives that acted as a visual representation that he could touch and feel, Michael was not only ready, but also eager to continue learning. In order to build upon his understanding of money, I wanted to incorporate the concepts of addition and subtraction, an area of which he is becoming more and more confident in doing. Therefore, he began to work on a few math stencils that encouraged him to use his knowledge of identifying amounts of money, as well as his understanding of adding and subtracting. With each money problem, Michael used the visuals as a way of helping him solve the problems. During certain problems, he made use of the manipulatives as a means of seeing the problem in his hands, which is a strategy that I continued to have him use.
Using manipulatives as a form of modification, Michael was able to see the concept of adding money in the palm of his own hand, which allowed him to organize the money however he liked and ultimately solve the problem at hand. Therefore, using the money set in a hands on approach that not only stimulated his thought process, but also made the mathematical process enjoyable, Michael was able to learn in a different way than ever before. For once, he saw the concept of adding and subtracting in a completely different light and it was in that particular light that he showed great understanding and achievement.
Recommendations for Modification
Based on my understanding of Michael as a learner, which has been formulated after countless observations, one on one work sessions and confidential conversations with various educators, I believe the following modifications would be greatly beneficial to Michael’s eternal growth academically and socially. Throughout my field experience, I have been able to work with Michael in a variety of situations that have allowed me to see his strengths and weaknesses. Knowing his abilities and understanding his passion for school, it was my goal to help Michael achieve success through the implementation of modifications that would enable him to grow as a learner.
By breaking Michael’s work into smaller tasks, providing extra time to complete work and modifying his assignments in a manner that will allow him to achieve success, I have seen a complete turn around in his academic, social and emotional skills. However, this does not mean that there is not more room for improvement, but rather to show that he can take small steps to improving as a learner. For instance, when Michael wrote his free write using a picture as a starting point to his story, I did not just have him start writing the story after examining the photograph. If I had done so, he would have become discouraged with himself, which would have ultimately leaded to him giving up. Instead, I sat down with him and began to have a conversation about the picture. The words and phrases that he pointed out were written down, which he in turn transformed into sentences, which were written into a full fledged free write story that he was so proud to have produced.
In the case of the weekly Word Sense, we as educators have implemented a modification that has worked wonderfully. Not only has he begun to create a word bank that he will be able to use in everyday situations, but also in his classes at secondary school. In comparison to most of his classmates, the words selected by myself and my colleagues are different, yet they are not any easier. We do not give Michael less words to work with and study, but rather the exact same amount. The only modification that is made to his assignment are the words themselves, as they are at level for his understanding and learning ability. What made this particular assignment so enjoyable and fun for me as a teacher was not only working with Michael, but seeing the pleasure he experienced from completing the Word Sense assignment on a weekly basis.
By placing into practice well thought out modifications to a child’s academics, I observed significant changes take place throughout the period of my observation that not only a positive affect on his school work, but also his social skills. The growth and progression Michael made is a prime example of how appropriate modifications to various assignments and activities can effectively make a constructive difference in the success patterns and learning of a child.
Justification: Impact of Assessment
Assessment is often associated and confused with evaluation, but the two concepts are rather different. Assessment is used to determine what a student knows or can do, while evaluation is used to determine the worth or value of a course or program. Throughout the assessment process, it is important to supply children with feedback, informing the individual on how they are doing. For instance, throughout my field experience I performed ongoing assessment not only for Michael, but also for the rest of the children in the classroom. In Michael’s case, I was able to make continual adjustments and modifications to his work, but also the manner in which I taught and guided him through his learning experiences.
While on my field experience, I made use of formative assessment throughout my observational period as it allowed me to teach and concurrently assess the student. The observations, questioning, conversations and production of work provided me with an understanding of who Michael was as a learner. Given my understanding, I implemented several modifications to not only Michael’s assignments and activities, but also my methods and techniques of teaching that I employed. Assessment is just as significant to the children as it is to the teacher. It can augment the children’s learning, but also enhance the teacher’s ongoing instruction.
In doing this case study, I have begun to see the various forms of assessment in a whole new light. As McTighe (2005) states in his article, Seven Practice for Effective Learning, “the best teachers recognize the importance of ongoing assessment… as the means to achieve maximum performance” (p. 12). This maximum performance must not only come from the student, but the teacher as well. Thus, the impact of assessment is one of great significance to a child’s learning. For example, the methods that I employed at the beginning of my field experience were radically different and not as suitable for Michael’s learning styles. If I had not performed a quality assessment, my adjustments in teaching style and the modifications that I implemented for Michael would have probably never taken place or would have not been as successful. Therefore, the foundation of my ongoing formative assessment in the early stages of my field experience played an overwhelming role in the academic and social growth that Michael made during the period for which I taught.
