1. 9TH GRADE 15 YRS. OLD FEMALE STUDENT 5’4” 130 LBS BLACK HAIR BROWN EYES RACIAL MIX MISHAWAKA, IN K YLE E

2. WHEN A TASK IS DIFFICULT FOR ME… BE PATIENT AND HELP ME OVERVIEW OF AS AN ACADEMIC STUDENT KYLEE WHEN I GET DEPRESSED, I SHUT DOWN SOCIALLY I CAN EASILY BECOME BORED IN CLASS HELP ME MANAGE MY ANGER AND EMOTIONS A QUIET CLASSROOM WILL KEEP ME FROM BEING DISTRACTED I ENJOY LANGUAGE ARTS, ESPECIALLY ANALOGIES AS A WELL-BEHAVED STUDENT I ENJOY TALKING, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN I’M NOT SUPPOSE TO I ENJOY EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES LIKE SPORTS, ESPECIALLY BASKETBALL, SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL, & SOFTBALL HELP ME WITH MY READING COMPREHENSION HELP SUPPORT ME BY LETTING ME TALK THINGS OUT AND SHARE MY FEELINGS WITH YOU GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND ENGAGING WORKSHEETS ARE THE BEST WAYS FOR ME TO LEARN IN CLASS MATH = DIS + LIKE I PREFER ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION I AM SMART, HELPFUL, CHARISMATIC, PERCEPTIVE, CARING, AND A GOOD LEADER I CAN PUT FORTH A STRONG EFFORT IN MY CLASSROOM TASKS I DON’T ENJOY READING, UNLESS THE TOPIC REALLY CAPTURES MY INTEREST SCHOOL PROGRAM: E.D.

3. DISLIKE PEOPLE THAT ARE ANNOYING OR WHO LIE OVERVIEW OF AS A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL I ENJOY SKATING FLOWER: ROSES KYLEE CANDY: JOLLY RANCHERS BASKETBALL FRUIT: ORANGES DOUBLE DUTCH MUSIC: HIP HOP, R&B, POP ACTRESS: BEYONCE BOOK: “THREE LITTLE WORDS” FAVORITE HOLIDAY: CHRISTMAS I’M A CHRISTIAN I LIKE TO DANCE AND STEP ATHELETIC COLOR: BLUE ENDURING PERSONALITY SCARED OF ANIMALS I ADMIRE CANDACE PARKER DRINK: SPRITE LOYAL VEGGIE: BROCCOLI STRONG-WILLED PERSON GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR I LOVE WEARING SHORTS SNACK: FLAMIN’ HOT CHEETOS VIDEO GAME: Wii DISLIKE: PEAS ACTOR: TYRESE FAVORITE NUMBER: 28 FOOD: STEAK MOVIES: “YOU GOT SERVED”, “BABY BOY”, “OBSESSED” TV SHOW: “AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL” STEAK-N-SHAKE TRUSTWORTHY DREAM VACATION: DISNEY WORLD I ENJOY SINGING

4. Post Secondary Goal: Be a Lawyer Other Vocational Interests: Be a Hair Stylist Be a Dance Choreographer Be a Model/Actress Be a Probation Officer Be a Singer Be a Judge Be a Wife Be a Mother Be Me OVERVIEW OF AS AN ASPIRING PROFESSIONAL KYLEE

5. OVERVIEW OF KYLEE’S family Kylee is in a residential facility and is technically a ward of the state. She is in this facility because her adoptive mother was unable to be a responsible parent and abused Kylee physically. Her rights as a mother are in limbo. It is in Kylee’s best interest that a new family is found for her to finish high school with. Her adoptive mom is the parent that I have been working with. Kylee’s adoptive mom, Mrs. Smith, still cares a lot for Kylee and wants to be in her life. However, Kylee has her hesitations and the county judge does as well. The biggest draw for Kylee to rejoin her adoptive mom is that Kylee wants to be in the lives of her adoptive mom’s children, whom were also adopted – yet still remain in Mrs. Smith’s custody. Mrs. Smith is a very caring person, but yet she has her weaknesses when it comes to maturity and respect. Kylee learned that the hard way. Mrs. Smith is also wanting Kylee to be in her life, however, Kylee needs a good family – and in my personal opinion, I believe that Kylee will find a more responsible family with her case worker. However, it’s a very tough situation because the adoptive mom still wants to be in Kylee’s life even if Kylee is taken in by a new foster family.

6. WHAT HAS LEARNED? KYLEE’S family Kylee’s adoptive mom, Mrs. Smith, has learned many new aspects that define who Kylee is as a student, future-professional, and individual. I don’t know if Mrs. Smith has ever really taken the time to discover the unique interests that Kylee has; and because of that, I was able to tune in Mrs. Smith to many deeper aspects of who Kylee really is. Mrs. Smith has also learned how the special education program that I have developed is specifically aimed at helping Kylee; and Mrs. Smith now realizes that she has as much of a right to help develop this plan as I do. Mrs. Smith has learned how Kylee can be assisted in learning and behaving appropriately. She has also learned how to raise her younger children with a more focused purpose on applying skills she has learned with Kylee towards them. Mrs. Smith has learned how she is entitled to many rights and responsibilities as a parent of a child with special needs. She has learned about many resources that are available to her that will help her learn how to fulfill Kylee’s needs.

7. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT KYLEE’S family I have learned that there is nothing beneficial from raising a child without a purpose. We are not like animals or plants that just need water and food to grow. We need to be developed and understood, especially at Kylee’s age. As a parent, one must have a purpose with their child and that purpose needs to be in that child’s best interest each and every day. I have learned that as a special education teacher, there will be parents out there who may be just like Mrs. Smith: a parent with a wonderful child but a parent who is uneducated as to how to be the best parent they can be. If I could reach other parents like Mrs. Smith before they do something reckless like she did (physical abuse) and help them understand there child, maybe I could prevent a future situation like Kylee’s: stuck in a facility and in limbo between family homes. I have also learned that Kylee is a very special child who has dreams that she wants to achieve and goals that she wants me and her mother to help her accomplish. She wants to learn. She wants to succeed. She wants to be who she was created to be – herself.

8. CONNECTIONS TO THE TEXT BOOK & CLASS My biggest learning experience in the class when I was studying Kylee and Mrs. Smith was when I read about cultural diversity. Kylee and Mrs. Smith are from a poor community and she is fluent in street slang and jargon. So for me, I initially saw Kylee as a challenge to not come across as a clueless white guy who doesn’t know what its like to be in a deep, personal conversation with a roughed up, tough girl. I think I succeeded, because she likes me a lot, however, I needed a good perspective of how to help a student with that lifestyle. The textbook helped me develop that perspective and strengthen it. Another big learning experience was in our case studies, especially the studies which involved parents who struggled to maintain responsibility and control with upbringing their child. Kylee’s mom definitely struggled with that. I think hearing real life perspectives and stories of how other parents have dealt with their child’s situation is a great way to learn how to handle situations and what to expect from some irresponsible parents.

9. Spring 2010 David Lunsford