Case Study 5: The Case In Question Is About A

CASE STUDY 5 3 Case Study 5 The case in question is about a group of seventh-grade students in a resource room. When their teacher Mr. Keene, from their general education social studies class announced that there would be a test, the students asked Ms. Weiss if she would help them prepare for the test (Lerner, 2015, p. 153).

Ms. Weiss had them analyze the vocabulary, discuss the meaning of each word. The took topics headings from the chapter to make an outline, developed questions to ask each other and acted out parts of the text (Lerner, 2015, p. 153). Their scores were better than the rest of the class and some of the students complained because the students in the resource room had help studying the chapter (Lerner, 2015, p. 153). Questions: If you were the principal, how would you answer the charge that is was no fair? The school principal should dismiss the case because the students took the initiative to consult their teacher and received the help they needed. The students who complained to the school principal had the chance to ask the teacher but failed to do so. Mostly, punishing the students would be wrong because it would be similar for punishing their initiative and hard work.

The students understood that they wanted to do well and took all measures necessary to pass the test, which included consulting their teacher. What role do you think motivation played in doing well in the test? The students had been motivated to do well and committed their time to study in the Resource Room. On the same note, they knew that the only way they could pass the test would be to consult their teacher and spend time in the Resource Room. Motivation has significant effects on students' behavior and learning.

For instance, it directs the learners' actions towards desirable goals and determines the goals to which students strive. The approaches of learning strategies, they can use them in many learning situations (Lerner, 2015, p. 153). Hence, it is evident that motivation played an essential role in the students' choices and the behavior they exhibited. Effective learning occurs in a social context where the interrelationship between a student and a teacher is critical (Lerner, 2015, p. 153). What strategies from this chapter did Ms. Weiss use in her teaching? Ms. Weiss employed functional learning strategies, which empower learners to make the right choices. When teachers help students acquire learning strategies, students learn how to learn (…) they ask themselves questions and they organize their thoughts. They connect and integrate the new materials and that they are trying to learn with prior experience and with knowledge that they already possess (Lerner, 2015, p. 151). From the case study, the teacher used interactive learning strategies such as interactive dialogue, which are conversations between students and the teacher (Lerner, 2015, p. 152). that help the students to master the content, gain confidence, and perform well in the test. According to Palinscar, Brown & Campione (1991) an application of interactive dialogue is reciprocal teaching, that has been used to teach reading comprehension strategies (Lerner, 2015, p. 152).

Paper For Above instruction

The case study of seventh-grade students in a resource room preparing for a social studies test provides insight into the dynamics of motivation, instructional strategies, and organizational factors influencing student success and fairness perceptions. As an educational leader, addressing fairness concerns while promoting effective learning strategies is essential for fostering an equitable and motivating learning environment.

Firstly, the organizational factors that served as facilitators for the students' success include the proactive approach taken by Ms. Weiss. She empowered students by guiding them through analyzing vocabulary, creating outlines, developing questions, and acting out parts of the text. These methods engage multiple learning styles, promote active participation, and foster deeper understanding, which directly correlates with increased performance (Lerner, 2015). Her use of interactive dialogue fosters a social constructivist learning environment where students build knowledge collaboratively. This aligns with Vygotsky’s social development theory, emphasizing the role of social interaction in cognitive development (Vygotsky, 1978). Additionally, the students’ motivation to do well and their initiative to seek help reflect intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, which are critical in promoting perseverance and engagement (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Their motivation played a key role in their willingness to invest time and effort into studying, ultimately leading to improved academic outcomes (Schunk, Pintrich, & Meece, 2008).

However, organizational barriers also threaten fairness and success. The students' success prompted complaints from other students who did not receive comparable support, raising questions about fairness and equity. Moreover, the teacher’s assistance was not uniformly available to all students, which could potentially foster feelings of favoritism or unfair advantage. This highlights a systemic issue where resource-based support, while beneficial, needs to be accessible equitably across the entire student body to prevent perceptions of bias (Ladson-Billings, 1994). Furthermore, there is a risk that external motivations, if not carefully managed, could lead to dependency rather than autonomous learning, which could hinder long-term academic resilience (Zimmerman, 2002).

In terms of instructional strategies used by Ms. Weiss, her implementation of active, student-centered learning exemplifies effective pedagogical practices. She employed strategies such as vocabulary analysis, outline creation, questioning, and role play—all of which are rooted in the principles of constructivist learning theory (Bruner, 1960). Her use of interactive dialogue fosters metacognitive skills by encouraging students to ask questions, organize thoughts, and connect new knowledge with previously acquired understanding (Palincsar, Brown & Campione, 1991). Reciprocal teaching, a specific application of interactive dialogue, enhances reading comprehension and critical thinking (Palincsar et al., 1991). These strategies promote self-regulated learning, independence, and engagement, which are central to academic success (Zimmerman, 2002).

In conclusion, the case study underscores the importance of leveraging organizational facilitators, such as teacher-initiated active learning strategies, to promote student success while ensuring equity. Addressing perceptual fairness involves creating policies that provide equal access to support for all students, fostering a learning culture that recognizes diverse needs. Teachers should incorporate collaborative and metacognitive strategies, as exemplified by Ms. Weiss, to enhance student engagement and independence. As educational leaders, promoting professional development in delivering equitable support and evidence-based instructional strategies is vital to improving overall student achievement and fairness in the classroom (Darling-Hammond, 2000).

References

• Bruner, J. S. (1960). The process of education. Harvard University Press.
• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The" what" and" why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.
• Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The Dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. Jossey-Bass.
• Lerner, J. W. (2015). Learning Disabilities and Related Disabilities: Strategies for Success. Cengage Learning.
• Palincsar, A. S., Brown, A. L., & Campione, J. C. (1991). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities. In E. D. Podell & E. Schell (Eds.), Perspectives on reading comprehension challenges in the classroom (pp. 109-123). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Schunk, D. H., Pintrich, P. R., & Meece, J. L. (2008). Motivation in Education: Theory, Research, and Practice. Pearson Education.
• Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
• Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(2), 64-70.