cluster six
Case Studies
Early Childhood:  Caterpillar Circle Elementary School:  Ecosystems Middle
School:  Classroom Safety High School:  Refusal to Dress
Module 18: Creating a Productive Learning Environment Outline and Learning Goals
324 Physical Environment 325 Establishing Norms and Expectations for Behavior 328
Establishing a Climate for Positive
Relationships 334 Summary 338 Key Concepts 338 Case Studies: Reflect and Evaluate
339
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C L U S T E R
EARLY CHILDHOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
classroom management
and instruction
Module 19: Understanding and Managing Student Behavior Outline and Learning
Goals 340 Defining Student Misbehavior 341 General Ways to Address Behavior
Management 344 How to Handle Specific Misbehaviors 349 Summary 355 Key
Concepts 355 Case Studies: Reflect and Evaluate 356
Module 20: Planning for Instruction
Outline and Learning Goals 357
Designing Effective Instruction 358 Choosing Teaching Methods 361 Summary 370 Key
Concepts 370 Case Studies: Reflect and Evaluate 371
Module 21: Grouping Practices
Outline and Learning Goals 372 Grouping by Ability 373 Cooperative Learning 377
Applications: Best Practices 380 Summary 384 Key Concepts 384 Case Studies: Reflect
and Evaluate 384
6
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316
Prepare:
As you read the case, make notes:
1. WHO are the primary participants in the case? Describe them.
2. WHAT is taking place?
3. WHERE is the case taking place? Is the environment a factor?
4. WHEN is the case taking place? Is the timing a factor?
Sarah Brennan is the lead teacher in a university-based, half-day preschool program where she teaches a morning
class from 8:30 to 11:30 and an afternoon class from 1:00 to 4:00. She gets some help from Steve Shoemaker, a
graduate student who works part-time while completing his degree in Early Childhood Education. The children call
them  Miss Sarah and  Mr. Steve. Sarah really enjoys working in this environment because of its diversity. In her
morning class, 5 of the 18 children were born outside the United States. Mudiwa s family is from Nigeria; Jun-ho and
his twin brother, Soon-Kim, are from Korea; and Ellia and Constantine are both from Greece. Some of her students
also have special needs. Holly sees a speech therapist once a week for her articulation difficulties, and Brady has a
degenerative condition called Newman-Picks disease, which affects his muscular control.
This morning, the children have just taken their seats for snack time. There are four
snack tables, each equipped with a plastic pitcher of milk, paper cups, napkins, and a box of granola bars.
Constantine uses the pitcher on his table to carefully fill the cups of other children at his table. Ben passes out the
napkins and Mudiwa hands everyone at the table a granola bar. Soon the room is filled with giggling and chatter.
Sarah and Steve each pick a group to sit with today, and
1
Caterpillar Circle
Early Childhood
2
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they join in the conversation. The teachers make a point of
alternating the groups they sit with so they have an opportunity
to visit with all the children over the course of the week. As they
finish their last sips of milk and bites of granola bar, the children
begin to get up, push in their chairs, and throw away their paper
cups and napkins. Brady helps Steve wash off the tables as
Sarah calls her class of 3- and 4-year-olds over to the carpet for
circle time.
 Today we ll be reading one of our favorite stories, The Very
Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, she tells them.  I ve brought
something special today to go along with our story.
Sarah has brought some flannel pieces for the children to
stick on the flannel board as she reads the story. Eleven children
sit quietly in various spots on the floor in the story area, while
four others are struggling to sit closest to the teacher and two
remain over by the sink, where they have just finished washing
their hands after snack. Brady heads toward the circle, having
finished his job as table cleaner.
Sarah rings a set of chimes to indicate that it is time to
begin the story and opens an oversize book to the first page.
Holly and Mudiwa ignore the chimes and begin splashing in the
water at the sink. Steve, who has been doing a final survey of
the snack area, quickly intervenes to redirect the girls to join the
group. Ben, Jacob, Austin, and Tyler are still shoving one
another as they try to get a favored spot next to Sarah.
 On your carpet squares, boys, Sarah says as she points to
the four empty carpet remnants, each labeled with a child s
name. As Sarah reminds the boys where to sit, they grin
sheepishly and crawl over to their designated spots. Once
everyone is settled and quiet, Sarah begins reading.
Steve takes a seat near the reading circle. Sarah keeps the
children engaged by inviting them up one at a time to place
items from the story on the flannel board.  I m looking for
someone who is sitting quietly to help me put Mr. Caterpillar on
our flannel board. Then I ll need some helpers to feed him.
To Ellia, who is wiggling and shouting  Pick me, pick me,
Sarah simply says,  Show me that you re ready.