It is my hope that Michael continues to make strides and achieves success in remaining part of the school year. Given the modifications that I have implemented and the positive results that have come from them, I can only hope that the adjustments continue to allow Michael to progress as a learner.
References
McTighe, J. & Thomas, R.S (2003) Seven Practices for Effective Learning. Educational Leadership 63, 3: 10-17
Introduction
Throughout my field experience at Meadowbrook Elementary School, I was able to observe and work very closely with the young and eager learners. Over a period of two months, I worked hand in hand with my cooperating teacher, Mr. Kelly. During my time as teacher, I not only learned from my colleagues, but also the children who I taught on a daily basis. One student in particular caught my attention last year during my second field experience at the same exact school. In returning to Meadowbrook Elementary, I was looking forward to teaching the grade five students that I taught last year. During my previous experience, Michael (pseudonym) was a child that caught my eye not because he behaved or acted out in inappropriate manners, but because I knew that he could succeed if given the chance to shine. With limited time, I was only able to begin the process of getting to know this particular student.
This time around, time was still the essence, yet I now had the opportunity to build upon what I had already observed during my previous stage and put it into action this field experience. The subsequent document will introduce you to the school context in which the student is situated within, as well as provide insight based on my observations on how Michael performs socially and academically. In doing such a case study, I, as a teacher, will be able to reflect upon my observations, experiences and assessment practices in order to grow and progress as an educator.
School Context
The surroundings in which young children learn and develop can greatly influence and play a monumental role in their overall growth as a learner, but also their emotional and physical well being in school. A variety of atmospheres, including the school, classroom and community environment plays a vital function in the shaping and construction of a positive learning environment. Given my understanding of how significant the various environments are in a child’s developmental years, I have taken the time to learn about the context in which I am teaching in, not only to gain a sense of the environments, but also to have solutions to problems before they arise.
As I have learned throughout my studies thus far, learning and achievement can take place in a variety of different atmospheres. It is in these uniquely structured areas that we as eternal learners are enabled to not only grow and flourish, but also accomplish a range of tasks that are of importance to each and every one of us. It is important to understand that achievement, success and learning does not only transpire in the school environment, but can take place in variety of other spaces that allow you to feel comfortable enough in to explore, discover and learn. In many cases, the community environment is as vital a function as the classroom and school surroundings in the shaping and construction of positive learners.
Situated in Lachine, on 52nd Avenue, Meadowbrook Elementary School, the only remaining English language elementary school in the area, features a very unique and qualified staff of educators that play a vast role in the early educational years of the school’s population of eager and various leveled learners.
During the first day of my third field experience, the advancework began the very moment Mr. Kelly, my cooperating teacher, and I met the children outside in the schoolyard. At the time, I was unaware that we were in fact performing advancework, but as I reflect upon my beginning weeks, I have memories filled with effective information gathering. Upon meeting the children, Mr. Kelly instructed all the young children to line up against the school wall, and run to the other side of the schoolyard. As I helped line the children up against the wall, I had the chance to say hello to a smiling Michael, who gave me the impression that he was looking forward to not only the upcoming grade six school year, but also the challenge ahead. The first thing he said to me was “Mr. Dufresne, you’re back! I’m really excited to be back in school and to see you, of course”.
Mr. Kelly mentioned to me that it is important to do such an ambiguous activity each new year of school as it allows the teacher to observe which children were the competitors of the class. As I watched on, the children took off and surprisingly; Michael kept up with the rest of the class. As the first day began, it was my hope that Michael would continue to show his drive to succeed not only in schoolyard play, but also in the classroom as well.
Student Profile
Michael, a grade six student, is a well-mannered child, who displays a passion for school and learning. Unlike most young children, Michael is rather fond of coming to school on a day-to-day basis and is always eager to please his peers and educators. Whether it is because of the close connection he has with his aide, Ms. Terri, or due to the fact that school is a place where he feels comfortable in, Michael demonstrates a clear cut positive outlook for learning. His optimistic perspective is based not only on how he acts in the classroom environment, but also by his cheerful and upbeat attitude.
