UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents Page Part I. A. Demographic Information............................................................................................2 B. Justification...................................................................................................................2-3 C. Hypothetical Account...................................................................................................3-4 IV. Work Plan....................................................................................................................4-6 V. Analysis of Student's Situation.....................................................................................7-8 VI. Work Plan #2 Chart.....................................................................................................8 VII. Final Reactions...........................................................................................................9-10 VIII Appendix....................................................................................................................11
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UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________ (Note: Some Information was not made publish due to the protection of the parties involved on the Case Study, only relevant information will be published, names had been *altered* to protect the identity of the people involved.)
A. Demographic Information: As a teacher, were are constant agents of change. Teachers have the duty to to to look after their students and help them whenever they can. I, as a teacher, decided to help my student from the fourth grade group. The student, *Yuno Alvarez*, is eight (8) years old and is currently enrolled in the school Rufino Vigo's fourth grade. Yuno is a Puerto Rican kid that likes playing with legos and with his friends. His mother *Teresa Alvarez* is concern about the situations at home may affect him at school.
B. Justification: In my Case Study, I wanted to try to help beyond the regular Case Studies. I have always pondered the idea of helping all kinds of students. When I work in my profession, I will devote myself to helping uncomprehending students that can give a lot more than they are set to. I believe that although our priority are the students with learning problems, the ones that can excel a lot are doing badly because they are not paid attention. The system has this big flaw that only focuses on certain population and forget that there are many cases that are also to be taken into account. Misfits, bored and smart students that get frustrated are a big issue too. These students mentioned above are students that need proper guidance and they can reach huge heights and in the future greatly help our society. I want to be a part of those few that help these types of students that are left on their own. My personal goal is to aid these students achieve the best. This is the situation of my Case Study. My chosen student *Yuno Alvarez* is a brilliant student. He knows how to write and understand 2
UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
English very well. He is engaging when prompted but shy, a special student indeed. The very reason for my selection is due because recently *Yuno* has been holding back in his academic endeavors hindering him. The student often doesn't bring his homework or other works and makes excuses to make up for it. In a teamwork process with my cooperating teacher, we have come to worry about him. The special Education students have tutors, the rest of the class does pretty well and do everything on time, but *Yuno*, although the one of the best in the past, is falling behind.
C. Hypothetical Account: When I met the group those first weeks, I started my observations into potential Case Studies as soon as possible. In a meeting with the teacher, she expressed concerns about this student that she has given class to before, that he is really good but lately has not been doing so well. This student is Yuno Alvarez. I still didn't made my decision until I witnessed his irresponsibility and he being a good student. That day I had a long conversation with the teacher and made my decision. On my own, I have seen the student sad, tired and although, he is good, something must be happening at home that has caused this situation in the classroom. The teacher confirmed my suspicions. Mrs. Peggy Cruz, my cooperating teacher, told me Yuno's story. His mother, Teresa Alvarez is a single mother with three children, two older sisters and Yuno. They have a very busy schedule, school and a significant number of other activities. This is presumed to be the major factor of the student lack of focus. Yuno is often tired and had made excuses for not doing homework due to lack of time and not being at home. Also, the student said to me that his mother could not view the homework I sent so 3
UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
the parents could sign because she was too tired and offered him to sign it later. My Case Study candidate, Yuno, and I have made a good relationship during the weeks we have met. He speaks with me regularly and looks for my help when he needs too. I do my part by acknowledging him and all the students as individuals with potential. I believe that due to the lack of time and busy schedule, the student is failing to deliver and as a solution I offer to maximize time at school so that he is able to get back on track and to offer challenges to test, encourage and excel his talent.
D. Work Plan Although further development will be implemented in this work plan, as soon as more meetings and scheduling are arranged, this is the first draft of the Case Study Work Schedule. Briefly explaining, the reunions are going mostly to be done on Wednesdays after 3:00pm. There will be homework, tutoring and mentorships to ensure the student progresses at school. This schedule is because of the time of both student and practice teacher free time and also to not clustering the students with extra pressure. On the other hand, if possible the teacher during the week will check to make sure the student is doing well all around.
