IDP Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES STUDENT PROFILE

Individual Differences Student Profile Mallory Bauer Instructor: Kae Hamilton EDUC 205: Development/Individual Differences Fall 2011

IDP Individual Differences Student Profile Introduction This semester, I had the privilege of observing an amazing student that I will refer to as

David Lopez. I was able to observe David in his first/second grade classroom in a private school. David is an eight-year-old Caucasian-American boy who speaks fluent English. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss Davids general information, physical development, cognitive development, socio-emotional development, and provide a summary of implications. General Information As mentioned above, David is eight years and two months old. He currently lives with his mother, father and younger sister. His sister is in Kindergarten and attends the same school. David is in the second grade and attends school from 8:30 in the morning until 3:30. His mother takes him and his sister home at five, because she holds an Administrative position at his school. Because of the fact that his mother and sister are involved in this same private school, I was fortunate enough to see his entire nuclear family. I also took the opportunity to interview and speak with Davids mother. She informed me of Davids after- school routine. As soon as David gets home, Mrs. Lopez makes him dinner and then he does his homework at the table. He then reads his library book for one hour. Right before bed, David gets to watch TV or play video games for thirty minutes. He always gets to bed no later than 9 pm. Physical Development David has blonde hair, hazel eyes, and pale skin. He seems to be smaller than most of his peers and has a petite skeletal frame. David relies on his glasses to see clearly, without them, he would not be able to see. Right below his frames, you will see adorable dimples. Aside from his vision problems, David seems to be physically healthy. In the classroom, David uses his right

IDP hand for writing, drawing, etc. I have noticed that his small muscle skills are very developed

because in his free time, he does enjoy sketching pictures that exhibit advanced skills for his age. David is just like any other boy his age in the sense that he enjoys going to recess and playing with his friends. I observed him in the physical education class and he loves playing games that involve teamwork. He is a great sport and I have heard him show off his wrestling shoes from a wrestling team he was in outside of school. I talked to the physical education teacher about his scores on the fitness evaluations they do a few times a year, and David is average or above average on every standard. Every time I have been in the classroom at lunch time, I have noticed the meals that his mother packs him are nicely balanced and nutritious for him. Cognitive Development In the classroom arrangement, the teacher carefully groups students with other students that will benefit each other (within-class grouping). Because of the small size of the private school, the teacher uses mentoring as well as double-mentoring strategies since the classroom has various ages and grade levels inside of it. David is very good at keeping his focus and staying on task to get all his work completed. He raises his hand and actively participates in class. He confided in me that he wants to attend a local magnet school when he reaches high school because this private school ends at the eighth grade. During mathematics, the teacher uses the method of cluster grouping to provide a differentiated curriculum. David shows above-average performance in all subjects. He enjoys math and reading, but his mother and teacher both agreed his strongest subject is phonics. Although mathematics is his favorite subject, it is the subject in which he scores lower on compared to the others. He still does phenomenally well in mathematics, the scores just not as advanced as the other basic school

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subjects. While doing assignments, I noticed David is very meticulous and neat when it comes to his handwriting. When coloring, he stays within the lines perfectly. I would say a lot of his actions displayed are of a perfectionist. Socio-emotional Development When it comes to social interactions, David is more reserved and shy. He is not the type that would brag to his peers about his grades or anything; he is very humble. When finished with his assignment, rather than talk to a friend in his group, he will pick up his library book and read until his classmates are done. At recess, he does have a group of friends that he plays with. To me, it seems like he is well aware of the occasions when it is okay to goof off and be a kid, versus when it is expected to do class work and be on task. Based on Jean Piagets theory of how locus of control is developed, I can see that Davids experiences with his family, school, peers, community, etc. have helped him to produce high self-esteem. Every day that I see him, I can see that he is happy and perfectly content with himself as a person. Based on Erik Ericksons stages of development, he is at the school age stage where his experiences can produce feelings of either industry or inferiority. David is always praised by his efforts and encouraged to achieve in school, which is why he is such a great student. His teacher is very good with him and her responses do not damage his motivation to excel in school. Because of this, I do not believe David will ever have to experience learned helplessness. Summary of Findings and Implications David is making wonderful progress academic-wise. As long as he continues to receive support from his teachers and family, I believe he will continue to make outstanding progress. Acceleration or enrichment are two affective approaches that could be taken that would be

IDP most beneficial for David. I think it is amazing that at such a young age he is on the right track for lifelong success in education.

Davids current teacher and teachers to come might find it beneficial to ask him questions that challenge both his divergent thinking skills as well as his convergent thinking skills. Also, including lesson plans that encourage the use of problem-solving skills is extremely important. This forces students to use creative methods to answer challenging problems. Using Blooms Taxonomy to address the six areas of cognitive understanding is also extremely affective in challenging students thinking levels. Conclusions There are four main reasons that David can be categorized as a gifted and talented student: he has advanced logical thinking, he exhibits above-average performance in academic subjects, he is persistent in solving problems, and he has high motivation to succeed. Additionally, David has complete self-awareness and exhibits perfectionism. He is healthy and has a positive self-concept. In conclusion, David has all the support he needs from classmates, teachers, and family to do well in school. What amazes me is that he finds the motivation within himself to succeed in his academics. If he can maintain his intrinsic as well as fit in time for his health and socializing, there is no reason that he cannot continue to strive for perfection in life.

IDP References Berns, R.M. (2007). Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and Support. Belmont, CA, Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Taylor, T.L., Smiley, L.R., & Richards, S.B. (2009). Exceptional Students. New York City, NY, McGraw-Hill Higher Education.