As a grade six student who is excited to be heading off to secondary school in the following year, Michael has been putting in quite the effort academically, as well as socially, ever since the beginning of the school year. Being a moderate intellectual development child, he is several years behind in cognitive development, which includes subject areas such as mathematics and language, as well as short attention spans. The intellectual development may be slow, however, Michael is able to learn within the ‘regular’ class. Along with my Mr. Kelly and Ms. Terri, we made several appropriate modifications and accommodations for Michael as a learner, so that he could progress in a suitable fashion, building upon his strengths and slowly helping him with his weaknesses.
Observations
September 17th, 2009
As this point in my field experience, I had begun to take on the responsibilities of teaching the students various subject matters, such as math and language arts. Given that Michael was working on a modified program, he was not following the math program most of the other children were doing in the classroom. For instance, I began to teach the concept of fractions, touching upon the way in which we add, subtract, multiply, divide and compare. Given Michael’s learning disability and difficulty in math, Ms. Terri put together a special workbook just for him that allowed him to build upon his knowledge of how to add and subtract simple numerical values.
On this particular day, I had the opportunity to work with Michael in a one on one setting, which enabled him to concentrate and stay on task far more than when there is movement and action in the classroom environment. When I sat down beside Michael, and opened up his workbook to a fresh new page that focused on questions, we began to explore mathematical problems that illustrated one addend and the sum, leaving a space for the missing addend. Michael looked at the page in front of him, and explained to me that he wasn’t quite sure how to begin the problem, showing me that he didn’t have full confidence in himself; something that I had hoped to change. In order to construct a clear mathematical understanding of how to solve missing addend questions, I broke down the first problem into parts, thus allowing the student to follow along and foucus on each particular step. I explained that in order to begin such a problem, we first must take the sum number and subtract the addend given to find the missing addend.
By modeling the first equation, Michael was able to follow my step process, acquiring an understanding that would allow him to proceed in solving the problem. After I had explained and illustrated what to do with the first problem, I asked him to try the next one. As I watched on, Michael demonstrated in a slow manner that he knew exactly what to do and even began to explain the step by step process to solving the missing addend equation to me as he worked through the problem. By reviewing or perhaps even introducing the process of the missing addend approach and explaining each step in a slow, calm and helpful maner, Michael gained a more finely tuned comprehension.
September 23rd, 2009
During this particular day, I helped and guided Michael through another section in his math workbook. Building upon his understanding of addition, a concept that I worked with Michael on the previous year, he had successful progressed to equations that involved adding a double or triple digit number and a lower digit number.
As I sat there beside Michael, I struggled in formulating a method that would allow the young student to not only complete, but also understand the problem at hand. I wanted to help him grasp an easier way of completing problems that were more complex, so I utilized a number of the strategies that were presented in Van de Walle and Folk’s informative teaching manual, Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally. Given that he was struggling with equations that involved using the addition operation for a large, double-digit number and a small, single-digit number, I thought it would be best to explain the strategy of counting on. In doing so, I was able to help Michael grasp a very new, and unheard of strategy that made equations such as 87 + 9 much easier to solve.
In order to achieve this, I first explained and demonstrated that the counting on strategy involved fluently counting numbers in forward order and not starting counts with the number one. Given that Michael was quite used to starting his counting at the number one, he was quite hesitant and unsure of how to begin, thus I showed him by illustrating what to do using the first example on his worksheet. Surprisingly, he grasped the concept quite quickly and was eager to attempt the counting on procedure himself. Michael noticed that in using and implementing such a strategy for solving equations that involved adding various double digit and single digits, which he had explained in the beginning as being “terrible” and “not fun”, had made the solving process more simplified and easier to handle. Having explained and gone over the counting on approach, I hope that the new strategy that I illustrated provides him a helping hand in solving future problems that involve similar factors.
September 30th, 2009
As my observations increased, I began to notice some of the various modifications that are performed to Michael’s studies. As an example, the weekly Word Sense is modified to be suitable to the young learner capabilities. The Word Sense itself is a back-to-back sheet of paper, which is handed out every Monday morning with a set of words that are based upon a theme or topic that is to be explored throughout the week. In Michael’s case, the educators and I collaborate on a weekly basis to modify his word sense. Now, this does not mean we make it easier, such as giving him fewer words to study, but rather we modify the words in order to allow him to grow academically, taking small steps each consecutive week.
