Dealing with a student who has an emotional/ behavioral disorder.

 

As I began reading this specific case study, “What do we do with Jim?” written by his teacher Frieda Bailey. I automatically became very interested; it was as if I was in that very same classroom witnessing everything which drew me even more into the case study. Moreover, as I read chapter eight in m y textbook I also became more aware of what exactly an emotional or behavioral disorder. A disorder which is what Jim was diagnosed with. For example, according to Daniel Hallahan any definition generally refers to behavior that goes to an extreme (Hallahan). Some of the characteristics of this disorder may be the inability to learn, inability to establish satisfactory relationships, inappropriate behavior, pervasive unhappiness or depression (Hallahan). Personally as I read this case study I became a little nervous. Why? Because I began thinking of when I become a teacher, and I began placing myself in this type of situation. What would I do if I eventually have a student like Jim. 

            There were many different ways in why it was appropriate and why it was problematic for Frieda to let her classroom be used as a “time out” for students in other classrooms. For example, I believe that it was a bad idea to use Frieda’s classroom as a “time out” for student in other classrooms because there are students who take advantage of this. For example, they know that if they misbehave they will be sent to another class, do they actually learn something from it, or do they keep misbehaving to get out of doing class work? I also believe that once the teachers become completely fed up with a student’s bad behavior, in this case Jim’s behavior, they will find any little excuse to send the student off. Somehow they wash their hands clean of the situation and use the “time out” as a way to free themselves rather than to discipline the bad behavior. Then again, I also see why it may be appropriate to use Frieda’s classroom as the designated “time out”.  One reason, is because Frieda has been in the same school system for so long, and she has been very successful in what she does. Second reason, may be that it is appropriate to let her classroom be used as a “time out”; for students in other classes because her classroom to begin with is very structured, and she means business when students do come in. Also, another benefit may be that when students form other classrooms know that if they misbehave they are going to be kicked out their class to go to Frieda’s is because they’ve done something intolerable. Hopefully by the first time that this student is sent away to Mrs. Frieda’s class they will not commit the same mistake a second time.

            Jim’s placement in Frieda’s classroom was a good idea because she has so much experience, and because she works with students that already need a little more attention. I also believe that it may have been a good idea to place Jim in Frieda’s classroom because her classroom individualizes for learning and behavior, and at the same time a sense of community is present. Jim needs some type of structure and a teacher that will not become or at least not show that she is overwhelmed. Frieda also has fundamental rules and guidelines that must be met not only by her students but by any student that walks in for a “time out”. May have also been appropriate for Jim because he was placed in an environment where the students had different levels of learning, and he would not feel so inferior.

            On the other hand, Jim’s placement in Frieda’s classroom may have been a bad idea because as soon as he walked in he began being very disruptive and even silly. All he was trying to do was get everybody’s attention towards himself. It was also a bad idea because he took a lot of Frieda’s energy even though she did her best in staying calm and collective. But as she mentioned, “it was starting to become overwhelming”. In addition, it was a bad idea to place Jim in a whole new class setting because being SED, he needed more structure, and not being moved from one class to another, that may have confused him even more.

            I for one consider that the school should have looked for professional help immediately, a professional who specialized with Jim’s behavior. Also as soon as the teachers began noticing that Jim’s behavior was worsening and was becoming uncontrollable they should have talked with the principal instead of sending him from class to class. At the end of the day Jim did not benefit at all from being sent to “time out”. On the other hand it seemed as if he was gradually becoming more aware of the power he had towards the teachers. In addition the school should have not let Jim attend school without the supervision of a professional. They should have had him placed in another classroom with students that required the same amount of attention as he did, instead of placing him in a regular class setting. I truly believe that Jim needed more stability, and by the school allowing for his teacher to send him off from class to class, was harming him.

            In addition I believe that law enforcement should take actions with Jim but keeping in mind his SED. My reasoning for this is because if Jim decided to physically hurt someone twice and not caring because he was in school then what is he capable of doing next. It is better to take actions sooner than later. But then again, when he did become physically aggressive Jim may have not fully understood that what he was doing was bad. Law enforcement could possibly take action into their hands and get him away from a school setting into a facility where there is more structure and where he can be supervised at all times. I also believe that if law enforcement did this it would be beneficial because it would remove him from his mother who is a big enabler.

            Last but not least, I think that the issue about Jim’s behavior may be culturally based or related to cultural diversity. Why, because his mother claims that the reason Jim is not doing well in school is because he is African American and the teachers are prejudiced. But, I don’t think that is the case. Not just because a student is African American or White are they going to behave the way Jim does. His mother doesn’t understand or is oblivious to the fact that her son has SED, so she automatically wants to blame the school for her son’s actions.