Julie Quackenbush

EDUP 515
June 29, 2016
Case Study of Kathryn Carlson
I chose to look at the case study of Kathryn Carlson. I chose this particular case because Kathryn is a
special education teacher in an elementary school. This case is of particular interest to me because Kathryn is
doing the job that I hope to be doing in the future. I plan to discuss: the strengths that Kathryn possesses as an
instructor, my interpretation on the situation she is facing, pose questions I have about her situation and finally
talk about what next steps I feel that Kathryn and her school should take going forward.
Strengths
Kathryn(teacher)
Advocate for Andy
Supportive
Determined
Educated

Grace(teacher)
Concerned
Caring

Ruth(teacher)
Accountability
High Expectations
Structure/stable
Patient

Andy(student) Conway(school)
unsupported? supportive
smart
helpful
CSE
psychologist
Resource room
IEP in place

Grace, Andys second grade teacher was caring because she referred Andy to Special Education. She
was concerned about his future progress. She wanted to support his learning, not stifle it. Teacher student
relationships are key to a students future success. (Woolfolk, 2016 p7) Effective teachers establish a positive
relationship with their students. (Woolfolk, 2016 p8) Good teachers are both knowledgeable and inventive.
(Woolfolk, 2016 p8) Kathryn is reflective. Kathryn took the time to reflect on the opinions, in the papers,
which various other staff members had written about Andy. Kathryn is educated. Kathryn has a bachelors
degree in special education, and the narration pointed out that she is currently completing her masters degree a
local university. Kathryn has a high sense of efficacy. She believes that she can reach Andy, no matter his
difficulty. She is working harder and longer at assisting him than Grace Gordon or Ruth Sachs have. (Woolfolk,
2016 p5) Ruth has a low teacher efficacy. While she expects a lot from her students, she does not offer a lot of
time to help correct or support Andy. Ruth would like to see Andy held back; however that would be going
against the ideas of NCLB. As long as students are making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), the goal is to help
them move to the next grade with their peers. (Woolfolk, 20016 p6). I think that Ruth is a good teacher for
Andy because she does expect a lot out of her students. She has a highly structured environment, which would
be good for Andy. She expects her students to meet curriculum standards. Ruth is very patient with Andy. She
does not punish him or single him out for the two incidents that occurred (bong & magazine). As the
psychologist pointed out, Andy is experiencing concern about the world and uncertainty about himself.
Human emotions are the outcome of physiological responses triggered by the brain, combined with
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interpretations of the situation and other information. (Woolfolk, 2016 p 466). Conway Elementary School has
papers from previous teachers to show history of a child to current teachers. It is also doing a great job by
having the CSE committee to help plan next steps for children in the coming years.
Interpretations
Kathryn
Attends college
Currently

Andy
Acting out
Easily distracted
Seeking attention

Conway(school)
Resource room good idea

Not held accountable for work while at home?

