Name: _Ashley Folden_

Date: __10/26/14____

Bluefield State College

EDUC 200 Child Adolescent Growth and Development
Case Study
I.

General Information
Name: Isaiah Smith
Age: 11
Grade: 6th
Birth Date: 4/12/2003
Resides With: Trina Smith (Mother)
Siblings: Two older (1 sister and 1 brother)
Physical Description: Tall, Slim, Red Hair, Blue Eyes,
and Freckles

II.

Background (Interviewed Mother)

Birth Weight: 10 pounds
Pregnancy and labor: Normal pregnancy, labor was
induced.
Age for Development First
Crawling: 8 months
Sitting: 6 months
Walking: 17 months
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Talking: Spoke a few words by 18 months; recited

alphabet by 24 months; conversational around 4
years of age.
Toilet Training: 36 months. (Trained for one week)

III.

Pre-School History (Interviewed Mother)

Started Pre-Kindergarten in March 2008 (when a
slot had opened). He was especially fascinated by
the songs they learned with the motions, and he
would sing them frequently at home. When arriving
in Pre-School his mother had an intuition of Isaiah
having Aspergers. In Kindergarten she was correct,
he was diagnosed at the age of 5 and given an IEP
within the first half of his Kindergarten year.

IV.

School History (Interviewed Teacher Mr. Adam

Havens)
Interviewed Isaiahs 6th grade Math teacher, who
teaches an inclusion classroom. Mr. Havens
described Isaiah as a quiet student who sometimes
wonders, and seems rather bored because he
knows the material. Mentioned that Isaiah uses his
own methods for completing the classwork instead
of the strategies that are presented. Isaiah ss
grades were described as excellent. Mr. Havens
also mentioned that Isaiah keeps to himself when it
comes to his classmates, and typically fidgets
around in his seat. Mr. Havens seemed to appear as
a good role model for Isaiah, he described how they
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joked and talked with each other. Such as story he

described about Isaiah not turning in his answers
and just tried to verbally tell Mr. Havens the
answers. When Mr. Havens asked him why Isaiah
replied You mean you wanted me to put it on
paper, I already know how to do it in my head.
Which in return Mr. Havens had Isaiah write the
problems, plus how to solve them, along with the
answers on paper to prove Isaiahs abilities.
Overall, Mr. Havens enjoys Isaiah as a student, and
says his performance is off the charts and is proud
of Isaiah ss success.

V.

Observations of Child
I arrived at the middle school during the period
to which Isaiah had class. It was after lunch
around 12:15. I sat in the back so Isaiah would
not be distracted by my presence nor would any
of the other students. Isaiah was late coming into
class, he had forgotten his jacket and some
books outside during lunch and Mr. Havens had
allowed him to go and fetch them before the
class work got under way. While I was waiting for
Isaiah to return to the classroom I started to
observe the classroom setting, the other
students in the class, and Mr. Haven reactions to
controlling the class. There was one individual
who was rather loud and rambunctious and kept
interrupting Mr. Havens. This student sat in the
back of the room in an isolated desk to try and
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control his talking problem amongst his peers.

Mr. Havens had a nice handle on the classroom,
answering a lot of questions before class and
would correct students one on one rather than
making a big scene in front of the class. He sees
strict but fair. Isaiah then dashed into class and
had trouble getting his things together to get his
daily bell ringer started. His books and supplies
were all shuffled around, and he seemed rather
unorganized. However, he found a blank sheet of
paper and began working on his bell ringer
problems that had been wrote on the smart
board. I noticed as he was writing the bell ringer
problems down and was completing the
problems, he held his pencil in an odd manner. He
seemed to write more using his ring finger and
his pointer finger, he is left handed.
He completed his bell ringer problems with
ease. Then he shuffled through some more
papers and found his homework from the
previous night. He folded it and put it into the
homework container I could also tell then that
Isaiah gets distracted easily, as he began to
wonder as the rest of the class finished the bell
ringer problems. Other students were whispering
amongst themselves, but not Isaiah he kept to
himself without looking or saying a word to any
of his peers. While waiting, he was tarring off
pieces of his paper and began putting them in his
mouth. I dont know if he was chewing on them,
or if he was eating them. As Mr. Havens was
waiting for the other students to finish the bell
ringer problems, he started walking around the
room to observe some of the students work. He
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jokingly came by Isaiahs desk and said Man you

