Current Complex Classroom Problem

A current problem that I face in my classroom is identifying the special learning needs of one of my students. This 3rd grade child seems to have problems with focus, reading directions, processing speed, and independence. She was on a behavior/academic chart last year (in 2nd grade) and was said to have made great process throughout the year. The chart was used to monitor focus, reading directions, and working independently.

At the end of the day, the teacher and child would both evaluate the child's progress in these areas. If the child succeeded overall in these areas throughout the week, she was given a reward on Fridays. The chart was said to give the child motivation to push her to give more effort and care to her daily work. At the beginning of this year, I didn't start off using the chart. I wanted to see how this child had progressed and form my own opinions about her abilities and work habits. It became clear quickly, that she needed some kind of accommodations. To keep her on track, yet encourage her independence, I formed a new system. I wanted to be able to help this child, but build on the growth she had made since the previous year, since she was now a third grade student.

I started by taping visual reminders on her desk. These reminders were "Focus," "Re-read directions," and "Try on my own before asking the teacher for help." Although these seem to help, I haven't gotten the results I wanted. Instead of pointing to a reminder or having the child make a correction on her own, I often have to use verbal or tactile reminders to keep her on track.

I met with the mother recently to discuss her daughter's progress. While the mother would simply like to go back to the old chart, I would like to continue to push for more independence and accountability from the child. I feel that verbal and tactile reminders, in addition to her visual reminders on her desk give the child more immediate feedback. She knows when she isn't focused or on task, because she is corrected by me immediately. With the chart, she is told about her progress at the end of the day, rather than when the undesirable behavior actually happened.

The first step I will take is to determine my goal: To get the child to start to become internally motivated and to become more independent, while making progress, both academically and behaviorally in the classroom. In order to do this, I must construct a model that monitors how the child performs in the classroom with the current conditions (the verbal/tactile reminders and visual reminders on her desk) vs. the new system that I am going to put into place.

The new system will stick with the visual reminders on her desk. However, I am also going to add a number chart. She will get 5 points for each day. Any time I have to correct her behavior from one of the categories of her reminders, she will lose one point. If she still has at least one number left at the end of the day, she will earn a point. If she gets 4 out of 5 points at the end of the week, she will get a reward. Her reward will be a special job in the classroom.

The reason for the new system is to monitor how motivation for the reward affects her progress. Does she perform better or does it not seem to affect her progress? This system will also allow her to gain more independence. When she is corrected, I will remind her to cross off one number; however, she will be responsible for this. She will be provided with instant feedback throughout the day, rather than waiting until the end of the day to review her progress.

In order to determine if she has made progress, I will be able to monitor her behavior through observation. However, in order to monitor her academic progress, I will administer the Aimsweb Reading, Math, and Language Arts tests. I plan on evaluating her progress throughout 4 weeks. In the first 2 weeks, she will be given the Aimsweb tests at the beginning and continue using the behavior/academic system that we currently have in place throughout that 2 weeks. During the second 2 weeks, I will use the new behavior/academic system, with the number chart. At the end of these 2 weeks, I will have her take the Aimsweb tests again. I will then be able to compare/contrast how the old system worked vs. the new system. This will allow me to identify if motivation and responsibility for her own actions/independence are affecting her success in the classroom. This will allow me to gain insight into what isn't working and form new strategies and accommodations if they are needed.

I believe this problem hasn't yet been solved because proper documentation hasn't been kept to evaluate the successfulness of the behavior/academic systems being used in the classroom. I am hoping to gain better insight with this model, which will allow me to better understand and meet the needs of my student.