Behavior interfere with academics

Kathryn: She has some good resources at her fingertips. She is not giving up on Andy. She keeps planning for
his future. She is using the least restrictive environment, by having 4 students work at a time in a separate
resource room. She is using good tools and resources while at school. Her usage of the resource room is good
for Andy. Kathryn is using integration in the classroom by having Andy stay mainly within Ruths classroom.
She is trying to fit Andy into the existing class structure in Ruths room. (Woolfolk, 2016 p.135) Andy needs to
be able to practice skills with language (vocabulary words and definitions) while at home.
Andy: Andy is smart. Spelling is an issue for Andy. For Andy, his behavior is a distraction. Andy is acting
out. He brought in a bong and inappropriate magazines to school. Maybe he lacks friends within the class.
Andy is bright. He seems to like work when it is made to be a game. Andy seems to lack interaction with
positive classmates or friends. Andys cognitive development is on task, he mainly has social developmental
issues. His personal development, or his personality is the issue. Like Bandura suggests, Andys self-concept is
sometimes developed by modeling that of others. He is hanging out with outliers. He is acting out, bringing
a bong and inappropriate magazines into class. He is looking for attention. Andy needs structure to his day,
like a guide in activities. The goal is to get him to be a self-sufficient or self-regulated learner. (Woolfolk, 2016
p425) Andy gets a reaction from peers when acting out (his teacher has not been reacting to them, which is
good). According to Piaget, teachers can learn about students if they pay attention to them and listen to them.
(Woolfolk, 2016 p54). Andy seems to lack the tools and resources he needs at home.
Psychologist: Andy has a low self-concept or belief about his capabilities, such as Bandura suggests, he has
a low self-efficacy. He models others behaviors by lashing out. He hangs out with the outliers as the story says.
(Woolfolk, 2016 p.418-420)
Lev Vygotsky talked about the role of assisted learning through the usage of scaffolding. According to
Vygotsky scaffolding supports students through planning and preparations. The plans start out as a lot of help.
Little by little part of the aid is taken away until the student can do the work on their own and be entirely selfsufficient. (Woolfolk, 2016 p64)
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Questions
Kathryn Does Kathryn consult with professors and fellow classmates, resources within her program at
school about suggestions on how to deal with Andy? Does Kathryn or Ruth try to do spelling games to aide in
Andys learning experience? Is there a way to provide someone to follow Andy on a daily basis, figure out how
he solves problems, pays attention to Andy and listen to Andy? Piaget suggests that we learn from students by
spending time with them, observing them, listening to them. Kurt Fischer suggests that knowing someone or
something is actively constructing understanding through actions and reactions. All experiences sculpt the brain
and create knowing and recognition. An outburst gets a reaction. (Woolfolk, 2016 p54)
Ruth

Why is Ruth so demanding of Andy? Why does she feel Andy is not advancing or needs to be

held back? If Andys written work isnt being completed while in school is it being brought to the resource
room to work in with Ruth? Is it being brought home to be completed? Is it brought in to the resource room
prior to school to be checked? How is work/homework/communication being relayed between home and
school? Is there a behavior or progress chart used within the classroom for all students? Is mom told about his
behavior on a daily basis? Are there verbal prompts in place for Andy? Is there a self-focusing cue that might
work for Andy? Have they tried self- talk for Andy?(Woolfolk, 2016 p61)
Psychologist: Could there be peer mentors or role models? Could Andy find self-regulation by being a
role model for a student in another class?(Woolfolk, 2016 p470)
Andy: Does Andy get help while at home? Does his mother help him? What about his brothers? Would
his father be willing to see him more and help out? Could Andy benefit from taking a dictionary home after
school? Could Andy benefit from support before school or after school to check on his homework/ if he
completed it/ what questions he had about it? Why is Andy acting out? Is he looking for attention? Is he
getting a reaction (negative) from the boys on the fringe or are they influencing his behavior? Is he being
encouraged by his peers to do bad things? What is the source of his anxiety in the classroom? Does he have
friends in his room/or any? How is his relationship with his peers? Where is Andy at cognitively and where
should he be compared to his peers? Where could Andy be if he wasnt acting out? What is his zone of
proximal development? (Woolfolk, 2016.p61) Would he benefit from some one on one classroom assistance,
such as a paraprofessional or aide could provide? (Woolfolk, 2016, p61) The aide could help structure the
learning environment by providing assisted learning (Woolfolk, 2016 p64) Would Andy benefit from that?
Would having an aide at his side help Andy maintain focus? Is there a role model for Andy or can he be a role
model for a fellow student? How often does group work occur within Andys classroom? How is work being
communicated between Andys mom and the teacher? How does Andy remember what to do at home? How
does Andys mother (or brothers) know what Andy needs to do once he is at home? Piagets theory of
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Cognitive Development talks about activity and acting on your environment. In social regards we learn from
others or responses to/by others. Our responses are based in logic and reasoning due to reactions in our
surrounding environments. Vygotsky also discussed this idea in theories about environment. The knowledge
that children foster is derived from ways of acting and thinking provided by their culture and their peers. The
social cognitive theory says that students model behaviors they observe from their peers. (Woolfolk, 2016 p 23)
Is Andy seeing this sort of behavior in the children he is hanging out with, those boys on the fringe? Is he
observing and modeling what they do or tell him to do?
Next Steps.
Kathryn