For instance, the Word Sense (Sample B) attached, which is dated September 9th, 2009 was the first ever Word Sense that we had implemented in the class. During this particular time, I had already begun arranging and preparing a science lesson that would be exploring the concept of friction. As aforementioned above, the Word Sense’s act a building of vocabulary for a particular theme that would be explored in the near future. Therefore, the words that were to be studied were based around my upcoming lesson’s topic. In Michael’s case, the educators and myself modified the assignment; altering the words so that Michael could comprehend and formulate full sentences. As seen in Sample B, Michael was successful in his first completion of this particular Word Sense and given the positive results and growth, we have continued the way in which we modify his word sense to this day.
October 5th, 2009
With having had the chance to already work with Michael in a number of subject areas, I began to see a commonality that transpires in his academics as well as social interactions. Not knowing at the time that moderate intellectual students often have weak confidence. Michael clearly demonstrated to me on a number of occasions that he has a very weak confidence, as well as a low self-esteem. Whether it was when he was doing schoolwork or when he was interacting with his peers, my observations show that there was plenty to improve upon in these given areas. After having researched the subject of moderate intellectual development students in the classroom, I began to realize that for Michael to improve and progress, he would need to have a support system that would ensure that he would try new things and take risks in learning.
October 13th, 2009
Today in the Gathering Michael shared an announcement that was a quite interesting and illustrated a new self-confidence. The Gathering is an activity that is apart of the A.R.T (Anger Release Therapy) project that we begin our day with at least three times a week. It provides the children with a chance to start their day in a calm and relaxed fashion, and through the implementation of the Gathering, it enables the students to share announcements and acknowledgements with the classroom members. In this particular Gathering, Michael participated by sharing an announcement that not only made me happy to hear, but showed me a sign in Michael that I had not seen before. Michael’s announcement told the story of his weekend, in which he attended his Aunt’s wedding. The way in which he told his story and the words he used showed me how exciting the experience must have been for him.
What made the particular announcement even more exciting for him was that everyone was interested in what he had to say. As I looked around the classroom, his peers were attentively listening to every detail that he explained. Seeing each and every student in the class one hundred percent focused on Michael not only made me pleased, but I could see by Michael’s smiling face that he was quite happy as well. What I observed this particular day illustrated to me how much Michael has improved in his level of public speech, as well as his self-confidence, an area that he has shown difficulty in.
October 19th, 2009
As a review for the grade six math test on fractions, I found a fun, interactive game entitled Fractions: Soccer Shootout that I displayed on the smart board. When the children came in from recess, I explained that we would be end our math review with an activity that was fun and enjoyable. As the children set up their pages for the work they would be doing, I spoke with Michael and told him that I would like him to stay for the review. Given Michael’s level of learning and understanding in mathematics, he follows a particular program that has been created for him. However, I wanted him to stay and have some fun with his peers instead of going to his aide’s workroom, an area that is quiet enough for him to concentrate. Mr. Kelly, my cooperating teacher, and Michael teamed up and worked together to solve the problems.
This teaching experience is a memorable moment in my early teaching career due to the fact that the children not only worked together and showed great interest and involvement, but because Michael was apart of the learning experience. He was so excited to be working on the math that his classmates were doing. Each and every time Mr. Kelly and him raised their hands with an answer, his smile got bigger and I saw his confidence level grow a little bit too.
Reflection: Modifications for Assignments
The following will provide a description and examination of the attached samples, labeled A through E, as well as a reflection upon the modifications that were used and whether or not they successfully worked in helping Michael learn and ultimately progress.
Examination of Student’s Sample Work
Sample A (Free write - Charlie Cheetah Takes a Trip)
In this particular assignment, the class had two minutes to choose any image or picture from the classroom National Geographic library collection. The children would then use the picture of their choice as a story sparker or building block in writing a story based off what is found in the picture. In this particular piece of writing, Michael found a picture of a cheetah that he thought was “funny” and “interesting”. Together, we began to address the image itself. In order to do so, I modified the process of writing the free write for Michael by breaking the development part into digestible chunks. For instance, I first had Michael make a bank of words that he felt were important to the picture. The key words that he wrote down were then used to create the story. I wanted to slowly build the story, so the chunking method worked quite well. Michael’s final product was a great positive step in the right direction and a piece of work that he was very proud of.
Sample B (Word Sense – Friction theme)
The weekly Word Sense assignment is one that the children in the classroom have begun to see as a regular part of the school and have actually taken a liking to the weekly assignment. As mentioned above in my observation for September 30th, 2009, Michael is provided a Word Sense like the other students, except it is slightly modified. Being that it is modified, does not mean that we make it easier by giving Michael less words or that we don’t have him look up the definitions. In reality, Michael follows the same step-by-step process like all the other students. In terms of modifying the Word Sense, Mr. Kelly, Ms. Terri and I all collaborate on a number of words that we feel would be suitable, yet challenging for Michael.
