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Case studies & scenarios for review & role play

Case studies & scenarios to review & role play interventions

If you always do what you've always done,
then you'll always get what you always got.

Overview

  • Kay - class clown
  • Jessie - tough guy, never back down
  • Molly - early maturer
  • Chad - K-8 history of becoming a trouble maker
  • Jenny - preschool - K sex
  • Golf - conflict, class resolution to reduce rumors ...
  • Softball - identifying the problem & goal setting
  • Ms. Smith - forming groups
  • Bud & Jimmy - stealing

Introduction

This page includes fictional information to review and practice role play. Review and reflect on how different verbal interactions and interventions might create better outcomes.

Scenarios

Kay age 10

Summary of interview with Kay:

Kay is the class clown. She mimics others and frequently has a creative clever remark that makes her the center of attention. She has said that other kids like her because she is silly in class rather than a serious student.

She has also reported that she is not smart, that she has tried and failed. She also reported that people tell her she is smart and could do well in school, if she would try. She claims that when she does she fails.

Therefore, she feels she must be stupid.

She believes that even if she is stupid, people like her when she acts silly and that she is real good at being silly. When she has done okay or good in school and the teacher points it out to her she replies with statements like: it was easy, the teacher liked me, or she was just lucky.

  • What strategies would you suggest?
  • And why do you believe they would work?

Jesssie

Background

  • Jessie was a very large fourteen-year-old who was referred for frequent fighting, running away from school, and inconsistent class work.
  • From kindergarten on he was frequently referred to the school psychologist. His hyperactive behavior and poor social skills included refusing to follow directions or share with classmates and hitting peers.

Family History.

  • Both his mother and father had trouble learning to read, suggesting a genetic based learning disability.
  • Both of Jesse’s grandfathers were known for their short tempers and readiness to smack their children
  • His father related that when other kids beat him up, his father beat him for losing the fight.
  • Jesse’s maternal grand mother was a screamer, who was always critical of her daughter.
  • Both parents admitted that they have short fuses and reported that Jessie terrorizes his siblings.

Neighborhood History

The neighborhood children and classmates have picked on him and made fun of him. It has only been since he entered early adolescence and had a growth spurt, accompanied by an extra thirty pounds, that the teasing diminished.

Jessies’ View

  • Jessie reported that he was born with a temper, and “there is nothing I can do about it. That’s the way I am.”
  • First he would bully and terrorize his siblings.
  • Next he failed to comply with his parents requests to stop. This was followed by beatings, slapping, kicking, and screaming by whichever parent was involved.

Hypothesis

  • Some families perpetuate the belief that there is little that can be done about one’s temper.
  • They rarely develop past Kohlberg’s punishment-obedience level in terms of their own moral development.

Intervention

  • Therapy for aggression control and building self-esteem.
  • Building Jesse’s self-esteem in group therapy was enhanced by a girl in the group who recognized Jesse’s need for nurturance. She sometimes treated him as a little child who did not feel loved. After nurturing behavior, he always calmed down.

Teachers’ View

Jesse’s teachers understood that his anger and aggressive behavior was often displaced on them and his peers as a result of incidents that occurred in his home.

Results

After extensive therapy, his parents became more nurturing, and they encouraged him to verbalize his anger and frustration, rather than to act aggressively. This improvement at home significantly reduced the acting out in school.

Conclusions

As this example shows, punishment is more often the cause than the cure for aggression.

Molly

Situation

  • Grade five
  • Well-nourished and healthy.
  • Both of Molly’s parents were early maturers.
  • Most of Molly’s classmates are prepubescent, but she has started to develop secondary sexual characteristics.

Her genetic history programmed her body for pubescence to begin in fourth grade and with it, the accompanying feelings and drives.

Molly is beginning to act in a manner consistent with biology and evolution. Her teachers are disturbed by her flirtatious behavior.

As she begins to have mutual interest in older boys on the playground and out of school, some of her girlfriends become jealous and angry. They begin to gossip about her and call her a slut, even though she has had no sexual encounters.

The immature boys in her class also spread stories and some brag that they have felt her up or groped her.

Most disturbing, some of the male teachers who may be unconsciously attracted to this taboo woman-child, overreact and make snide comments about her dress and her manner.

