Pamela Hamrick

Education 200
Case Study
4-7-15
I chose to conduct my case study on a little girl named, Daisy. Some of her
general information is as follows:
1. General Information:
Age: 8
Grade: Second
Date of Birth: October 13, 2006
Resides with: Mother Stephanie
Siblings: Julianna Rene age 13, and Trinity Faith age 10
Physical Description: Blue-green eyes, strawberry blonde hair, 50lbs, and
approximately 4 3
2. Background Information: for this information I interviewed Daisys Mother. The
interview took place on 3-25-15. The entire session spanned the course of and
hour starting at 10:30 and reaching until 11:30. For the interview I sat with the
Mother in a Title One Reading and Math room at Hinton Area Elementary while
she ate her lunch. The Mother is a first grade Title One interventionist that utilizes
the room where the interview took place. So of course there were many learning

tools around, and we were in solitude for the largest portion of the interview, but
for a small amount of time the second grade Reading and Math intervention was
in the room working at her desk quietly. She was very respectful and did not
disturb us, although we three did engage in limited light friendly conversation.
I really enjoyed speaking with the mother of the child. She was very friendly, and
I could just tell that she is a good teacher. Some background information that she gave
me on Daisy is as follows:
Pregnancy and labor; the mother informed me that the pregnancy was a very
smooth pregnancy and that she had very little trouble if any. She also stated that her
delivery was a very quick on as well. Daisy was born sixteen minutes after she arrived
at the hospital! I thought that was pretty amazing.
Age for Developmental Milestones:
Crawling: 10 months
Sitting: 8 months
Walking: 14 months
Language Development: first word was da-da and was stated around 10
months of age. Used simple on or two word statements or phrases more often by 14
months. The mother also state that her two older daughters would communicate for
Daisy instead of letting her do it herself. So she felt that may have caused Daisy to be a
little be behind.

Temperament: The mother said quote, Always a loving snuggle bug. She says that her
daughter loves to please whether it be teachers or her mother. If Daisy is working on
anything she strives for perfection, and is devastated if her work is not found
satisfactory. Daisy likes to be funny, and be able to tell very funny jokes. Her mother
said to me, The jokes just are not funny, but I try to laugh anyway.
General Health: as a baby Daisy was a little bit Colicky, but now she typically remains
quite healthy.
To get information on Daisys Preschool history I interviewed the Mother,
because Daisy and her family had moved here a couple years ago, and her
preschool teacher was not accessible to me. Daisys mother informed me that
Daisys preschool teacher was very structured, but not personable. Daisy has
always been a quiet natured child and her teacher thought that there was perhaps a
mental deficiency, and recommended testing. However, she did think that Daisys
drawing ability was exemplary, and that her artistic ability would match that of a
second graders.
Daisys mother summarized to me how she felt about her daughter. She said that
Daisy is intelligent and inquisitive. She enjoys writing stories, doing math, and making
crafts of her own invention. She is a bit methodical. She expressed that Daisy is
generally quiet, but much more open at home. She said that Daisy is very loving, and
cares about others opinions of her. She is a deep thinker. She said that Daisy is serious,
compassionate, nurturing, occasionally stubborn, and craves affection. Something that
her mother also mentioned was that she and her husband were recently divorced, and
she felt that it might correspond to her quiet nature.

I set up an interview with Daisys present day second grade teacher on the
second of April of this year on the playground of Hinton Area Elementary School. I have
had the pleasure of observing under this teacher a good deal. She described to me a
little bit about Daisys academic attributes. She said that Daisy enjoyed spelling very
much, and was quite good at it. So when the class has a spelling B Daisy becomes very
engaged. She does not enjoy math as well as spelling though. Her teacher says that
she does perform adequately in math, but because her processing of math is slow she
does not enjoy it as well. Social skills at school are very acceptable. She is quiet and
very well behaved. Her teacher informed me that she may be her student of the month
next month. Daisy is non-confrontational, and gets along well with everyone. She said
that Daisy has a couple of friends that have loud and proud personalities, and does
fine with them. She pointed out that she tends to merge with peers with personalities
similar to hers. There are a couple of girls in the class that are quiet and timid as she is,
and it seems that she prefers their company. Daisy and her teachers relationship is
good, fairly normal. Her teacher praised her saying, She adheres to the rules without
fail, never complains, happy and content. Her teacher also felt that she settled well in
her class, and that Daisys mother had actually commented that Daisy had blossomed
in her class.
I began my observations on the 18th of March. The children were in the computer
lab when I came in at two oclock. A common game that the teacher lets her class play
is called, Sumdog. This is a math game in which the children engage in doing
mathematical equations, but also can compete against one another. I mention this
because I noticed that Daisy does not seem to want to compete against the other