Have her consult with colleagues at school about Andy (use the resources at your

fingertips). Using a humanistic approach to motivating Andy, Kathryn should implement lessons like a game.
Andy seems to respond well to those. She should allow Andy to have input into the how and why of the game
by providing him with choices about a game. For example Kathryn could ask Andy, should we play a word
bingo game or a matching game, where the word is matched to a definition? Another great tool to use is also
the Flocabulary website (www.flocabulary.com). Since a goal for Andy should be to increase his self-regulation
and his self-esteem, learning on the website can aide in both. He can use the site with a partner to help create
friendships or he can use the site on his own, to increase confidence and knowledge. On the Flocabulary
website, students can watch a video about words that incorporate silly rhymes and songs in order to aid in
memorization. The Flocabulary site can also be accessed while Andy is at home. A homework helper (piece of
paper in Andys take home folder each night) can be sent as a way to communicate information between Andys
mother and Ruth his teacher (and Kathryn as well). Information, such as about the Flocabulary website can
simply be noted on his homework helper as a checkbox, creating awareness for his mother (or brothers) to help
with. Have Kathryn meet with Andy just prior to school in the morning to touch base (maybe he eats breakfast
there from the cafeteria (some schools have this option))? Kathryn is an effective teacher, at least more so than
others have been. She should track Andys progress on tests (which she seems to have been doing). She also
needs to check in on the preparations Andy needs for class. She should consult with his teacher, Ruth and see if
tools can be used in the classroom (like a little dictionary of grade appropriate words and definitions that he
could use as a resource at his fingertips). Kathryn also needs to spend some time observing Andy during class.
If Kathryn and Ruth dont have to observe him, maybe a paraprofessional could be with Andy while he is in the
classroom. She could make observations and support Andy. These would be good practices that effective
teachers should do to support Andy. (Woolfolk, 2016 p267) The paraprofessional could also help Andy steer
clear of the boys on the fringe and make better choices about friends. Having an aid at his side could help
keep Andy on track and maintain focus. Set up a meeting time with Andy prior to school to touch base. Andy
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could have breakfast and go over questions on homework. It could be in Kathryns classroom 15 minutes prior
to school starting.
Ruth-

Within the regular classroom setting provide a behavior monitor or check system for

Andy. Have a clip chart on the wall (for all students). (See paper attached for chart and instructions). Utilize a
homework helper for communication between teachers, mom and Andy. Notes about daily activities, special
occasions (like special earned day, bring in a stuffed animal today), field trips, when library books are due, field
trip information, etc could be communicated between home and school on this paper. See the attached
homework helper. Between Ruth and Kathryn, set up scaffolding for Andys attention issues. Provide a
paraprofessional within the classroom for Andy. Start with the para for the full day to check Andys progress
and monitor his behavior. The Paraprofessional could write in a notebook about outburst, etc Then have the
paraprofessional only in the room parts of the day, during times when outbursts seem to occur more often, such
as during spelling activities, his most difficult subject. Plan to slowly reduce the paras time within the class.
She if that allows Andy to develop skills on own over time, slowly decreasing time with the para.
Andy

