DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Physical:

Strength: According to my observations, Aiden is on PHY 1, “Uses coordinated large-muscle movements,” benchmark 3, “coordinates several movements, such as running and jumping. From observing on 2-7-13, Aiden can walk up and down stairs unassisted. While observing on 2-7-13, Aiden was “dancing” with his classmates by jumping up and down with both feet and landing on both feet.  He was wailing his arms up and down along with jumping.  

Weakness: According to my observations, Aiden is on PHY 2, “Uses coordinated small-muscle movements,” benchmark 2, “Uses eye-hand coordination to manipulate objects with increasing precision.” Observation 2-27-13 Aiden cut tape with scissors.  With assistance from Mr. Robert he was able to hole the scissors correctly.  When Aiden writes he writes with organizational print.  Creating more projects for Aiden that involve painting, writing, putting small objects on popsicle sticks; anything like these examples can help him manipulate and really develop his fine motor skills. Especially more painting with a paintbrush or writing activities will benefit him.

Social:

Strength: According to the following observations, Aiden is on PS3, “Participates in teacher-led group activities,” benchmark 4 – “Actively participates in whole-group activities and usually waits turn.” During participation 2-22-13, Miss Esther passed around a bag with some items in it before reading The Three Little Ninjas.  After reading the story, Miss Esther asked, “Who came first in the story?” and Aiden waited for Miss Esther to call on him before proceeding to answer her about what happened in the story.

Weakness: According to the following observations, Aiden is on PS8, “Works to resolve conflicts,” benchmark 3 – “Develops solutions and works to resolve conflicts with teacher support.” On 2-7-13 during observation, two children were standing on the ramp in the motor development room and Aiden wanted to run down it.  He told Miss Esther that he wanted a turn but __ & __ were in his way, she asked him what he could say to have them move and how to resolve the conflict.  Then he simply asked, “Excuse me ____ & ____.”  The boys moved and he went about running down the ramp. One way to help Aiden move forward onto Benchmark 4 and improve his ability to resolve conflicts without teacher help is to ask him problem-solving questions like, “What do you think you could say to him/her to help resolve this problem.” Modeling behavior on how to appropriately handle problems will also benefit Aiden in achieving benchmark 4.  Asking him questions problem-solving questions will give him an opportunity to come up with an appropriate action and or response himself.  It will also give him the opportunity to receive positive feed back or an alternate solution to solving the problem.

Emotional:

Strength: Aiden transitions into his school day well.  When he comes into the classroom in the morning he walks right over to his cubby, hangs his coat, and puts his lunch box in the wicker basket.  Then he washes his hands, says goodbye to the person who dropped him off and continues to one of the areas of the classroom.

 

Weakness: According to the following observations, Aiden is on PS6, “Shows empathy and caring for others,” benchmark 2, “Usually notices and reacts to a familiar peer’s delight or distress.” Observations from 3-27-13, another female child in Aiden’s class was crying, Aiden went up to Miss Esther and said, “Why is ___ sad?” When Miss Esther said to him, “I’m not sure maybe we should ask her,” he did not ask her, he waited for Miss Esther to ask her. Positively acknowledging Aiden when he reacts to a peer’s distress or delight can encourage him towards benchmark three to be more aware and insightful of his peers’ emotions.  Modeling how one should react to a friend or a peer when they are having a happy or upsetting moment can also help encourage positive behavior. 

 

Math & Science:

Strength: According to my observations, Aiden’s attention span is 3 x 4 = 12.  His attention span is around 12 minutes. While collecting a Time Sample on 4-17-13 Aiden was in the Science Area with two other children from 9:00 – 9:20 am.  This was the first day I had observed Aiden in this area of the classroom.  Observations on 4-17-13, Miss Sylvia called Aiden over to the writing Area to partake in the activity that she was performing over there.  From my observations he was in this area from 9:20 – 9:30am.  He has a great ability to stay on one single task.

            Weakness: Where Aiden could use extra help is with his ability to solve problems.  When there is an issue with another peer, Aiden has not yet mastered the ability to solve it himself; typically he looks to Miss Esther for assistance.  Scaffolding Aiden into working through his problems himself is a strategy that can benefit him to gradually understand why it is important to try to solve a problem on our own before looking for help.

 

Language & Literacy:

Strength: According to the following observations, Aiden is on Benchmark 3, “Uses a series of at least 2 – 3 related sentences to tell experiences or stories.” In all the times that I participated in the Sun Room, and sometimes even when I have observed; Aiden has not had a problem telling stories or asking questions to find out information or relay information.

