Read the following case below and write a 5-8 page research essay
responding to the questions below the case.
Kevin Miller, a biracial fifth-grade student at Greentree elementary
School, is in the principal’s office with his parents. Mr. Dolan, the
school principal, has just informed Mr. and Mrs. Miller that Kevin’s
fifth-grade trip privilege will be revoked because of an accumulation of
disciplinary offenses. Kevin’s behavior in fifth grade has become
progressively more disruptive. This time, he has managed to create
enough problems for his teachers to prevent his participation in the
end-of-the-year event, which was planned as a reward for the
students’ effort and achievement. Kevin is a very intelligent and
physically attractive youngster with particular interests and abilities in
sports and computer games.
In second grade, he was identified as a
candidate for the school’s gifted student program, yet he invests little
energy in schoolwork. He tells his teachers that he finds the
assignments boring and can find no reason to involve himself in the
learning process. He does little studying, but he manages to get by
with a C+ average. In class, he talks to other students when he should
be working, makes disrespectful comments to his teachers, and tries
to get away with doing what he pleases most of the time. Kevin
relishes his position of power in the group. Many students in the class
look up to Kevin because of his engaging bravado.
They like him
because he is often funny and provides a diversion from class work.
Other students find him a nuisance who distracts the teachers from
their instruction. Students know that if they work with Kevin on a
group project, they may have a good time, but it will come with a
price: getting in trouble with their teachers. Kevin’s parents have a
long history of conferencing with the school principal and counselor.
Over the years, problems have increased from some concerns about
his attention span in the early grades to more issues that are serious.
In fourth grade, Kevin was caught cheating on a test proctored by a
substitute teacher. Kevin claimed that he was falsely accused because
the teacher “didn’t like him.” At the beginning of fifth grade, Kevin
responded to his English teacher, who was trying to get him to focus
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on a classroom writing assignment, with a profane comment. When
confronted about his behavior, Kevin was convinced that he did not
do anything seriously wrong. His explanation was that he was joking,
and he suggested that the adults should “lighten up.” Kevin’s parents
believe it is their job to stand up for their only son and support him,
even though they are unhappy about his frequent problems at school.
The Millers describe their son as “lively and creative” and “smarter
than they are” in some areas, such as computer literacy, encouraged
by the school counselor, they initiated private counseling for Kevin at
the end of fourth grade. Kevin has seen his counselor sporadically for
almost a year. Both parents believe that Kevin is a good boy whose
irrepressible spirit and intellect get him into trouble with those who
misunderstand him. Faced with this new consequence, Kevin is quite
upset. He was looking forward to the class trip and believes that the
punishment is extreme.
The Millers understand the principal’s
reasoning, but they also disagree with the punishment. They indicate
that they will request a meeting with the superintendent to have the
decision changed. They express the view that most kids behave like
Kevin sometimes. From their perspective, Kevin should be allowed to
express himself and to have the autonomy to make choices about
what he does. They emphasize his persistence and interest in
activities that engage his attention.
They come close to faulting
Kevin’s teachers for failing to motivate him. The district
superintendent, after considering the case, decides that depriving
Kevin of the trip would jeopardize any relationship teachers would be
able to develop with him in the future. Kevin’s consequence is
changed to an in-school suspension; he is allowed to participate in
the class trip.
Utilize concepts and terminology learned to respond to the
following questions in your essay:
What are the issues involved in Kevin’s case?
Bringing into your discussion the concepts of Piaget and Vygotsky,
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what assessment can you make of his development?
If you were his counselor, how would you promote
prosocial behavior?
What information would you give to the parents about attachment
theory and parenting styles?
Reflect on what personal biases with respect to cultural
developmental issues may influence your understanding of this case?
Writing expectations include competency in the following:
Sentence Structure
Verb Tense and Agreement Pronoun Use
Punctuation
Spelling
Thesis Statement & Conclusion
More Guidelines
5-8-page essay (excluding cover page and references).
You should use a minimum of 3-4 current sources (in the last 3-4
years) in your Case Assignment.
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Must be double-spaced with 1-inch margins and typed in 12-point
Times New Roman.
Your Essay should have a Cover Page and a Reference Page
Essays should be proofread for spelling and grammar mistakes
Use APA style format
Use in text citations to avoid plagiarism (make sure the in
text citations are listed in the references section in APA style format)
Your essay must have a thesis statement and conclusion and you
provide support using background readings and other 3 / 4 external
sources (as applicable).