As a result, Molly begins to believe that there is something wrong with her and her body.

However, her parents, understanding the problems of early pubescence, tell her to be proud of herself and that what is happening is perfectly natural.

Molly will either learn to accept herself and her behavior and develop emotionally. Or accept the negative identity that others are pushing on her.

If she believes she is oversexed, she may act on those beliefs.

 

Chad

History - Pre school

When Chad entered a preschool he lacked readiness skills to recognize letters, numbers, or sounds. He also had problems in fine motor coordination. However, because these skills are not necessary to complete preschool, and because Chad is a happy extroverted child with good verbal skills, nothing was done.

History - Kindergarten

Chad’s teacher was concerned because he could not recognize the sounds of letters that were gone over repeatedly. Chad had trouble copying as well as the other children. During a visit to the pediatrician, Chad’s parents are assured that he would catch up because he appears to be a bright child.

History - First grade

Although Chad was about a year behind at the end of kindergarten, he was promoted to the first grade. In many ways he was bright and he never was a behavior problem.

History - Second grade

Chad’s second grade teacher believed he was quite capable and his beginning reading problem could be remediated with extra drill at school and home. Each night Chad’s mother works with him on his homework as his siblings are allowed to watch television.

History - Third grade

Despite frequent tutoring and continual drill, Chad was two years behind in reading. His third-grade teacher decided that because Chad was so bright that he must be lazy. She put pressure on his parents to ensure that he completed all his homework.

Meanwhile, Chad recognized he could not read as well as his peers. They sometimes make fun of him because of his poor reading. In addition, his teacher and parents sometimes become frustrated and angry when he struggled with material they were sure he had previously learned.

History - Fourth grade

Chad resented the extra help. His mother and father lost patience with his attempts to avoid homework and any extra help they wanted to offer. Chad proclaimed that he hated reading and seemed convinced that he was stupid. His teacher reported that Chad does everything possible to avoid his schoolwork and began to misbehave.

History Sixth grade

Chad began to associate with other alienated students at school. By the end of the year Chad was labeled a troublemaker. He and his friends begin to hang with older students in the community know to experiment with drugs and alcohol.

History - Junior high

Chad’s parents became concerned with his change in behavior and the students he was hanging with. They made arrangement for Chad to be admitted for a week long comprehensive evaluation.

Results

Chad was diagnosed as learning disabled.
His disability was a perceptual or processing problem. The cause of the disability was not diagnosed.

Jenny

  • Grade Kindergarten
  • Very restrictive and critical parents
  • Parents are in conflict as how to raise Jenny

Problem

Jenny is unhappy at home and at school. Her main source of gratification is her fantasy world. Frequently she daydreams and begins to masturbate and sometimes rock back and forth. Masturbation seems to be a pleasurable activity that enhances her fantasies, although they are not sexual in an adult sense.

Hypothesis

  • Sexual abuse was considered and ruled out because of lack of any evidence.
  • The importance of the issue is not masturbation, but her use of it to escape a world that gives her little gratification.
  • She is not able to handle the anxiety she feels about her need to masturbate in class or the anxiety she feels about the world. Therefore, she escapes by entering her own fantasy world.

Solution

  • It is natural for young children to touch and play with their genitalia during preschool stages.
  • The teachers may simply distract her from this activity by involving her in other, more interesting, pleasurable, but socially acceptable endeavors. Hopefully she will learn that this type of self-gratification must be delayed until she is alone.
  • If teachers respond with disgust, ridicule, or severe punishment, she may begin to see herself as disgusting, and unworthy.
  • The drive for pleasure through sexually related behavior will normally resurface in adolescence, after going through a stage of latency. The healthy child will then be driven toward sexual activity as part of a shared adventure with another person.

Golf

Setting

Mrs. Ping just reported to recess duty when she saw a student bouncing a golf ball against the concrete wall. She is concerned about a window being broke and the safety of the other students that will be arriving soon.

Teacher
Becky you need to put the ball in your pocket.

Becky
I’m not hurting anything. Why can’t I just play catch.