children. Before I began my case study, I had observed this class and noticed it before.
This leads me to believe that she is noncompetitive.
The next day I spent nearly the whole day observing Daisy. When I first entered
Daisys classroom, the whole class was in the midst of a Unit 5 reading test. Naturally
because of this the classroom was quiet. Daisy worked on her test, but seemed a little
uninterested or perhaps she was tired. When it came time for stations the class took a
break from the test so that they could get stations in for the day. Daisys first station that
she goes to is the computer station, and the students that are using the computer are
instructed to use the reading app tumble books or another reading app. Daisy chose a
story from the tumble book app, and began listening to the story being read to her. One
thing in particular that I noticed, which really stuck out to me, was the way she asked
one of her classmates for help. When something had went wrong with her computer she
stared at the little boy beside her for a few seconds. I suppose she was thinking of just
how she was going to ask him for help. Then she tapped him on the arm, and he looked
at her. When he looked at her she glanced at the computer, and then looked at him
again. By doing this she made the little boy know that she wanted him to look at the
computer and fix the problem. After he fixed it she looked at him and smiled, and
perhaps she said thank you, I am not for sure and she continued on doing what she
needed to do. I found it very interesting the way she communicated.
A little later that day when it was time for P.E. the children went to the music room
for inside P.E. activities. When the class first goes into the room I notice that some
students are scrambling around, and there is a little fussing about the students setting in
each others seat. Daisy tries to set in her assigned seat, but one of her friends pulls her

away to her table. Daisy is unwilling to go. She tries to explain to the other girl, but she
seemed unconcerned. I watched Daisy wait for an opportune time before P.E. began to
ask the teacher where she could set. When the teacher assured her that she could set
at a free choice seat, I could tell she was relieved. This revealed to me that Daisy is a
very conscientious child. She tries to do what is right, and follows her own mind.
I went again on the 30th to observe. It was in the morning, and when stations
switched Daisy went to the game station. The children in this station are instructed to
play a board game with Unit 5 vocabulary integrated into the game. I noticed that the
children were not playing the game correctly. I also noticed this on the 19 th as well, and
apparently this is a usually happening because the children did not seem alarmed that I
saw them playing it incorrectly. Daisy glanced at me, and she looked a little worried that
I might tell the classroom teacher. She did not seem very engaged in the game though. I
dont think she approved of them playing the game incorrectly, but she did not say
anything to them that I am aware of. I think we all can relate to this kind of peer
pressure. I know that I have had trouble being able to stand for what I felt was right so I
can sympathize.
Daisy, I feel, is a very interesting individual. I think that it is possible that I was
drawn to her because she is so quite natured, like myself. I was very surprised to find
out that we share a birthday on the 13th of October. When I found this out, I felt like I had
chosen just the perfect child to study. Also, we both have strawberry blonde hair and
blue green eyes, and before the interview with her mother I hadnt even noticed it. It was
quite amazing to realize.

I thought that developmentally Daisy was quite different from any child that I
know. Her fine motor skills seemed to be developed far beyond those of her class
mates. Her writing could pass for a third or fourth graders. Honestly, her writing is better
than mine. I do remember her mother telling me that Daisys ability to draw was
considered exemplary when she was in preschool. Daisy must have enjoyed drawing,
and therefore use writing utensils a good deal. I would say this contributed to her
neatness in writing. However, her gross motor development is probably average. Her
mother mentioned that she was a touch clumsy. This is probably due to gene
inheritance. I noticed that Daisys mother moved very gracefully, when moving slowly,
but I can assume that moving quickly is not her specialty. Daisy is quite able to run and
play adequate, but I feel that these factor contribute to her clumsiness.
I feel that Daisy is going through a developmental time of finding her identity in
social settings. I came to this conclusion when her mother was explaining to me a
certain thing that Daisy likes to do lately. She likes to tell jokes. The only problem is that
the jokes are not exactly funny. This leads me to believe that she doesnt have a good
sense of pragmatics as of yet. Her mother said that when Daisy tells the jokes she
becomes offended if you do not laugh at them. This points out that she is making quite
an effort to be funny, or to fit into that certain identity in a social setting.
Another issue that I noticed was her communicational skills. They seem to be
lacking, but her personality could deceive ones opinion of this though. I know that I am a
quiet natured person, and my mother had expressed concern when it came to me
communicating with others. The interesting thing was that I could communicate quite
well, but I was very bashful and therefore reluctant to even attempt communication with