 Tyler, you are waiting patiently, says Sarah.  How about
coming up to help with Mr. Caterpillar? Tyler eagerly hops up to
add the first piece to the flannel board. When she sees that Ellia
is sitting quietly, Sarah invites her to come up and take a turn.
As she nears the end of the story, she notices that Jun-ho has
started to fiddle with the magnet blocks in a basket on the shelf
behind him.
 Jun-ho, how do you think this story is going to end? she
asks. Jun-ho stops playing with the blocks and tells her about
the butterfly that will appear on the next page. It has taken much
practice, but the children seem to be getting used to the morning
routine.
Assess
3 1. Based on this short scenario, how would you rate the teachers classroom management skills?
2. What examples of misbehavior did you notice?
3. Which elements in this scenario might have required
advance planning and preparation on the part of Sarah and
Steve?
4. How might interacting with children of various backgrounds and abilities influence a child s
learning?
EARLY CHILDHOOD MIDDLE
SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
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318
Prepare:
As you read the case, make notes:
1. WHO are the primary participants in the case?
Describe them.
2. WHAT is taking place?
3. WHERE is the case taking place? Is the environment
a factor?
4. WHEN is the case taking place? Is the timing a factor?
Leilani Anderson teaches third grade at Lincoln Elementary School. This year her class includes 23
students with a wide range of learning characteristics. A few of her students, Missy, Tamika, and Steven,
still struggle with basic reading skills, while Jackson and Alissa already can read at a fifth-grade level.
Some students, like Kelly, Jason, and Megan, have great verbal skills but really struggle in math. Jorge,
who recently moved here from Mexico with his family, speaks very little English.
The wide range of skills and ability levels makes lesson
planning, as well as general classroom management, a real
challenge. Leilani has found that things run much more smoothly
when she plans ahead and tries to anticipate potential behavior
problems, rather than waiting until problems occur. This bit of
teaching wisdom was passed along to her when she was a first-year
teacher, and she has found that a proactive approach works well for
her in both traditional and mixed-age settings.
Today Leilani s class is making ecosystems out of 2-liter soft
drink bottles. On the tables at the front of the classroom, Leilani has
amassed large amounts of dirt, rocks, grass seed, and water. These
materials alone could quickly have set the stage for a messy
free-for-all, but Leilani has a plan and she also has a
parent volunteer who should be arriving any minute to lend a
hand. Before distributing any materials, Leilani has the students
gather around her dry erase board.
 Class, before you get started with the exciting project we have
planned, we need to make sure everyone knows exactly what to do,
she explains.  When the project is finished, this room should look just
as clean and organized as it does right now. I need each of you to
listen very carefully to the instructions and help one another
remember them.
They go over the supplies and instructions needed for their
groups to make the ecosystem. Leilani holds up an example of what
a finished ecosystem might look like.  Cool! several of the children
murmur. She has the group repeat the instructions to her and then
sends them back to their seats, with four or five students seated at
each table in the room.
Students are called up one table at a time to get their supplies.
Robyn Walsh, the parent volunteer, helps the students measure out
the amount of each item they need. When a group is finished getting
their supplies, those students return to their seats and are told to sit
quietly and patiently until everyone is ready to begin. Leilani has put
an ecosystem handout with a set of instructions and questions at
each student s seat. As they continue to wait for their turn, students
are encouraged to read through the questions they will need to
answer.
Things seem to be getting a bit backlogged so Leilani joins
Robyn in passing out the materials. With two adults helping, the
process moves quickly, and soon every group is ready to get started
on building the ecosystem. As the groups are working, Leilani notices
the students at two tables getting too loud. She does a hand clap
beat, signaling the class to stop what they are doing and repeat the
clapping pattern. Once she has their full attention, she says,  I see
everyone working busily, but I need to remind you to keep your
voices low so we don t disturb other classes.
Then she and Robyn circulate around the room,
reminding students of what they are supposed to be doing and
providing assistance when necessary. Leilani notices
AElementary School
Ecosystems
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B
C
EARLY CHILDHOOD MIDDLE
SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
that Austin has spilled the water at his table. Having expected an
occasional spill, Leilani takes it in stride.
 Austin, grab a couple of paper towels from that dispenser by the
sink and let s get this cleaned up, she says. Austin grabs a wad of
paper towels and hurries back to the table. After Austin has wiped up
the spilled water, she tells him to refill the cup and continue working.
At one table an argument ensues, and Leilani walks over to see what is going on.
 I worked the hardest on this project, so I get to take it home, says Hannah.
 No way! shouts Kelsey.  I worked just as hard as you did.
Cole interjects,  Hey, we all worked on it, so it s not fair for one person to keep it.
Brandon groans and says in a mocking voice,  What should we
do, Stupid? Rip it into four pieces so we can all take it? Impossible!