Teacher
There are windows in the wall you might hit and break and there are students coming soon. It is not safe to play with a hard ball around a lot of people.

Becky
(Looks down, holds the ball tight, glares at the teacher, looks at the wall, and throws it again.

Teacher
Becky stop. (Moves between Becky and the wall. Looks her in the eye and says.) Put the ball in your pocket or give it to me.

Becky
You bitch. It’s my ball and you can’t have it. And you better not touch me.

Teacher
(Waits 30 seconds.) Becky stop. Put the ball in your pocket or hand it to me. If you do not, I will need to take it from you. (Moves toward Becky.)

Becky
(Turns and with both hands pushes the teacher. The teacher is caught off guard. She falls back, then catches her balance.)

Teacher
Becky, stop. Put the ball in my hand or your pocket..

Becky
F--- off.

Teacher
(Grasps Becky with both hands to prevent her from throwing the ball again.)

Becky
Drops the ball, pushes the teacher away, and attempts to kick her.

Mrs. Ping moves to block Becky’s kick.
Becky’s kick lands on Mrs. Ping’s shin.
As Mrs. Ping flinches in pain. Becky runs for the school.

Becky enters the building.

Seeing Mr. Big standing in the middle of the hall she turns to leave.

Meanwhile Mrs. Ping has moved to follow Becky into the school.
She is approaching the outside of the door to enter as Becky was planning to exit again.

Becky sees her coming and takes the palm of her hand and smacks the glass, causing it to crack.

Mr. Big moves toward Becky, grabs her wrists, crossing them in front of her, and puts her into a basket hold. He softly says to her.

I am not going to hurt you. It is okay. We will work it out. Relax. As soon as you have control of yourself I will let you go.

Mr. Big has Becky in a basket hold on his hip with her feet a bit off the floor.

Mr. Big continues by saying.
These are helping hands. I am not going to let you hurt me or anyone else. I am not hurting you. You are safe. I am going to keep you safe. I am the principal. I am the boss. I am going to keep you safe.
Becky begins to cry and stops struggling.

Mr. Big
Becky I can see that you are angry. I am holding you to keep you safe. I will not hurt you. As soon as you relax, we can talk about this.

Becky’s body goes limp. He guides her over to a chair in an unoccupied room. He sits in a smaller chair in front of her so that his eye level is a bit below hers.

Setting

Mr. Big has put Becky into a chair and pulled a smaller one in front of her and sat in it himself. Becky is slouched in the chair and when Mr. Big sits down.

She begins to sit up and look around the room.

Mr. Big
We need to talk about what just happened. What did you do?

Becky
I don’t know. I was angry and lost control.

Mr. Big
Well Mrs. Ping said that you were bouncing a golf ball against the building where there are windows and students that could be hit. Then you got so angry that you wanted to hit and kick. But we stopped you and kept you safe.
What is the school code of conduct?

Becky
Yeah, I’m sorry I lost control.

Mr. Big
Becky, what’s the code of conduct?

Becky
Uh-h-h, be kind and helpful.

Mr. Big
Yes. Were you?

Becky
No.

Mr. Big
What could you have done?

Becky
Put the ball away or given it to Mrs. Ping.

Mr. Big
Do you think things would have happened better?

Becky
Yeah, I suppose so.

Mr. Big
What about the way you treated Mrs. Ping?

Becky
I really didn’t mean to. I just lost control.

Mr. Big
Well, what should you do when you think you are going to loose control?

Becky
Use words.

Mr. Big
Let me review. The golf ball should not have been on the playground. You were not being kind and helping when you got angry and pushed and tried to hit and kick Mrs. Ping. Mrs. Ping and I did not hurt you and we did not let you hurt anyone else. These are helping hands, not hurting hands, and they keep students safe.

Mr. Big
Now we must reach an agreement on what to do about the window and what you are going to do to change.

Mr. Big and Becky negotiate what to do with the window.

Mr. Big
Yes. Do we have an agreement on this and can I depend on you.

Becky
Yes.

Mr. Big
Good, we have an agreement. If you agree, I want to shake hands to show how important it is for both of us.

Becky
Smiles at Mr. Big and shakes his hand.