Weakness: According to the following observations, Aiden is on Benchmark 3, “Writes messages using letter-like shapes and some conventional letters.” During participation 4-19-13, in the writing area, Aiden was using small lined paper to write “Seeds.”  On the table were pictures and underneath the pictures were the words to follow (green house, door, seeds, window, and planter). Aiden wrote the words “Door” and “Seeds” (see small orange writing sample #2 attached, label is on the back). Aiden uses organized print when writing.  While writing “Seeds” in the writing area, Aiden was being exposed to a print-rich environment that was allowing him to have a natural interaction with the words on the table.  It is important to encourage the writing center on Aiden.  From my observations, he does not spend much time in this area.  Also, improving his fine motor skills through activities like the activity I chose for my LEP can help mold these skills for him.  Keeping different objects like different writing tools such as stencils, markers, colored pencils, and texture pads underneath paper to rub crayons or pencils or markers could interest and encourage Aiden into the writing area.

Creative:

Strength: According to my observations, Aiden is on CRE 3,
“Represents experiences and fantasies in pretend play,” benchmark 3, “Engages in cooperative role – play with peers.” Observations on 5-3-13 – Aiden and two peers had green yarn across their heads “pretending” to be ninja’s.  Mr. Robert asked Aiden, “What are you playing?” Aiden responded, “I’m kung foo!”  This is an example of Cooperative Dramatic Play, which is where, “Children are working together toward a common goal, contributing parts to the whole.”  Aiden and his two peers were pretending to be ninjas (the common goal), and each had green, “headbands” to contribute to that goal. Aiden does not have a problem interacting with his peer, especially in pretend play.  Encouraging imagination can only further develop this great quality.

Weakness: According to my observations, Aiden is on CRE 2, “Draws and paints to represent own ideas,” benchmark 2, “Draws or paints with some control an own purpose.” During my observation on 4- -13 – Miss Taylor was drawing with Aiden and another child.  She collected the drawing sample for me.  When she asked Aiden what he was drawing he replied with, “I am drawing a tornado!” From my observations, Aiden does not spend a great amount of time in the writing or art area. Having pictures with labels on the art table for Aiden to be able to copy could guide him into drawing or painting with more control and more recognizable shapes and patterns. Also along with this, including different and new materials like finger painting or “painting” with shaving cream and build on his creativity.

                      

Reflection on Case Study:

            Between January and now, there is so much I could reflect on about my case study.  Being able to engage with him and observe him has taught me about what children look for in a teacher and what is important behavior as a teacher to grow and help the children grow.  Over the course of this semester, the main change I saw in Aiden was his ability to engage in activities with his peers. In the beginning of the semester, Aiden interacted with one other boy in the class.  They would engage in the same areas, the manipulative and block areas, and Aiden would stick by his peers’ side.  Now, at the end of the semester, Aiden is still interacting with this boy, but also with two other female peers as well.  The growth process from these children is truly amazing.  Not from my case study, but from another boy in his class who was very quiet in the beginning of the semester, and I look at him now and how vocal he is.  It is amazing to me how much these children can grow and change in such a short period of time.  Experiencing this case study project is something I will never forget and take with me forever.

 

Reflection on Semester:

            This semester has been quite the journey, and I cannot say it has been entirely easy.  The hours were long and the projects were tedious and long; but in the end it was entirely worth it.  Now that the semester has come to an end I really realized the purpose of the hours and the projects and the reflections.  I was never nervous to be in the classroom, but the way I interacted and spoke to the children in the beginning compared to now is just insane to me. The difference is immaculate.  In the beginning of the semester I wasn’t exact sure what to say, or where to be, or what to do.  Now, I don’t have a problem handling conflicts between the children, extending their conversations, encouraging them to think outside the box. 

            Assessing was one of the hardest parts because we don’t see these children every day.  Sometimes, some of the benchmarks I would put Aiden on I felt like were so low and I knew that he was higher, but I never witnessed it, therefore I couldn’t use it.  I didn’t find intentional teaching to be as hard as I was expecting.  My difficult part, like during the LEP is asking appropriate open ended questions.  Even when I am in the classroom just interacting with the children, I just forget sometimes to expand on something they said.  Note taking was another challenging for me.  I feel like I observed SO much from my case study, but then I would either forget to write something, or I wouldn’t write enough.  Writing down my observations more in depth is something I definitely need to practice.  I can say though, that implementing the LEP and creating it from the first page to the last was not as bad as I was expecting.   We have spent all these semesters practicing for it and being prepped to implement it and I am thankful I got to experience that before leaving this program because it gave me a taste and some practice for what I will have to do in the future.

            I have absolutely learned that preschool is not for me; although, I would not have traded this experience for anything in the world.  It taught me about who exactly and where exactly I want to be as a teacher and made me further realize the challenges teachers face; but elementary school is for me.  This experience was just, exciting and motivating.  Every day that I had to participate, I truly looked forward to it.  I woke up in the morning looking forward to going to school and playing and engaging with these children.  I have to say that I will absolutely miss the children from the Sun Room, and even some that I got to know from the Star Room and I am so grateful that I got to go through this class here at NCC. 

           

 

 

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.