Joe: The Case of An Underprivileged Youth Lorna Carrasquillo, Stephanie Russell, Courtney Moore, Derek Palmisano

An Introduction Sherry teaching the 6 th grade for 6 years Joe struggles academically and socially Sherry decides to take action – Joe has average abilities (does OK in Math) – 5 siblings, 2 are mentally handicapped – Father is a night watchman, Mother sick and unable to work (even around the house) Sherry formulates a plan to boost self-confidence and and self-image!

Defining the Problem

Who can I look up to? No available role model – Father is rarely home, working – Mother is obese, health problems, can barely do housework – All teachers mentioned are female

***Adopted from slides by Katherine Picho

Identity diffusion= have not explored, more likely to be absent from school, perform poorly ***Adopted from slides by Katherine Picho

Motivation? Lacks extrinsic motivation- obtain an outcome distinct from the activity (p. 267) – No home based reinforcements and intrinsic motivation- reward is activity itself (p. 267) Amotivation- “individuals simply go through the motions and are not willing to act” (p. 305) – Don’t value the activity (New World example) – Don’t feel competent (doing the best I can) – Not expecting to get desired outcome (watchman)

View of Self Low self-concept- individual perception of a cognitive aspect Low self-esteem- how an individual feels about components of him or herself Low self-worth- one’s overall evaluation of worth as a person Self-fulfilling prophecy- “unfounded expectation that become true because it was expected” (p. 36)

Maslow’s Hierarchal Needs

Social Competence Developments of social competence impacted by family life – Withdrawl, negativity in peer relations – Parental insensitivity/ unresponsiveness effects emotional/social resources needed to build and keep peer relations – High stress in parents (eg. poverty) often correlated to lack of social competence in children

What else? Neglected youth= neither popular nor aggressive (p. 39) Lack of attendance, description of home life… neglect? Past experiences with teachers – had not expected Joe to perform well – Glenda= a lot of praise, a lot of attention, gave up, just wanted to get him to the next grade

Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model of Human Development ***Adopted from slides by Katherine Picho

Sherry’s Actions Sherry attempts to boost Joe’s perception of self, wants him to perceive education as valuable In summary, her plan is thoughtful and mostly positive, however room for improvement… Let’s take a closer look.

The Good! Shows interest in Joe’s personal well-being (goes out of her way, asks others) Her questions brought insight without threatening – “You do better in math than other subjects, do you like math?” Group Project Idea a GOOD start…but room for improvement

In Need of Improvement NOT a spokesperson – Counterproductive! Added pressure in social situation to make him more uncomfortable! Cooperative Project with Sherry NOT a good idea – Added work to an already busy student – Single him out when he needs to fit in – He won’t ask others…shy and responsible Praise AND Constructive Feedback to develop intrinsic motivation

Possible Solutions

For the family Unresponsive parentsencourage school involvement - Homework assignments with parental involvement - Newsletters Neglect?? -Contact social services

As a Teacher Develop social competence Encourage intrinsic motivation Balance rewards with feedback and constructive criticism

As a teacher Instead of ignoring incorrect answers, provide constructive criticism. Foster the development of friendships through activities that involve cooperation and collaboration or through rituals that involve all members of the class. Encourage involvement in extracurricular activities. Make connections between the materials and Joe’s interest

In School Increase opportunities for students to interact with and work with one another during the school day Have a career day, which will open the students eyes to different careers or options for their future, so they know their possible opportunities. Arrange for a positive male role model to help mentor Joe.

Questions or Comments? Thank you!