-With parent’s permission, observe Ruby’s home life.
Behavioural support action:
-Implement a “star chart” system to reward Ruby’s positive behaviour. This allows Ruby an active role in her support and helps to guide her to make positive choices.
-Apply a “peer buddy” arrangement. Taking this initiative may break down social barriers with other children for Ruby.
Justification for Strategies Identified:
Humanist Theory Approach:
-Assigning a key worker to Ruby: adults to act as facilitators to help guide Ruby to learn when her emotional and social needs are being met.
Choice Theory Approach:
-Star chart system: Ruby behaves out of her own choices. Adults to ensure that Ruby makes better choices by providing a reward scheme so her behaviour meets their needs without violating the rights of others.
Systems Theory Approach:
-Ensure cooperation of, and develop excellent communication with parents: If there is difficulty adjusting Ruby’s behaviour initially, then alter the interaction side of the adults in her life.
Cognitive Behaviourism Approach:
-Circle time activities: Adults to discuss and implement choices that allow Ruby to have a participatory role in determining her own behavioural goals.
Anticipated Consequences of Strategies Implemented:
Obviously, this is not going to be a quick process. Clearly Ruby has emotional issues. Observation is the key to this case study and the behavioural support actions will reinforce the initiatives set out by the adults who are involved with Ruby’s progress. Circle time activities will assist Ruby with thinking about her emotional needs. Developing communication with the parents may ascertain whether the problems originate from home. Ruby participating in a star chart system will augment positive behaviours and could provide a bond with the teacher. Assigning a key worker to Ruby will provide increased analysis through observation and help to develop trust with adults. Through personal experience with children like Ruby, I believe, with all of the strategies combined, that a more positive Ruby engaging in classroom and social activities could take several months.
Potential Barriers to Success:
-lack of cooperation with Ruby’s parents: vital communication could break down or one or both parents may wish to keep information confidential.
-barriers in communication with key workers: this includes teachers; playground staff; lunch supervisors; SENCO worker.
-if it is concluded that Ruby is unsafe at home: keeping Ruby protected.
Plan for Review of Strategies:
The review of the action plan for Ruby will consist of a monthly observation and consultation with the Educational Psychologist that was recruited to assist with Ruby’s situation. In addition to this, a bi-weekly observation and consultation with the school SENCO worker will be scheduled. Ruby’s school work and star chart progress will be closely monitored by teacher and key worker, as well as her social conduct. As relationships with adults strengthen, dialogue with Ruby herself will be included in review strategies.
Word count: 1050.
Case Study 3: Strategy and Intervention Review in the Case of Ruby.
The following case profile review covers the case study of Ruby, a 4 year old reception student. Isolated from her fellow pupils, Ruby does not make friends easily. Whether in class or the playground, it is perceived that Ruby prefers to be alone and does not want to play with the other children. The same type of isolated behaviour has been evident in her relation towards adults at her school. She refuses to comply when adults attempt to engage her in work activities and will become distressed to the point of such irritability that she will become physically aggressive toward them if pressed on the issue. At home, Ruby lives with her Mum, who has a new live-in partner and they have just had a new baby. This strategy and intervention review will outline the chosen action plan to guide Ruby toward a more positive experience at school. Covering the specific strategic actions, this in-depth analysis will include the linked corresponding theories that they are based on. Theories such as ‘humanism’, ‘choice theory’, ‘systems theory’ and ‘cognitive behaviourism’ will be highlighted through the use of academic research and literature intertwined with the descriptive dialogue pertaining to the strategies selected to improve the behaviour of Ruby. In addition to this, desired outcomes and achievements will be considered and depicted as well as a discussion about the identified potential obstacles to success. During the reading of this case study, please take the time to consider each aspect of the situation and the circumstances that are apparent. With the objective of locating the correct measures of enhancing Ruby’s school life, subjectively, try to view the predicament through the eyes of each of the adults involved, and most importantly, through the eyes of Ruby herself. With this and throughout the descriptive analysis of the strategies and theories, challenge yourself to think about key words that are presented such as ‘connection’, ‘trust’, ‘desire’, ‘reinforce’, ’interaction’ and ‘expression’ as they will all relate directly to Ruby.
