9.3 McDonald Case Study: Questions

You are the EA in the grade three classroom, and Sarah has joined your math group in the hall. She is behind her peers in math due to her lack of attendance and not completing homework. She is not happy to be a part of the group and thinks everyone now knows she is dumb. Her participation is marginal at best, and when prompted to look at a question, she blurts out that “her mom makes her stay home to keep her company because she is lonely.”  You say, “mmmm hmmmm.” “Well, I wouldn’t be out in the hall with you if I didn’t miss school.”  You say, “tell me more about that, Sarah.” “Oh, never mind.” “No, go on; you said you wouldn’t be out in the hall if your mom didn’t make you stay home.” “I said, never mind, forget I said anything.”  Sarah seemed a bit angry now.

You are meeting with Mia to talk about making friends. She has missed a lot of school and you know this impacts a child’s ability to connect and form meaningful relationships. Your plan is the create a Kindness Day Committee with grade 5 and grade 6 girls. Each who you believe would be a good friend for Mia. You will focus on Kindness events for the school for Kindness Day.  The meetings will focus on planning, brainstorming, sharing of leadership, field trips to events to gather ideas and supplies with the ulterior motive for the girls to have fun, and food celebrations such as pizza, sushi and so on. On the fourth meeting, Mia tells you that her father is so hard on her. He expects her to do all the laundry for everyone in the house and pick up the slack because their mother is sick. You ask her, “what does, pick up the slack mean”? After a few minutes, she says, “you know, he wants me to make dinner and help with my sisters, especially my youngest sister, ’cause she really doesn’t have a mom. I hate it.  I don’t have a life, she says”.