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UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
Work Plan Date
Activities
Purpose
Persons Involved
September 10, 2014
English Skills Pre Test
The purpose of this test that will be done at the beginning and the end of the Case Study is gauge the progress of the student.
Student: Yuno Alvarez
School Homework
Mother: Teresa Alvarez Teacher Candidate: Luis R. Torres
Homework time will be done to help the students revise and clear doubts regarding homework's on English and other classes. September 17, 2014
Tutoring School Homework
The tutoring will go further aside from doing verifying homework's. During tutoring time, the teacher will re teach and reinforce certain skills and put the student into practice.
Student: Yuno Alvarez Mother: Teresa Alvarez Teacher Candidate: Luis R. Torres
Homework time will be done to help the students revise and clear doubts regarding homework's on English and other classes. September 24, 2014
Mentorship Arts and Crafts School Homework
During mentorship time the purpose is to, after all other work is done the teacher will talk about concepts outside the English field, let it be known morals and values and other world problems to make the student create critical thinking and be an agent of change.
Student: Yuno Alvarez Mother: Teresa Alvarez Teacher Candidate: Luis R. Torres
Mentoring will be followed by arts and crafts. The purpose of this is to hone other skills on the students promoting creativity and out of the box sessions. 5
UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
Homework time will be done to help the students revise and clear doubts regarding homework's on English and other classes.
October 1, 2014
Tutoring School Homework
The tutoring will go further aside from doing verifying homework's. During tutoring time, the teacher will re teach and reinforce certain skills and put the student into practice.
Student: Yuno Alvarez Mother: Teresa Alvarez Teacher Candidate: Luis R. Torres
Homework time will be done to help the students revise and clear doubts regarding homework's on English and other classes. October 8, 2014
Mentorship Arts & Crafts School Homework
During mentorship time the purpose is to, after all other work is done the teacher will talk about concepts outside the English field, let it be known morals and values and other world problems to make the student create critical thinking and be an agent of change.
Student: Yuno Alvarez Mother: Teresa Alvarez Teacher Candidate: Luis R. Torres
Mentoring will be followed by arts and crafts. The purpose of this is to hone other skills on the students promoting creativity and out of the box sessions.
Homework time will be done to help the students revise and clear doubts regarding homework's on 6
UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________ English and other classes.
October 15, 2014
Tutoring School Homework
The tutoring will go further aside from doing verifying homework's. During tutoring time, the teacher will re teach and reinforce certain skills and put the student into practice.
Student: Yuno Alvarez Mother: Teresa Alvarez Teacher Candidate: Luis R. Torres
Homework time will be done to help the students revise and clear doubts regarding homework's on English and other classes.
V. Analysis of Student's Situation Yuno is a very special student. My previous cooperating teacher introduced me to him before she left. He is a very smart student although he lacks some skills. At home is where the toughest situation was happening. Since his parents got separated according to both him and his mother, his behavior began changing. In an interview with the mother, Teresa Alvarez, she expressed this inquiries and I offer to give advice to the student. At school, he was starting to not bringing homework and getting affected. That made me feel uneasy and try to help him with the limited time I had. When I collected the survey regarding my group profile, his was the highlight for me. I knew things about him that reinforced my stance that he is a special child. He likes golf, Christian rock music lions, legos and wants to be a scientist. In comparison with the others, he stood out the most. I used this knowledge to the advantage of the study and prepared a test that he was able to relate to.