Before any strategies were chosen, a full observation of Ruby was needed in order to fully integrate any key workers into her case profile. Reading through the initial report on Ruby, a number of vital details were absent. Drawing on Brofenbrenner’s ‘ecological systems theory’, there was certainly a problem within Ruby’s school environment, but also, working backwards, how about her family environment? Were her basic needs being met? Was there a problem with the Mum’s new partner, new baby, or perhaps, the Mum? This is very sensitive information which would, if possible, take time to retrieve. The variables that are under control of the case workers can be combated by the following strategies.
The first strategy was to assign a one to one key worker to Ruby. The key worker is a named person charged with the objective of working directly with Ruby. Classroom activities, as well as group activities fall under this category. Potentially, this strategy could persuade Ruby to work with other adults as she is able to better build trust with new people. The aligning theory that relates to this action is ‘humanism’, which is described in the following journal article: “This theory establishes the perspective that an individual has the potential to grow, and further, has the desire to grow. This theory points to the fact that people strive to be the best that they can be – a similar message to what the Army would like you to believe (Jackson, 2009, p.21)”. How Jackson references the army is a curious point because the theory dictates that adults play the role of the leader and to help guide the chosen subject, in this case Ruby, to understand when emotional and social needs are being met. Jackson, using his example that the article is based on, later goes on to state: “Bringing this type of approach to the adult classroom allows the student to feel a greater connection with the subject matter at hand (2009, p.21)”. The key word is connection as that is the desired stage toward the overall objective pertaining to Ruby.
Secondly, the encouragement of Ruby’s positive behaviour reinforced through the use of achievements and subsequent rewards was of absolute necessity. A star chart scheme was implemented to highlight positive behavioural outcomes displayed by Ruby that allow her to make better choices leading to affirmative accolades that hopefully she will enjoy. Linking to this action is ‘choice theory’. Sherman et al define: “If participation in physical activity is conceptualized as a series of choices, then it is crucial to understand factors that can influence those choices. Adults (e.g. teachers) are often in power positions to make choices that influence the physical activity behaviours of children... A teacher’s perspective of the reinforcing value and the accessibility of each option is essential to understanding the choices made (2010, p.7)”. Ensured by adults, the star chart reinforces Ruby to behave out of her own choice.
Strategy number three was to incorporate the full cooperation of Ruby’s parents. An action such as this is required to root out any problems stemming from the home life. It falls under the category of ‘systems theory’. The characteristics of this theory involve modifying the interaction on the part of the adults connected to Ruby. This is based on the notion that Ruby’s contribution to the interaction is difficult to alter initially. “Systems theory proposes that there will be instabilities as the various domains interact in new ways (Rvachew & Bernhardt, 2010, p.37)”. What Rvachew and Bernhardt are expressing is that this change in interaction will not yield positive results immediately and that any kind of stability will be sacrificed temporarily for the cause. Further to this, it is apparent that “systems theory leads to the prediction that new complex behaviours can emerge when intervention serves to stabilize subcomponent skills (2010, p.37)”. The initial results will see many changes in the way Ruby behaves, some stable and some unstable but the theory, as explained by Rvachew and Bernhardt is optimistic to its core: “Although the emergence of a new behaviour is often associated with brief periods of instability in the performance of skills that appeared to be mastered at earlier time points, the emergence of the new skill is not triggered by the instability itself. Rather it is built on underlying continuity – the gradual achievement of stable performance of subcomponent skills allows for the reorganization of those components in a new configuration (2010, p.37)”.