Leilani interrupts the work session to tell the whole class that they
have done a great job today.  Let s take out our reflection sheets.
Start by listing three things you learned. Then write down what worked
well in your groups today, what problems you encountered, how you
solved them, and any ideas you have for improving collaboration next
time. The students quickly settle down, take out their reflection
sheets, and begin writing.
1. How well did Leilani manage the ecosystem activity? Would
you have done anything differently if it were your class?
2. What strategies did Leilani use to get the students attention
quickly? Do you know of any other strategies that might work to
signal students to be quiet and give the teacher their full attention?
3. Describe what might have happened if Leilani had simply set
materials out on each table in advance, along with an instruction
sheet. What other issues do you think she had to consider when
planning her ecosystem lesson?
4. In your opinion, was it a good idea for Leilani to arrange the
project groups according to the tables at which the students sat?
Are there any other ways to form groups for this type of project?
Assess
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320
Prepare:
As you read the case, make notes:
1. WHO are the primary participants in the case?
Describe them.
2. WHAT is taking place?
3. WHERE is the case taking place? Is the environment
a factor?
4. WHEN is the case taking place? Is the timing a factor?
It was one minute until the tardy bell, and Saul Gardino was waiting expectantly for the last of his group
of seventh graders to arrive. He had been teaching industrial technology at Crosby Middle School for
several years, and he had been working with this particular group of students for three weeks. Every nine
weeks a new group of students would rotate into his classroom, and Saul had noticed that this group had
its own distinct personality.
Saul spent most of the first week discussing rules and
procedures. Safety was of paramount importance in his room
because students used potentially hazardous tools while completing
their class projects. He would be teaching them to use the band saw,
drill press, cylinder sander, combination belt and disk sander,
engraver, and air compressor, as well as basic tools like the vise, the
handsaw, hammers, and various clamps.
Working with power tools generally created an exciting but potentially chaotic
learning environment. Saul had devised a silly role-play situation that
usually got students laughing but also focused their attention on the
importance of using all tools properly. Rules and procedures were
clearly posted in his classroom, and on the first day with a new group
of students he would send home a  Safety Contract for students to
read over with their parents, sign, and return.
By the third week of class, the students had been sorted into
project teams, and each team was in the process of deciding what
they would design and make for their class project. Saul smiled to
himself as he recalled the  job interviews he conducted to select
project managers. Any students who were interested in leading a
group were encouraged to submit a letter of application outlining their
skills and qualifications for the position of project manager. Last
week, he had interviewed the applicants and had decided to  hire
Angela, Rodrigo, Ben, and Kate to each direct a team. Saul then met
with his project managers to remind them that they were being given
a great deal of responsibility. They would need to:
n help their group members decide on a project to make,
n assign each group member a role in the development of their product,
n set clear expectations,
n keep their team members on task, and
n make sure the completed project met all grading criteria for the assignment.
Angela, Rodrigo, and Kate were excited to get started. Ben was
a little nervous, because this was the first time he had ever been put
in charge of anything. Saul sensed this and stopped to whisper  Go
get  em, Tiger! as Ben headed toward his group.
Things went smoothly on the first day of project work. Saul had
listed clear instructions on the board so that each group would know
how to proceed:
1. Introduction of group members.
2. Brainstorming session for project ideas (all ideas welcome and written down).
Middle School
Classroom Safety
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B
+
3. Discussion of ideas (advantages and disadvantages).
4. Voting among group members to make a final decision.
5. Assignment of roles and responsibilities.
Saul circulated around the room as the groups were engaged in
discussion. He observed that Angela came to class with a project
already in mind, and even though her group did some brainstorming,
she managed to generate a lot of enthusiasm for her birdhouse idea.
Members of Kate s group tried to talk over one another when
brainstorming, and Saul found it necessary to give them a stern
glance and move closer to them until they quieted down. Ben really
wanted his group to make toy army tanks, but after some spirited
negotiation, the group finally settled on making toy frogs with wheels.
Two weeks later, the members of Rodrigo s group were working
busily to create the key chains they had chosen for their project. Kevin
and Nick were assigned to do custom engraving on the dog-tag-style
key chains once the shapes were cut out and the edges were sanded
smooth. As they worked together in the industrial technology lab,
Kevin had been using a ruler to line up the key chain on the engraver
and was now proceeding to poke Nick with it repeatedly. Nick s
response seemed to be mild irritation, but Saul assumed it was all in
jest and did not intervene. All of a sudden Nick started shouting
profanities at Kevin and shoved him. This resulted in a retaliatory
shove, causing Nick to go sliding across the floor. Nick stumbled back
onto his feet, fists clenched, and headed toward Kevin to continue the
scuffle. A few of the other students in the class began chanting  Fight,
fight. As Nick advanced toward Kevin, Saul intervened, placing
himself between the two students and sternly telling them to knock it
off. The fight was over in a matter of seconds, and the two students
were sent down to the principal s office. When the class had calmed
down and attention was refocused on the project work, Saul sat down
to document exactly what had happened for his records. Later in the
day, he left a copy of this documentation with the principal and filled
out a Student Behavior Alert form to be sent home to each boy s
parents.