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UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
With time and meetings, I changed my way of thinking. The student needed more help in the emotional aspect, instead of focusing fully on English. Something that also as hiatus was that it was recommended for him to learn more Spanish first before getting acquainted with English, something that my cooperating teacher and his therapist made emphasis on. This information and new perspective brought changes into my hypothesis. "The teacher confirmed my suspicions. Mrs. Peggy Cruz, My cooperating teacher, told me Yuno's story. His mother, Teresa Alvarez is a single mother with three children, Two older sisters and Yuno. They have a very busy schedule, school and a significant other activities. This is presumed to be the major factor of the student lack of focus. Yuno is often tired and had made excuses of not doing homework due to lack of time and not being at home. Also, the student said to me that his mother could not view the homework I sent so the parents could sign because she was too tired and offered him to sign it later."
Now, I see this student with other necessities, like improving his Spanish skills, self eestem and behavior. This new perspective and the leaving of my cooperating teacher fractured the case study not being able to fully comply. The student and I barely saw each other and in the time frame we were able to meet he was now taking Spanish class covering the hole of the English class, due to this being somehow beneficial for Yuno since according to the other experts he needed reinforcement in the Spanish language I did not interfere. On his emotional aspect, he takes Music and karate classes on after school hours so my plan of meeting after class was also scratched out, We did not have contact except when we met and had casual conversations at the school so the case study was halted. VI. Work Plan #2 Chart Date
Activities
Purpose
Persons Involved
September 8, 2014
Meeting with Mother
Know the students mother and Mother: Teresa Alvarez her perspective on her son's situation also provide a Teacher Candidate: background about the students 8
UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
September 9, 2014
English Skills Pre Test School Homework
situations at school and home.
Luis R. Torres
The purpose of this test that will be done at the beginning and the end of the Case Study is gauge the progress of the student.
Student: Yuno Alvarez Mother: Teresa Alvarez Teacher Candidate: Luis R. Torres
Homework time will be done to help the students revise and clear doubts regarding homework's on English and other classes. September 16, 2014
Meeting with Director
The purpose was to ask for permission of the use of the library trough proper channels for Case Study use.
School Director: Rose Mary Lopez Plaza Teacher Candidate: Luis R. Torres
VII. Final Reactions This Case Study experience encountered many obstacles but in the end I can go happy because I was able to put a grain of sand in this student's life. I, as a soon to be teacher, am not pleased with the circumstances that lead for the interruption of this work and it still vents frustration from me to this day but as always I look for the bright side. I learned so much from the experience and how a student can have many aspects that can improve or hinder their learning process at school. With Yuno Alvarez, my case study wasn't any different. I witnessed how this student's problems lead him to become irresponsible at times. Now, he is little by little improving in his skills and opening up more to the school lifestyle. 9
UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
During my interviews with the student, I noticed that he is little by little adapting to the changes in his house. Although I could not make further progress with the student on an academic level, on a personal level I got to talk to him. The student is engaged in his new changes at school and home. I discussed his emotions and he told me about how his mother is involving him in different activities after school. In a casual meeting with the student's mother, she indicated that the student is taking classes at music school. His behavior in school, for what I have been able to maintain contact with, is doing great. Sometimes he gets scolded for speaking too much. That is a good sign because it means Yuno is coming out of his shell and getting healed with time. I have also met with him and his other two friends, my former students also, *Emile* and *Luca* and they seem to be happy playing together at school. Even though my impact with the student was not as much as I wanted, I was able to get the grasp of what a case study is. Recommendations for future teacher and persons that deal with Yuno and other students in general is to focus first on healing the emotional aspect of the student. Like the affective filter of Krashen Input hypothesis, if our students have a good self esteem, low anxiety and high motivation we have half the battle won. My case study, even though it the end, I can prognosticate that my student is in that process of being better for himself. If we focus on that aspect first and then deal with the problem we were attracted into solving to begin with, we will have good results. At first I thought that it was simply an academic process but I have learned with this particular experience that talking and helping out your students on a personal or emotional level and making them have more confidence can also make progress. That is the biggest shock for me to see him around school with a better attitude than the one he was going through in the past. I'm glad I was part of that improvement. 10
UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
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UPRH English Program – Practice Teaching Case Study – Rufino Vigo Elementary School ________________________________________________________________________________
VIII Appendix
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