A03
Subject: Mary is a fifth grade student who has been described by her social studies teacher as "always operating at the top of Bloomberg's Taxonomy without prompting," but in all classes she has difficulty completing work of any category: tests, homework, classwork. Her parents have discussed that sometimes she works until 10:30 PM or later and still has not completed the assignment. She seems to have dificulty understanding the expectations of her teachers and the scope of the assignments. Another teacher commented that Mary seems to be trying to work on the high school or college level and as a consequence she has difficulty completeing her assignments, but, what she does turn in is usually an outlier in the distribution of work turned in by the class.
Sensing-Thinking(ST)
Mastery
_1__Wants to know the right way to do things
(what has to be done and how it has to be done)
_2__Shows interest in hands-on experiences / manipulatives and learning that can be put to practicle use
_0__Follows directions one step at a time
_0__Likes tasks that have definite right/wrong answers
_2__Seeks order and consistency
_3__Prefers doing to listening or discussing
_1__Focuses on facts and remembers details
_1__Speaks and writes directly to the point
10
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Sensing-Feeling(SF)
Interpersonal
_2__Wants to be liked and part of the group
_0__Shows more interest in people than ideas
_0__Prefers working in a small group or with a friend
_1__Needs real-life experiences and opportunities to express feelings
_3__Seeks a warm, friendly place to learn
_1__Prefers discussing and sharing to seatwork
_3__Enjoys stories about people and their experiences
_1__Is co-operative and helpful
11
|
Intuitive-Thinking(NT)
Understanding
_3__Wants to understand "why" more than what
_3__Show interest in ideas and how things work
_2__Prefers to reason things out independently
_3__Likes challenging tasks that require logical thought
_2__Seeks a classroom that provokes curiosity and searching for answers
_3__Prefers new learning to practicing or reviewing previous learning
_3__Interprets facts and details to see the broader picture
_3__Uses evidence to support ideas
22
|
Intuitive-Feeling(NF)
Self-Expressive
_2__Uses imagination and creativity while learning
_2_Shows interest in new and creative projects
_3__Speculates and asks "what if"
_3__Is able to see connections between between and among ideas where others may not
_1__Seeks a variety of resources and opportunities to choose between activities
_2__Enjoys self-expression through the arts
_2__Improvises and adopts to new situations
_2__Is attentive to symmetry, aesthetics, and beauty
17
|
Introversion
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Extroversion
|
_3__Likes to work alone
_3__Is generally reluctant to share feelings
_3__Thinks and contemplates extensively before taking action
_3__Works on one project for a long period of time
|
_1__Likes to work with others
_1__Is open and eager to share feelings
_0__Acts/reacts quickly to new situations
_0__Tends to be impatient with long term tasks
|
12
|
2
|
Style Profile: 0 24
|__________________________|
Mastery: 10 __________
Understanding: 22 _______________________
Self-Expresive: 17 ____________________
Interpersonal: 11 ____________
Introversion: 12 _____________
Extroversion: 2 __
Discussion:
What new insights have you learned about the student's learning style preferences?
When I consider the problem than made me assess this student, and the assessment results it seems like the child is operating in a self-generated social vacuum. She is defining tasks in terms of her own interests, rather than in terms of an external demand created by the teacher. Further, her introverted attitude may be impeeding input and feedback from teachers and peers as to the expected scope and depth of a task. As is typical of NF domenent students her focus on the project of interest inhitits a desire to set limits on a project so that other activities may be taken up.
What three recommendations would you make for this student's instruction?
Area I. Responding to the Student's Domentand and Sub-Domentant Style
Systematically integrate the "Guidelines for Working with All Four Styles" that apply to NT domenent students. The three items that seem most potentially helpful in this instance are (1) Require students to hypothesize and develop plans of action before they explor answers, (2) Build in opportunities for students to share their explanations and to provide evidence and proof for their ideas, and (3) Evaluate students' critical thinking and problem solving skills. The requirement to develop plans of action that include activity schedules and deadlines is probably the most import part of the remediation plan. It will require the student to consider organizational issues, and it will also encourage the student to have increased interaction with the teacher such that the task is defined as a negotiation rather than simply a reflection of the the student's interests. The second guideline will further encourage the student to consider the outcome of her work within a social context. Finally, the third guideline will facilitate the teachers efforts to evaluate the student's work in a frame independent manner, rather than in the context of the orther work submitted by the student's classmates.
Area II Encouraging and Facilitating the Student's Growth in the Lesser Developed Learning Styles.
Without threatening the student's comfort in the learning environment, it might aid the student to systematically develop in the mastery and Interpersonal styles. When creating the initial plan of action (see Area I above) the studnet could be encourages to demonstrate Mastery. But more importantly the student might be encouraged to participate in group activities in ways that promote growth of interpersonal skills. If present trends were to continue it might be that the student could easily become isolated in group/social settings. The last of the listed guidelines, "Take time to help establish personal goals, encourage reflection, and praise performance" seems like it might be a portal for bringing the NT domenent student into the realm of the interpersonal style. After the student's sphere of comfort has begun to extend into the Interpersonal Style through the fifth guideline perhaps the student might begin to engage "Select activiities that buil on personal experiences and cooperative atructures," the fourth of the interpersonal guidelines.
By working on the Area I and Area II activities the student, faculty, and parents will respect the current strength's and unique qualities of the student but also expand the student's skill protfolio so that she will be able to excell in a wider range of environments, contexts, and activities.
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