1. How would you describe the learning atmosphere in Saul s class?
2. Do you think Saul s classroom management was effective? Why or why not?
3. What aspects of planning and organization were involved in
Saul s introduction and super vision of the group project?
4. In your opinion, was the way Saul formed groups for the project effective? Why or why not?
EARLY CHILDHOOD MIDDLE
SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
%
Assess
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322
Prepare:
As you read the case, make notes:
1. WHO are the primary participants in the case?
Describe them.
2. WHAT is taking place?
3. WHERE is the case taking place? Is the environment
a factor?
4. WHEN is the case taking place? Is the timing a factor?
The time is 7:15 A.M., 15 minutes before the bell rings for the start of first period at Valley High School.
Maria Salazar makes her way to the main office, greets the secretary and principal, and picks up her
mail. She is in her second year of teaching and notes with relief that fewer students and faculty are
mistaking her for a high school student this semester. When she first arrived at Valley High, Maria felt
conspicuous as the new kid on the block, and at 22 years of age she was very aware of being only a few
years older than her students.
Maria is the physical education teacher, and she works with a
wide spectrum of students, from freshmen to those seniors trying to
get required credits for P.E. at the last minute so they can graduate.
Some of the kids in her class tower over her, but she has gained a
reputation as a  petite powerhouse. She is energetic and
enthusiastic and really cares about her students.
It is the middle of the semester. As Maria gets set up for her
first-period class, she wonders how the day will unfold. At 7:26
A.M., with a whistle around her neck, a pen behind her ear, and a
grade book in hand, she is waiting patiently for her freshmen to arrive
in the West Gym. The students are in the locker room changing into
their required gym uniforms, but one by one they begin to enter the
gymnasium. The late bell rings, class has begun, and Maria blows
her whistle, signaling the students to be in their assigned squad
positions. She opens the grade book and gives the students their first
assessment of the day: dressed or not dressed?
 . . . Jacobson, okay; Jennings, alright; Jones, good but keep
jewelry in your locker next time, . . . Johnson . .? Maria thinks her
eyes must be deceiving her. Brianna Johnson dresses in uniform for
gym every day. Maria walks in her direction, asking,  Not dressing
today, Brianna? Is everything going okay? She is genuinely
concerned.
 I m not dressing, and you can t tell me what to do. Only my
momma can do that, and the last time I checked, your name wasn t
Cynthia Johnson, roars Brianna as she storms over to the
bleachers.
This certainly is not the reaction Maria expected. She is
uncertain about how to handle Brianna s tantrum, but she decides
not to dwell on it too much because there are many other students in
the class. Brianna is usually a very good student, so for the moment,
Maria decides to completely ignore Brianna s outburst and move on.
Participation is a major component of assessment in this class.
Even students who are not dressed for gym can still receive points
for the class minus points for not dressing in the required uniform.
Brianna opts to fall asleep after she has huffed and puffed while
sitting awhile on the bleachers. Maria continues to ignore Brianna s
actions and to focus on the rest of the class. The students are
rotating through four series of basketball drills, and fortunately none
of the other students have chosen to act up this morning.
At 8:19 A.M., the second-period bell rings. Maria finally decides
to say something to Brianna, but Brianna storms out of the room after
the bell has rung.
Brianna walks into her second-period class, English composition,
where David Williams has written sentences on the board for
students to find and correct grammatical errors. The students who
are taking this class have very low language and reading skills.
 High School
Refusal to Dress
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EARLY CHILDHOOD MIDDLE
SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Assess
There are some students with learning disabilities, and several
students are English language learners with limited English
proficiency.
Brianna stomps to the back of the class, slouches in her desk,
and closes her eyes. As a second-year teacher, David is used to
motivational and behavioral problems in this second-period class,
although he s not always sure how to handle them. He knows,
however, that confronting a student in front of the class backfires,
especially with someone who already appears very agitated. So today
he chooses to ignore Bri-anna and continue with the lesson.
1. In your opinion, does Maria s gender make a difference in this situation? Why or why not?
2. Do you think Maria handled the situation with Brianna
appropriately during her first-period class? Would you have
responded the same way?
3. Are you surprised that the focus of a high school English class
is on a basic skill like teaching grammar? Why or why not? Is your
response based on prior personal experience, observation, or
knowledge gained from other classes?
4. Why do you think students in David s second-period class have motivational and behavioral problems?
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