Make achievements and social goals for Becky based on the story
In having read Becky case study, it appears that Becky, the third grade student has social issues in the way she interacts with her peers and teachers. In addition, she also appears to have problems with her academics. As a third grade student, Becky’s teachers expect her to show the rightful attitude towards her academics and the way she interacts with her classmates and other schoolmates.
Becky is noted to be a shy student that always keeps to herself. At her age, her teachers expect her to be socially playful and able to form new social ties with her schoolmates, though that is not the case. During breaks and playtime, she seems disinterested in joining others in playing and opts to stay alone (Goleman, 1999). Becky is unable to form new friends due to lack of interest in engaging in social events that encourage social interactions. In regard to the case study, Becky appears to be socially inhibited and therefore a way to make her less shy and more interactive might be a more useful approach for her (Goleman, 1999). There are many ways which can be practically applied in regard to Becky’s situation to help her become less shy and improve in her academics. (Harlow, 2010).
One of the means that can be employed could entail the involvement of both her parents and teachers. Her teachers and parents could work collaboratively to ensure she improved her social interaction at school level and home level. One of the ways could be through encouraging orderly answering of questions in classroom settings (Hardman, 2011). Becky is shy when she is with her classmates (Harlow, 2010). In discovering that she is more motivated when offered lucrative offers, the teachers in collaboration with her parents could come up with a log book that they would fill stuffs Becky did in a given day, for instance, when Becky answers questions in a class setting, the teacher can put down such developments in her log book (Hardman, 2011). At the same time, her parents can encourage social interaction with relatives and friends in order to help her mend her social interaction skills (Harlow, 2010). In having family reunions and family day out, Becky could be encouraged to socially interact with her relatives thereby helping build her ways of making friends through interacting with people she had never met before (Hardman, 2011). In coming in contact with new relatives, and noting how other family members and how her parents interact with them could help her imitate them in the way they socially interact. Children have a higher tendency of imitating what their parents do, and so such interactions might be really helpful for her in improving her social interaction skills (Goleman, 1999). Her parents can also possess a log book to note the friends she makes in the neighbourhood. Any improvement in terms of becoming playful with a neighbour, going to another child’s home to spend some time there or being visited by a friend can also be noted and the book shared with progress at her school (Harlow, 2010). It is important to follow her progress both at school and home so as to identify any other issues that might be contributing to her social inhibition (Hardman, 2011).
In relation to her academics, from the case study, it appears Becky dislikes Maths and spelling. In addition, she seems to have an attitude of not caring about her grade and getting comfortable where she does poorly in class (Hardman, 2011). She also dislikes school and she is often not enthusiastic when it comes to doing her school work including her class projects. Her teachers noted her impressive reading skills and great attention to class work when a motivation factor was placed (Hardman, 2011). I would like to suggest weekly assessments conducted by the teacher in collaboration with the parents while accompanied by parents could help her improve academically, for instance, her parents promising her to take her for trips and treats during weekends when she performs well in class could also help her become motivated and more involved in academic stuff (Hardman, 2011). In addition, having mathematical home tutoring by her parents could help her improve her skills and attitude towards the subject (Goleman, 1999). Setting time for her to do mathematical problems and her parents marking it for her could really help her. In working in collaboration with her maths teacher, her parents can be given the Maths curriculum and hence read the topics ahead to be covered before her teachers giving her advantage (Hardman, 2011). This can really boost her confidence in solving mathematical problems. In creating a conducive environment and encouraging her to participate in group discussions could really help her improve academically and socially, and make her begin to like school.
Discuss how Becky's temperament and attribution style affect the goals you make for her.
The various set by both Becky’s teachers and parents and regard to her academic and social problems can all be traced back to her temperament and attribution style. In regard to temperament style, in reading the case study, one could not fail to notice Becky’s lack of interest to adapt to school life, shyness from new things and people, reacting calm to situations that require her to act differently, giving up in Maths and spelling (Hardman, 2011). In setting goals, they all aimed at improving her adaptability to school life, eliminating her shyness towards new things and improving her ability to make friends and getting involved in playful activities, changing her attitude towards Maths and spelling (Hardman, 2011). The goals set therefore aimed to improve her social and academic situation as shown from the case study.
It is also evident that Becky’s attribution style affected the goals set for her to improve academically and socially. At one point, Becky was told by her teacher to focus on the class work rather than just trying, Becky interpreted that statement to mean she may not be that smart. This negatively impacted her academics as it made her withdraw in doing class projects, assignments, engaging in spelling situations, and putting least effort to solve her Maths problem (Hardman, 2011). With her negative perception, goals set to convert it to positive thinking in order to achieve development are what became set.
References
Goleman, D. (1999, April 6). Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved January 20, 2013, from Films on Demand: http://digital.films.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.aspx?xtid=41086
Hardman, M. (2011). Child Development and Education. New York: Cengage Publishing.
Harlow. (2010, February 6). Into the Mind: Emotions. Retrieved January 20, 2013, from Film on Demand: http://digital.films.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.aspx?xtid=43511