Meanwhile Back in the Classroom

Mrs. Ping
Friends, If you would like to talk about what happened on the playground, we can have a class meeting.

Student 1
Becky was really out of control.

Student 2
Becky shoved and kicked you.

Student 3
Becky broke the window. She was really out of it.

Mrs. Ping
Becky was very upset and when she got upset, she got angry.

Student 4
Becky really scared me.

Mrs. Ping
When people get angry and loose control, it can be difficult to like them or feel safe around them.

Student 5
Yeah, Mr. Big really put it to her in the hall.

Student 6
When he grabbed her she went flying in the air.

Mrs. Ping
You think Mr. Big hurt Becky.

Student 7
Mr. Big didn’t hurt her.

Mrs. Ping
What else did you see and feel?

Student 8
I saw Becky push and kick you.

Student 9
Yeah, and she screamed and swore.

This kind of verbal exchange continues for about 5-8 minutes.

Mrs. Ping
What happened first?

Student 1
Becky was throwing a golf ball.

Mrs. Ping
What happened next?

Student 2
You told her to stop.

Mrs. Ping
Next?

Student 3
She shoved and kicked you and ran into the school.

Mrs. Ping
Next?

Student 4
Mr. Big grabbed her.

Mrs. Ping
Not exactly?

Mr. Big was concerned that Becky might hurt herself or someone else. He held her tight so she would not hurt someone or any school property. He is your friend. He would not hurt students. Sometimes he may need to hold them to keep them safe.

Student 6
Well, it sure looked like he was hurting her.

Mrs. Ping
No. Mr. Big was holding her tight so she would not hurt anyone or anything. Let me show you.
(Mrs. Ping has a student come up in front of the class and demonstrates the basket hold.)

Student 6
Show me. (Other students want to see what it’s like.)

Mrs. Ping
When people get very angry, they sometimes try to hurt people. But teachers and principals will not hurt students. Teachers and principals may hold a student to keep them and others safe.
What should we do when others make us angry?

Student 7
We should talk it over and use our brains to solve a problem, and if we can’t we should ask a teacher for help.

Mrs. Ping
Sounds like a great idea. We can use our heads and language to solve problems.

 

Softball

Setting

Mr. Sharp is on playground duty when Brenda, a fifth/sixth grader, comes to the playground.
Mr. Sharp notices she is carrying a softball.
She goes over to the corner of the brick building and begins to bounce the softball off the wall.

Mr. Sharp
Brenda, it is not safe to bounce the softball on the building with people and windows near by.
I know you like softball and are pretty good.
As a teacher it is my job to tell you to play safe. We need to protect people and school property.

Brenda
Damn it. What’s the problem. I am not going to hit anyone or break a window.

Mr. Sharp
You’re angry.

Brenda
That bitch.

Mr. Sharp
You’re very angry with someone.

Brenda
Yeah, I’m the best player, and she let Lisa play first base and not me.

Mr. Sharp
You’re angry because you didn’t get to play.

Brenda
Yeah, it ain’t fair. I am way better than Lisa. I should have gotten to play. I was only fifteen minutes late.

Mr. Sharp
You think that it isn’t fair that you didn’t get to play for being late to a game.

Brenda
Well, I was also late to practice two times.

Mr. Sharp
Seems to me you have a problem. Maybe you could think how you might deal with it?

Brenda
I could have mom talk to the coach.

Mr. Sharp
That could work. Can you think of other alternatives?

Brenda
The Y has a team and I’m sure I would get to start over there. Or I could go to the coach and apologize.

Mr. Sharp
You could play for the Y or you could apologize and be on time, then the coach might play you.
Which would be the best option?

Brenda
The Y team isn’t as good as the school team.
Mom might screw things up and make it worse between the coach and me.
I have a hard time talking to the coach. She makes me nervous and I have a hard time talking.

Mr. Sharp
What will you do?

Brenda
I guess I’ll go by the Y after school and check out the team and maybe I’ll write a note to the coach and apologize.

Next Day

Mr. Sharp
Brenda how did you come out with the decision you chose?

Brenda
It worked out great. I went to the Y and there are some good players on their team. Coach also accepted my apology. She said I was playing well enough to start, but I had to be on time for her to start me.

