Running Head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES STUDENT PROFILE ESSAY IDP 1

Individual Differences Student Profile Essay

Tarkalson, Eric

Instructor: Dr. Meyerhoeffer

EDUC 205: Development/Individual Differences

Online Spring 2017

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Individual Differences Student Profile Essay

Students differ in their abilities physically, cognitively, and socio-emotionally.

There are many strategies to provide students with a learning plan that works for them in

the classroom because one specific program does not fit all students. Attention-

deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern

of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or

development (“National”, 2016). In this profile of a student with ADHD, I will discuss

the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development of the student, as well as

provide a summary of my findings and their implications in the classroom.

General Information

Ethan is ten years and seven months old and suffers with ADHD. He lives with

his parents, two older brothers, and two younger sisters. The ages of his older brothers are

sixteen and fourteen. His sisters are six and eight years old. Ethan began to have

noticeable difficulties associated with ADHD starting in the second grade.

Ethan’s daily schedule is full of routines that he follows. For example, he gets up

in the morning and goes to school from eight in the morning to four-ten in the afternoon,

four days a week. After school, Ethan participates in some form of seasonal

extracurricular sports or youth activities. When his family gets home, they finish their

evening activities and then head off to bed.

Physical Development

The physical description of Ethan is as follows: he has brown hair, brown eyes, is

Caucasian, and weighs close to 75 pounds. He also has a scar below his left eye from an

accident. He was hesitant to tell me how he got it, only that it came from crazy horse
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play. The child’s physical maturation is somewhat behind those of children his age. He

has minor vision issues but only wears glasses while in the classroom.

The general physical health of this child is good. Ethan participates in various

activities that promote physical fitness. He attends P.E. class twice a week for one hour

during the school day. Some of his favorite activities are football and hockey. He is right

handed, and his large muscle development is normal for a ten-year old, meaning he can

run, jump, and play as most of his peers can. The student’s small muscle development is

also consistent with youth in his age group. Ethan has good hand-eye coordination. Ethan

has a healthy appetite and demonstrates normal eating habits. His mother encourages him

to eat healthy, but he, like other kids his age, tends to eat more processed foods.

Cognitive Development

At the age of eight years old, teachers noticed Ethan’s difficulties in the

classroom. Teachers allowed Ethan to stand at his desk as needed, because he could not

hold still in his seat and would end up disrupting other students. Jean Piaget's theory of

cognitive development is a comprehensive theory about the nature and development of

human intelligence. Under Piaget’s concrete operational stage, it states “ADHD makes

it challenging for the child to focus on the process of learning and sustain information

long enough to master new skills and move on to the next step” (Teaching students with

ADHD, 2016). The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the difference between

what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help. A teacher with

the proper training and an understanding of ZPD can play a vital role in helping Ethan

attain success.
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Ethan is in the fourth grade and is placed in a traditional classroom. Ethan

enjoys learning, and tries to promote good self-regulation, but has a hard time staying on

task if the teacher talks a lot. He enjoys hands-on learning and shows great creativity. He

does not do well when the teacher talks a lot during a lesson. He is easily distracted and

finds it hard to concentrate while his mind is racing on to the next thing.

He has classes in the following subjects: basic math, physical science, English,

advisory, and computer skills. In addition to his core classes, he also participates in P.E.

and music twice a week. His area of academic strength is math and English being his

weakness. Ethan must work extra hard to keep his grades up. Also, he is given one-on-

one tutoring help during advisory time. Furthermore, he is not motivated to get A’s but

likes to be given specific directions on what needs to be done to complete his

assignments, so he can get right to work. Reading is his least favorite part of school.

Socio-emotional Development

Ethan is very social among his peer group, to the point that he tends to be

disruptive in most of his classes. He is funny and thrives on the attention of others.

Teachers frequently remind Ethan to “keep quiet” and “stay on task.” His mother has

been confronted several times by teachers with concerns about the noises he makes. He is

comfortable around adults but is not the first one to strike up a conversation. Ethan is

accepted by most, but struggles with peer acceptance by a few, because of his ADHD.

His mother feels that as he is getting older, Ethan is recognizing the reaction of students

to his behavior. He tends to have a lower self-esteem from the negative labels that have

been placed upon him, along with the frequent self-criticism that has caused further

damage to his self-concept.

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Adolescence, is the period of life between childhood and adulthood. Psychologist

Erik Erikson believes, adolescents go through the psychosocial crisis of identity versus

role confusion, which involves exploring who they are as individuals. Ethan’s socio-

emotional development is that of identity vs. role confusion because he knows that he is

not like some of his friends. He will always have to work harder than his friends to

understand and focus on what his teachers are saying.

Summary, Conclusions, and Implication

Ethan’s educational needs are being met through the efforts and the support of his

family and teachers. There is frequent contact between parents and teachers to discuss

ways to better understand Ethan and his needs. He seems to be happy and is on the go all

the time with school and extracurricular activities. Everyone enjoys being around Ethan,

but some get bothered with the constant noises and extra energy he creates.

Concerning Ethan’s cognitive stage, he has done well, but struggles when the

teacher tends to talk a lot. His physical development is equal to or just a little behind that

of his peers. He does not have vision, hearing, or chronic health problems due to his

disability. He can use both large and small muscle groups. Additionally, Ethan displays

identity vs. role confusion in his socio-emotional development. In addition, he can use

autonomy in his decision making but tends to be a very impulsive in his choices.

Ethan’s strengths in math give him confidence and this is where he likes to

challenge himself. He is respectful and a joy to be around but tends to go overboard when

it comes to gaining attention. Ethan has recently been prescribed medication to help him

with his ADHD. His mother seems to think it has helped and Ethan feels that he is no

longer in constant trouble with his teachers.

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There are different learning strategies that would best support Ethan’s learning

and development. He would benefit in having a 504-plan set in place, so all his teachers

could assist him with his needs and understand his struggles. When Ethan gets frustrated

with his disability, it’s important that his teachers understand his condition to serve him

better. Ethan would benefit by integrating more physical and hands on activities during

the day to help lessen his disruptions. This approach gives him something to do with his

extra energy and focus it on productive activities.

Every student is different and will shine in a different way. This project has made

me aware that ADHD is real, and it affects not only the student, but everyone that he/she

meets. Just because a student suffers from ADHD, does not mean a teacher can turn a

blind eye. Each teacher needs to educate him/herself and study ways to assist these

students and understand their struggles. By doing so, educators can help increase their

students’ learning potential and possibly change their futures.

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References

McLeod, Saul. Erik Erikson. N.p., n.d. Web. 2017.

National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web.

04 Dec. 2016.

Sousa, David. How the brain learns. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

"Teaching Students with ADHD." Teaching students with ADHD: Tips for teachers to

help students with ADHD succeed at school. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.