As seen in Michael’s Word Sense that was focused around the subject of friction, he did supremely well. Not only did he achieve a 45/45 for his Word Sense worksheet, but he showed us as educators his will to try his best. Each and every written word illustrates his drive to succeed. Based on my understanding of moderate intellectual students, I made sure to provide Michael with an encouraging, supportive learning environment that allowed him capitalize and gain success. Throughout the process of doing his first and subsequent Word Senses, I continually made sure to help and guide him through the step-by-step process of completing a Word Sense in order to maximize his success.
Sample C (I Want to Be – My Poem)
Following the reading of a short story entitled I Want To Be, Mr. Kelly and I instructed the children in the classroom to write their own I want to be poem in a similar fashion to that of the story. In doing so, I knew Michael would have some difficulty in beginning this assignment, therefore I made appropriate modifications that would allow him to see that he can write a well, written poem/story. Given that the poem would be about Michael and what he would like to be, I explained that he could be anything he wanted to be. As soon as I began to explain the instructions in one on one fashion and more simplified manner, Michael began to name a number of different things he would like to be.
Together, we wrote down his ideas in point form as I felt breaking the assignment into shorter tasks would make the process a more encouraging one. With each completed task, I would not only acknowledge and praise him, but I would encourage him to continue his hard work and effort. Once he had explained all his envisions of what he wanted to be, I began his opening sentence and would leave it unfinished so that he could complete the sentence. I continued this process until he had added each of his point form ideas to his poem/story, which turned out to be a great accomplishment not only for him, but myself as well. Throughout this process I had modified his process of writing in a way that allowed him to achieve success and most importantly; see himself as a writer.
When I read this particular piece of writing, his eagerness to please and help people shines in each of his written ideas. All he wants to do is help and please others, and his poem illustrates that beautifully.
Sample D (Creating sentences)
Mr. Kelly and myself enjoy using imagery in a way that allows the children a chance to analyze the photographs and pictures. An activity that the students did early in the school year was to analyze a photograph from a magazine in order for them to be able to create a story based around the particular image. When working with Michael, I immediately broke the process of this assignment in “chunks” as it had work in previous activities that required writing. Before beginning this assignment, Michael and I went into the resource room, which was a much more quiet room to do work in. Michael can be easily distracted by his surroundings, therefore keeping distractions such as talking, movement and transitions to a minimum consequently allow him to have a much more deeper concentration on the work at hand.
Following our move, we sat down and began talking about the picture he chose. The attached picture shows a woman and a man standing beside a car outside of a nice big house. As we looked and talked about the picture, Michael told me some point form ideas to write down that he would use to create sentences. With the six point form ideas that he came up with, he was able to formulate them into sentences. By breaking down the main task into much more smaller and achievable tasks, Michael is able to gain a sense of confidence in his work that will allow him to continue onto the next step, such as formulating his created sentences into paragraphs or a short story.
Sample E (Math – Money and addition)
When I worked with Michael, I wanted to make his learning experience one that was challenging, yet enjoyable at the same time. In math, Michael began the school year learning about money, which mainly focused on the concepts of identifying, adding and subtracting various amounts of money. Given that our classroom was equipped with a money set that featured pennies, nickels, dimes, dollars and a number of bills, I was able to use flash cards that read a certain amount in written form. Once the card was shown, Michael would have to show me one way of representing the amount on the card using the manipulatives at his disposal. To further reinforce this concept, I went a step further by asking Michael to show me another way of representing the exact same amount, but this time using different amounts of money than the example he had already illustrated.
By teaching in an engaging manner and using manipulatives that acted as a visual representation that he could touch and feel, Michael was not only ready, but also eager to continue learning. In order to build upon his understanding of money, I wanted to incorporate the concepts of addition and subtraction, an area of which he is becoming more and more confident in doing. Therefore, he began to work on a few math stencils that encouraged him to use his knowledge of identifying amounts of money, as well as his understanding of adding and subtracting. With each money problem, Michael used the visuals as a way of helping him solve the problems. During certain problems, he made use of the manipulatives as a means of seeing the problem in his hands, which is a strategy that I continued to have him use.