are just fast! Isaiah replied, Thats what
happens when you have a 98 Mr. Havens, as he
smiled a huge smile.
The class then checked the bell ringer
problems together. The bell ringer problems were
a review of the lesson they had just learned. Mr.
Havens did an activity after the problem were
checked to see what students needed more help.
Personally, I dont prefer this kind of checking
method because I feel it may be embarrassing to
some students. He began by having all the
students at up and he started off by saying who
got one problem right, all the students were
standing. He did this up to the number six. With
each one students sat if they did not get that
many numbers right. After going through all of
the numbers he called on a couple students out
loud to see what they were having problems
with, and he had the students answer out loud to
the class. I noticed that the students who
answered were very hesitant and nervous and
seemed embarrassed. However, Mr. Havens
walked over to their desk and showed them
personally where their mistakes were. After the
extra help for some of the students, Mr. Havens
began reviewing the lesson they had begun on
Friday. After the review, Mr. Havens assigned
practice problems to do in class and then picked
volunteers to come up and do them on the board.
Isaiah was chosen, and I greatly appreciate Mr.
Havens for doing so. Isaiah finished the practice
problems in a breeze, so while waiting he kept
ripping the paper he was working on in small
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pieces and putting them in his mouth, he was

also still very fidgety and squirmy in his seat but
was very quiet as well. It was then time for Isaiah
to work his example #3 on the board.
To begin, the problem was about multiplying
fractions. He came up to the front of the
classroom where the smart board was. He had
trouble working the smart board and accidently
erased all the practice problems Mr. Havens had
wrote. He had brought his paper up to the front
with him, Im guessing to just copy his work
down and probably needed it for comfort because
he seemed rather hesitant and nervous. He was
very slow about putting his work on the board,
and Mr. Havens had to give him extra instructions
along with encouragement. His peers seemed to
be doing a numerous amount of things. Some
were paying attention and writing along with
Isaiah, others were softly whispering and getting
a glare from Mr. Havens, and a couple were
insisting on going to the restroom and kept
pestering Mr. Havens if they could go. Isaiah
completed his problem, and it was correct and
Mr. Havens praised him for his work and his effort
at the board. He returned to his seat with a smile
of gratification and watched his peers practice
their problems on the board. As he watched he
wrote down along with them to make sure he had
the same answers they did and yet was still
ripping of pieces of paper from the one he was
working on. He did look like he was taking good
notes though and was staying focused to what
was going on up front on the smart board.
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I then left the classroom after staying 45

minutes, so the class could finish the rest of their
remaining period. I enjoyed sitting behind Isaiah
and observing his movements the most, I felt
explained a lot of what Mr. Havens had described.
The classroom setting appeared to be organized
and maintained. The other students in the class I
could tell were very diverse in their personalities.
The class seemed to respect Mr. Havens and
seemed to be diligent with their work. Yes, there
was a couple of students who seemed to have
some behavior problems and Mr. Havens had to
constantly correct the way they were acting. I
could tell the bond that Mr. Havens and Isaiah
shared, as well as the effort Isaiah wanted to
give to impress Mr. Havens. I also could tell that
Math most have been Isaiahs favorite subject
and it seemed to come easy to him. I do believe
Isaiah is shy when it comes to his peers, and his
fidgety actions verified his nervousness. Ill still
keep wondering what his nature about ripping
the paper means, and what he was doing with it.
I am also curious to how he acts in his other
subjects since Math seemed to be his favorite. I
also wonder how he reacts when he is in a larger
setting with a large amount of his peers, and how
his nervousness may increase. It was a great
experience to observe such a diverse student and
class, and I am more intrigued on students
abilities and social attributes such as Isaiahs.