peers or other adults. I feel this may play a part in Daisys situation as well. Also I have
noticed that she processes a little slowly. On one occasion, I asked her a question, and
she just stared blankly at me for a few seconds. I was just about to repeat the question
when she began to answer. Her teacher expressed to me that Daisy stares blankly
when she is processing something. I dont really feel that this makes her slower than
other children, because one can tell from her writing of a sentence that she has the very
simple things such as syntax and grammar down pat. So knowing how to answer is not
the problem, but I think she evaluates your question more thoroughly than most children
would. I think she is just trying to make sure that she answers you correctly and
thoroughly when she finally does get around to it.
When I interviewed Daisys mother, she confided in me that her and her husband
had recently divorced. She said that she felt this was more difficult for Daisy than it was
her other two daughters. She explained to me that their father was a good, but his
temper was just difficult to live with. Her other two daughters had understood more of
the cause of the divorce than what Daisy could at the time. The mother told me that she
feels as if Daisy just wants things to go back to the way that they were before the
divorce. I admired the mother for being so aware of her child and her needs. She
explained that she had went to classes that help to explain the effects that divorce has
on children, and that at Daisys age children have been known to internalized their
feelings about a divorce. She said that she is trying to be very careful that Daisy does
not withhold anything that would cause her any emotional distress. Daisy has not acted
out any as of yet because of the divorce, and that pleases her mother. I am very happy

that her mother had enough about her to care for her child in this way when such a
difficult time arose in their family. Such support is not found often, but need all too much.
I am sure that the support that Daisys mother helped carry her through a great
deal. This certain situation concerting Daisy brought to mind Bronfenbrenners
Bioecological Model of Human Development. Bronfenbrenners model is made of four
systems the microsystem, mesosystem ecosystem, macrosystem. The microsystem is
where the home, immediate family, school, and neighborhood lie circled around the
individual. I would guarantee that the divorce of Daisys parents made a major
disruption in the microsystem, because all of the relationships in the microsystem are
reciprocal and effect one another greatly. This is why special attention needs to be paid
when a family is going through a divorce. It is difficult for all members involved, and I am
sure it effects development at whatever stage the child is in.
According to Jean Piagets Four Stage of Cognitive Development at about the
same time as Daisys parents were carrying out the divorce Daisys was right at the
transition period between preoperational and concrete operational. I am sure that a
divorce could very easily effect the way in which the child develops mentally in these
stages. This opinion is definitely vindicated by Vygotskys theory that learning is more
social and effected by others. Piaget feels that learning is more solitary. I feel that social
and a childs inner self effect learning, and I feel this is evident in Daisys case. As I
have stated earlier Daisy is very intelligent, so we know that her cognitive development
was not harmed or delayed, but behaviorally how did this affect her?
According to Albert Bandura, as we watch behaviors of those around us what we
observe will affect our own behavior. Now I am not for sure of all Daisy come into

contact with while her parents were going through this rough time, but even if she did
not see any inappropriate behavior she could very well still be effected by what she did
see. Her observations could vary from a stressed mother trying to adjust, or just a
sadness of not having her father around. When children are faced with situations like
these they are none the less resilient and strong hearted. I believe that Daisy is a very
strong young lady, but there are negative effects that can manifest as well. When
families go through things like divorce, children can mistakenly blame themselves for
what is happening. They feel that they then must fix the problem that they created.
Trying to perform perfect on school work and help parents with responsibilities are a
couple of characteristics that a parent might see change in a child. From what I have
heard about Daisy, she has always worked hard on her school work. Yet, I think that the
divorce did affect her in the way that she does not want to mess up on anything. It is
good to want to do your best, but a child should know that when they make mistakes
they can forgive themselves. They should know to be patient with themselves, and to
love and cherish who they are as a person.
Daisy is a very special young lady, and I am so happy that I was privileged with
the chance to learn about her. When I first began this assignment I felt like conducting
something like this would be totally foreign to me, but when you think about it we
conduct case studies every day of our lives. With whomever I come in contact with, I am
always curious as to what shaped them as an individual. We study the people around
us little by little each day, slowly piecing together the puzzle of their lives. All the while,
unknown to us, we are constructing our own puzzle as well. This puzzle that we are

making is the puzzle of our self, different and unique compared to all others. Let us
never stop piecing it together.