Using manipulatives as a form of modification, Michael was able to see the concept of adding money in the palm of his own hand, which allowed him to organize the money however he liked and ultimately solve the problem at hand. Therefore, using the money set in a hands on approach that not only stimulated his thought process, but also made the mathematical process enjoyable, Michael was able to learn in a different way than ever before. For once, he saw the concept of adding and subtracting in a completely different light and it was in that particular light that he showed great understanding and achievement.
Recommendations for Modification
Based on my understanding of Michael as a learner, which has been formulated after countless observations, one on one work sessions and confidential conversations with various educators, I believe the following modifications would be greatly beneficial to Michael’s eternal growth academically and socially. Throughout my field experience, I have been able to work with Michael in a variety of situations that have allowed me to see his strengths and weaknesses. Knowing his abilities and understanding his passion for school, it was my goal to help Michael achieve success through the implementation of modifications that would enable him to grow as a learner.
By breaking Michael’s work into smaller tasks, providing extra time to complete work and modifying his assignments in a manner that will allow him to achieve success, I have seen a complete turn around in his academic, social and emotional skills. However, this does not mean that there is not more room for improvement, but rather to show that he can take small steps to improving as a learner. For instance, when Michael wrote his free write using a picture as a starting point to his story, I did not just have him start writing the story after examining the photograph. If I had done so, he would have become discouraged with himself, which would have ultimately leaded to him giving up. Instead, I sat down with him and began to have a conversation about the picture. The words and phrases that he pointed out were written down, which he in turn transformed into sentences, which were written into a full fledged free write story that he was so proud to have produced.
In the case of the weekly Word Sense, we as educators have implemented a modification that has worked wonderfully. Not only has he begun to create a word bank that he will be able to use in everyday situations, but also in his classes at secondary school. In comparison to most of his classmates, the words selected by myself and my colleagues are different, yet they are not any easier. We do not give Michael less words to work with and study, but rather the exact same amount. The only modification that is made to his assignment are the words themselves, as they are at level for his understanding and learning ability. What made this particular assignment so enjoyable and fun for me as a teacher was not only working with Michael, but seeing the pleasure he experienced from completing the Word Sense assignment on a weekly basis.
By placing into practice well thought out modifications to a child’s academics, I observed significant changes take place throughout the period of my observation that not only a positive affect on his school work, but also his social skills. The growth and progression Michael made is a prime example of how appropriate modifications to various assignments and activities can effectively make a constructive difference in the success patterns and learning of a child.
Justification: Impact of Assessment
Assessment is often associated and confused with evaluation, but the two concepts are rather different. Assessment is used to determine what a student knows or can do, while evaluation is used to determine the worth or value of a course or program. Throughout the assessment process, it is important to supply children with feedback, informing the individual on how they are doing. For instance, throughout my field experience I performed ongoing assessment not only for Michael, but also for the rest of the children in the classroom. In Michael’s case, I was able to make continual adjustments and modifications to his work, but also the manner in which I taught and guided him through his learning experiences.
While on my field experience, I made use of formative assessment throughout my observational period as it allowed me to teach and concurrently assess the student. The observations, questioning, conversations and production of work provided me with an understanding of who Michael was as a learner. Given my understanding, I implemented several modifications to not only Michael’s assignments and activities, but also my methods and techniques of teaching that I employed. Assessment is just as significant to the children as it is to the teacher. It can augment the children’s learning, but also enhance the teacher’s ongoing instruction.
In doing this case study, I have begun to see the various forms of assessment in a whole new light. As McTighe (2005) states in his article, Seven Practice for Effective Learning, “the best teachers recognize the importance of ongoing assessment… as the means to achieve maximum performance” (p. 12). This maximum performance must not only come from the student, but the teacher as well. Thus, the impact of assessment is one of great significance to a child’s learning. For example, the methods that I employed at the beginning of my field experience were radically different and not as suitable for Michael’s learning styles. If I had not performed a quality assessment, my adjustments in teaching style and the modifications that I implemented for Michael would have probably never taken place or would have not been as successful. Therefore, the foundation of my ongoing formative assessment in the early stages of my field experience played an overwhelming role in the academic and social growth that Michael made during the period for which I taught.
It is my hope that Michael continues to make strides and achieves success in remaining part of the school year. Given the modifications that I have implemented and the positive results that have come from them, I can only hope that the adjustments continue to allow Michael to progress as a learner.
References
McTighe, J. & Thomas, R.S (2003) Seven Practices for Effective Learning. Educational Leadership 63, 3: 10-17