Have Andy and his class set up with student buddies in a mentoring program. Much like

the ideas in Chapter 14 of student-teacher interactions in mind, have students paired up with a buddy (as a role
model). In some schools kindergarteners are set up with 5th graders to show them the ropes in school (how to go
through the lunch line, etc...) Sometimes first graders are set up with fourth graders to aid with reading and
writing skills. They establish a pen pal system between the students in these grades or have the students share
reading time together where they take turns reading to each other. It builds confidence and fosters a new
relationship. Since he is a 3rd grader you could either pair Andy with a 6th grader (to learn from) or set him up as
a buddy to a kindergartener (to demonstrate how to behave, putting him in the role of leadership). Another
alternative is that perhaps in class there is a fellow classmate whom is a bit more responsible or able to follow
directions and stay on task better than Andy. Why not do partner work in Ruths room and pair Andy up with a
peer during times that tend to be more difficult for Andy to maintain attention/or act out. Have Andy check in
the resource room with Kathryn before school to check on how he did on his homework and if there are
questions he has. Scaffolding Andys spelling and reading lessons mighty prove to be beneficial for Andy.
Kathryn could meet with Ruth (or the paraprofessional could aid in this task by doing one on one reading and
spelling sheets in the hallway) to help break up spelling lessons. Since spelling is of concern talk about words
before reading a story (find stories with the weekly vocabulary words in them). Scaffolding would work great
here. Break the learning into separate sections. Then teach each chunk. For example, preview the story to be
read. Talk about it and preview the words to be read. Discuss the main vocabulary words and their meaning.
You could also read the text and discuss the vocabulary from each section as you read to supply context as
well as meaning. Another idea that would align with the idea of scaffolding, in relation to vocabulary, would
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be to start with a reference dictionary. Something that he could have on hand to show words and definitions.
Slowly transition to using a worksheet that just has definitions, so that Andy has to recall the words. Then begin
working on words and meaning independently, such as moving to flash cards or a matching word to definition
game kind of like the game memory. As you transition Andy you can get a clearer idea of what knowledge he
has gained and where he is at. The paraprofessional can monitor Andys progress and check in with both of his
teachers.

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Mrs. Quackenbushs 3rd Grade Weekly Homework Helper

Spelling words:

Name: _______________________
Monday__________
definitions
Today is a Day 1: Music & PE

What
There
Know
Challenge Words:

Because

About

Experiment

Practice Spelling words &

Practice Math Fast Facts
Reading minutes ___________

Other______________________
Tuesday__________
Practice Spelling words &
Parent Signature:____________________________
definitions
Practice Math Fast Facts
Reading minutes ___________
Other______________________
Wednesday__________
Practice Spelling words
Parent Signature:____________________________
& definitions
Practice Math Fast Facts
Reading minutes ___________
Other______________________
Parent Signature:____________________________
Thursday__________
Practice Spelling words &
definitions
Practice Math Fast Facts
Reading minutes ___________
Other______________________
Parent Signature:____________________________
Friday__________
Practice Spelling words
& definitions
Practice Math Fast Facts
Reading minutes ___________
Other______________________
Parent Signature:____________________________

Notes:___________________________________________________________________________________
__
Comments:______________________________________________________________________________
__
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Weekly Goals: 10-15 minutes of reading per night; 1 hour reading per week

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Practice spelling words and definitions 10-15 minutes per night

Practice math fast facts for 10-15 minutes per night

CLIP CHART FOR BEHAVIOR-

ABOVE AVERAGE
EARN REWARD

EXCELLENT
READY TO LEARN

WHEN THE ABOVE AVERAGE/PURPLE CLIP IS EARNED A

REWARD IS GIVEN. EXAMPLE OF REWARDS TO EARN:

Bring in a stuffed animal to read to

Eat lunch in the classroom with a friend
Choose to wear a silly hat for the day

CLOTHESPINS WITH CHILDS NAMES ON THEM ARE

PLACED ON THE WALL ON THE CHART. EVERYONE
STARTS ON GREEN. AS BEHAVIOR IS GOOD CLIPS GOES
UP. CLIP GOES DOWN WHEN OUTBREAKS OCCUR.
COLOR COULD BE NOTED ON THE DAILY HOMEWORK
HELPER THAT IS SENT HOME TO ANDYS MOM SO
BEHAVIOR CAN BE DISCUSSED. SPECIFIC DISRUPTIONS
CAN BE NOTED ON THE HOMEWORK HELPER.

MAKE BETTER
CHOICES

PARENT IS
CONTACTED

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