The fourth chosen strategy is to engage Ruby in circle time activities. Circle time activities are crucial in reception year education as they promote the contemplation of feelings and emotions. In the case of Ruby, they provide a stimulus that should stretch a response of expression. Stationed within the theory of ‘cognitive behaviourism’, circle time discussion is a tactic that allows Ruby to have a participatory role in establishing behavioural goals, albeit through the use of the conscious self. “Thoughts can be difficult to measure and observe (2009, p.182)” as quoted by Mark E. Bouton in his paper “Behaviourism, Thoughts and Actions”. However, Bouton goes on to write “Behaviourists who followed Watson, especially Edward Tolman, went on to suggest that even unobservable processes (intervening variables or theoretical constructs) can be used to explain behaviour scientifically if they are anchored to empirical observables; with operational definitions that make them falsifiable (2009, p.182)”. The intervening variables that Bouton mentions is likened to the circle time discussion, which is bonded to the behavioural response (empirical observable) of Ruby. This is the provided stimulus that can guide Ruby towards a more positive outcome in her behaviour.
Needless to say, the desired outcome for Ruby is for her to enjoy her time at school which in turn will help her to progress with her learning initiatives set out by the curriculum. Each of the strategies, with their underlying theoretical perspectives, was decided on to maximize the opportunities for the case workers to reach this final objective. As shown in each of the paragraphs describing the intervention strategies, every theory accounted for the aspects of Ruby’s life situation that could possibly need altering. Circle time activities grant Ruby the opportunity to be conscious of her role in determining behavioural goals. The cooperation of her parents ensures that the adult’s side of interaction is monitored to yield positive assurances. A star chart scheme guides Ruby to behave in a way that does not violate the rights of others. Finally, a one to one key worker helps to build relationships with adults in a facilitating capacity.
Unfortunately there are potential barriers to success. Will Ruby adhere to the workings of a star chart scheme? Is Ruby so isolated that she will shut herself off from the effectual nurturing of circle time discussions and activities? Will the assigned one to one key worker be adequately skilled to handle the fragile nature of Ruby’s situation? Are we able to ensure the full cooperation of Ruby’s parents? During the rehabilitation process, these factors must be considered, not just at the initial outset but also at various times within the school year. This way of thinking is vital to the success of the main objective.
Today, Ruby is isolated, frustrated and emotionally distressed. She does not make friends easily and refuses to engage with adults who she should be able to trust. Utilizing the historical notions behind the theoretical perspectives of ‘humanism’, ‘choice theory’, ‘systems theory’ and ‘cognitive behaviourism’, we are able to closely analyze details of Ruby’s predicament. Building on the development and progression of these theories, enhanced strategies are considered and implemented with a view to positively reinforce Ruby’s behaviour. Through difficult moments and pressing behaviours, desired outcomes are noted, positive behaviour achieved and words like ‘connection’, ‘trust’, ‘desire’, ‘reinforce’, ’interaction’ and ‘expression’ are all synonymous with Ruby’s school experience. Obstacles and barriers are overcome by altruistic integrity displayed by caring adults. Tomorrow, Ruby is happy, energetic and enthusiastic. She has plenty of friends, enjoys going to school and is exceptional in reaching her learning initiatives.
Word count: 1679.
Total word count: 2738.
Bibliography.
Bouton, Mark E. (2009) ‘Behaviourism, Thoughts and Actions’. British Journal of Psychology 100, pp.181- 183.
Jackson, L. (2009) ‘Revisiting Adult Learning Theory through the Lens of an Adult Learner’. Adult Learning. 20 (3/4), pp.20 – 22.
Rvachew, S. & Bernhardt, B.M. (2010) ‘Clinical Implications of Dynamic Systems Theory for Phonological Development’. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology. 19, pp. 34 – 50.
Sherman, C. et al (2010) ‘Elementary School Classroom Teacher Delivered Physical Education: Costs, Benefits and Barriers’. Physical Educator. 67(1), pp. 2 – 17.