Mr. Sharp
What are you going to do?

Brenda
I could play on the Y team and they are not so picky about things. The school team is a better team and I really would like to play there. I think I can be on time, if I am going to get to start.

 

Ms. Smith

Problem

Two students that do not know how to ask to be part of a group and deal with rejection.

Characteristics of Jane and Rob

Jane is shy and withdrawn.
Rob is demanding.
Both lack peer acceptance.
Neither have any close friends, yet express a desire to have friends.

Situation

The students were given a social studies project to do in groups. The students asked to select their own groups. The teacher gave them their lunch break to form groups and pick a topic.
Most of the students at lunch quickly moved into groups of friends and talked about possible topics.

Jane

Jane was quietly eating at the fringe of a group of the more popular girls. As they were leaving she approached one of the more popular girls and asked to work with her on the project. Sue politely informed Jane she already had a project group and left. Jane appeared sad and dejected, shrugged her shoulders, and slowly wandered to the playground.

Rob

Rob joined a group of boys and insisted on being part of the group. When rejected an argument began. Rob feeling rejected and angered, responded in his usual manner. He began to curse at Joe and call him names. Joe tried to ignore the verbal assault, until Rob threatened to overturn Joe’s tray. Before the actual event the teacher intervened.

Analysis for Jane

Jane had recently moved to the school district. Most of the children had been together for years and had well established groups. This made it hard for an outgoing sixth grader to break into a group, let alone a reserved sixth grader.

Analysis for Rob

Rob was frequently bullied by an older brother and a father who belittled and demeaned him. His father was somewhat a social outcast in the community, who constantly warns Rob not to let his classmates push him around.

Hypothesis to change the behavior.

Both need to change their feelings about their classmates and learn social skills to make friends and handle rejection.

Intervention

Teach social skills:

How to deal with anger and rejection.

Use TV, videos, books, & stories. To try to undermine TV’s influence of violence to solve problems.

Practice different situations with different problem solving situations. Review influences, alternative solutions, consequences ... conflict resolution.
Cognitive-behavioral theorists focus on identifying the self-destructive, irrational thoughts, beliefs, or feelings of the person rather than on overt behaviors and changing them with reinforcement.
A very common feeling among students who misbehave is, The teacher hates me and picks on me no matter what I do. So I might as well be bad and at least give her as much grief as possible. That will fix the teacher. In reality the students ends with the most grief.

See resources ***

Stealing

Bud & Jimmy

Bud age 7

Teach social skills: How to deal with anger and rejection. Use TV, videos, books, stories. Try to undermine TV’s influence of violence to solve problems. Problem solving with influences, alternative solutions, consequences...conflict resolution.
Cognitive-behavioral theorists focus on identifying the self-destructive, irrational thoughts, beliefs, or feelings of the person rather than on overt behaviors and changing them with reinforcement.
A very common feeling among students who misbehave is, The teacher hates me and picks on me no matter what I do. So I might as well be bad and at least give her as much grief as possible. That will fix the teacher. In reality the students ends with the most grief.

He still wants the candy, but a voice inside begins a discussion, he thinks in his mind that it is not right to steal.
Then he hears no one will see you. You can get away with it.

He becomes more anxious as he thinks again that stealing is wrong and he does not want to be thief.
He also thinks that Sara is his friend, and that it would be wrong to steal from anyone, let alone a friend.

Bud defends against the anxiety by the competition between the desire to satisfy his desire for candy and the realization that it would be wrong to steal by telling himself that he really does not need the candy.
He tries to forget all thoughts of candy and returns to finish the project that he was enjoying.

Jimmy age 7

Jimmy sits on the other side of Sara and also sees the candy.
He does not carry on a conversation in his mind. Therefore, he is not anxious about doing something wrong, nor does he feel much anxiety about getting caught.

As he reaches for the he thinks about the possibility of getting caught. However, he answers it with the thought that he deserves the candy because he doesn’t get any at home.
He tells himself that he can eat it before anyone sees him. Then thinks so what I hate this class and besides Sara is a stuck up dork.”

Summary

What behavioral model was used to describe the two students’ actions?

 

 

 

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Management - Self development & individual, group, & classroom management