VI.

Summary
In consideration, the case study process I
conducted with Isaiah along with his family and
school mentors/peers was a very pleasant
experience. I felt through each step of the
interviewing process all the puzzle pieces came
together to give me better insight to what its
like for Isaiah to learn. Ive realized Isaiah has
come a long way, and has more stepping stones
to cross. The parts I enjoyed the most about the
case study was having the one on one interaction
with the parents, and observing the student in
their classroom. I felt interviewing the parent
gave me helpful insight to what it will be like
working with the parents in my future classroom.
Observing the child in their classroom, just gave
me another opportunity to see how a classroom
setting works, in this particular classroom it was
nice see how a student participated in an
inclusion classroom.
After observing I began to compare the
theorists that were mentioned in Child
Development, and started comparing their
theories to Isaiahs current education situation. I
felt that Urie Brodenbreene was the suitable
choice. He had a theory called the Ecological
Systems theory. This theory is comprised of five
environmental system parts: the micro system,
the meso system, the exosystem, the
macrosystem, and the chronosystem. The micro
system entails the direct environment we have in
our life such as our friends, family, teachers, and
neighbors, anyone who is in direct contact with
our lives. In the micro system we help the
construction of the environment, and we have
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sort of a direct control of the social interactions

and we are not just recipients. Such how Isaiah
could have a strong relationship with his mother
who is being a single mother and has pretty
much raised him on her own, and or his siblings
who he sees on a daily basis. He probably feels
more comfortable and less nervous when he is in
his home micro system setting. The second
system is the meso system. This system states
how your family situation can relate itself into
your school situation In Isaiahs situation this
could be how he doesnt have a father figure at
home could cause his nervousness and shyness
among his peers. This could be due to
uneasiness he could have seen from early on in
his childhood and his parents situation, making
him more reserved. The third system is the
exosystem. This system is about a link between a
constant role in a childs life, and an inactive role
in a childs life. Such as in Isiahs case he
probably has a stronger bond with his mother
then with his father due to the fact his father is
incarcerated. Not saying Isiah does not love his
father, but without his presence there is not a
link for them to have that bond. The fourth
system is the macrosystem. The macrosystem
setting is the actual culture of the child. Isaiah is
being raised in a single parent home. His mother
has to work very hard to provide for him and his
two older siblings. So, his economic status in his
culture may give him the example to try to strive
and become more with his life and to try harder
in his education and use his smart skills like he
showed in the observation. The fifth and final
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system is the chronosystem. The chronosystem is

the transitions and shifts in ones lifespan. For
example, after Isaiahs family was split apart and
his father was sent away the first few years of his
life was probably unstable with his mother trying
to finishing college to try and better all of their
futures. Now, they seem to be in a routine and
things appear to be stable which is a very
positive thing for Isaiah to have in his life.
Overall I feel that Urie Brofenbrenne and his
Ecological Systems Theory relates to all the
stages in Isaiahs life, and will keep affecting his
following developmental stages as he transitions
into adulthood.
In final regards, the case study was an eye
opening experience. Not only to the influence of
the child and his life but to the theorist and
relating it to the childs life. It was also a
wonderful opportunity to observe in an inclusion
classroom, and to see how a teacher maintains
the behaviors and instructional needs of the
students. It was a tremendous privilege to get to
do a case study on Isaiah and I greatly appreciate
his family and his school for allowing me to do
this process and interacting with me. Ive taken a
lot of valuable lessons that I carry on throughout
my own schooling, and can bring into my future
classroom. I have also made a lot of connections
that may help me in my future. This in my book
would be a highly recommended learning
process, and as stated has really opened my eyes
to wanting to increase my knowledge.

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