Benchmark II Fall 2014

Name: Caitlin Crouch

Content/School: English Language Arts, Broad Ripple Magnet High School,
Eighth Grade
Student # 3
Learning Needs
- Learner 3 needs opportunities to showcase her creativity.
- Learner 3 needs opportunities to share his ideas aloud. Following those instances,
Learner 3 needs personal recognition.
- Learner 3 needs opportunities to lead and motivate other students during group
work.
- Learner 3 needs expectations that have not been lowered because of her ESL
status.
- Learner 3 needs encouragement and/or opportunities to expand his learning
beyond the classroom.
- Learner 3 needs opportunities throughout the school day to participate in positive,
inclusive school activities. Learner 3 should have opportunities to learn about
relevant cultural topics.
- Learner 3 needs assistance in decreasing any shame that develops when asking for
additional help.
Descriptive Profile
- Multiple sources of evidence
- Varied Information (Interests, Motivations, Academic Strengths and
Challenges, and Classroom Behaviors
- Brief Physical Description
-

True Colors Results: Evenly Orange and Blue, Few Gold and Green
See Interview Notes.
Learner 3 is a female, Latina student.

Notes from Observations:

- Learner 3 typically sits quietly and works independently.
- Learner 3 volunteers to speak in most classes at least once each period. She
doesnt speak elaborately, but she answers well and accurately.
- When Learner 3 is trying to understand something, she often tries to make an
analogy to a similar topic or word.
- Learner 3 becomes easily discouraged, which typically leads to her faking the
task at hand.
- If Learner 3 has a friend (always another ESL student) in her class, she may talk
quietly throughout class to that student or work with her to complete assignments.
- If Learner 3 has a question, she usually raises her stand and waits for her teacher
to approach her before asking the question. She may also leave her seat to

approach the teacher with her question.

Occasionally, Learner 3 has days when she comes to school but easily gives up
and prefers to sit quietly and think rather than work.
Learner 3 is also absent at least once every 1-2 weeks.

Analysis
- How can this information be used to improve instruction?
- How is this learner representative of other learners in the classes?

Learner 3 is an incredibly creative student with excellent academic and social intuition.
Learner 3 thrives in academic environments where she can demonstrate her creativity and
work with her hands. Learner 3 appreciates when teachers communicate their
expectations well and are available to answer questions.

Learner 3 needs additional support in most classes not because she struggles to
understand instructions or concepts but because she often desires approval to move
forward in her work. She also often wants to confirm her understanding with a teacher.
Learner 3 resembles many students these instances. Many students understand the
instructions or concepts but lack the confidence necessary to move forward alone. Many
teachers their behaviors as laziness. Learner 3 and students similar to her should receive
positive encouragement as well as increased confirmation in their abilities.

Learner 3s easy temperament often prompts teachers to ignore her in order to address
behavioral concerns or help students in need of more support. Throughout my
observations, I noticed that when Learner 3 doesnt understand something, she usually
would not quit working altogether. Instead, shell keep up the appearance of working to
avoid being singled out for her lack of understanding. Teachers often mistake this

behavior for working independently, and Learner 3 leaves classrooms without having her
questions answered or her needs addressed.
Lingering Questions/Concerns Concerning Student
-

How can we boost Learner 3s confidence on a regular basis that doesnt make her
feel singled out?
What are cultural factors to take into consideration when encouraging and
motivating Learner 3?
How can we provide increased opportunities for Learner 3 to be creative while
still teaching her essential skills?

Attitude Towards School

How are you feeling about

school? Do you like
coming to school? Why do
you like/dislike?

Strengths

What is your strongest

subject? Why? How do
you feel about that
teacher?

Learner 3 enjoys school this

year. She is happy to be at a
school with a magnet
program. Learner 3 also
appreciates the community
she has at Broad Ripple.
Three of her older sisters go
to school at Broad Ripple,
and her next youngest sister
will go to Broad Ripple
next year. Learner 3 senses
the pressure the teachers
and administrators face
from the state. She notices
that the pressure seems to
be higher this year and
affects how the teachers run
their classes. She says they
are stricter this year than
ever before.
Learner 3s favorite class
this year is creative writing.
She says that her work in
that class has influenced her
work in other classes.
Learner 3 explains that she
likes the teachers
personality. She has high
expectations of her students
and forces all of them to

read aloud. Learner 3

appreciates this. She
describes how prior to this
class she didnt want to
speak aloud, but because
her creative writing teacher
makes her practice she has
become more comfortable
speaking aloud. Learner 3
still describes herself as shy,
but she says that she now
volunteers to answer
questions in other classes
too.

Weaknesses

Which subject is the

hardest for you? Why?
How do you feel about
that teacher?

Classroom Preferences

What do you like most

about our class so far?
Why?

She also likes that creative

writing lets her tell stories
and read other peoples
stories. Her favorite
assignment was an activity
they did to learn implicit
characterization. She likes
being able to pick out
details about things in
stories that may not actually
be written in the stories.
The hardest class for
Learner 3 is her science
honors class. She doesnt
like that her teacher lets all
the other students talk
through his instruction. She
also explains that in science
class she usually asks
questions; however, even if
she doesnt understand
something, she doesnt want
to seem dumb asking
other questions.
Learner 3s favorite story so
far in our class was The
Medicine Bag, a story
about a boy whose Sioux
grandfather comes to visit
the family before he dies.
Learner 3 also explained

Areas of Confusion

Home Support

Goals

that she likes completing

the graphic organizers we
typically assign because
they help her understand the
stories better. She also likes
practicing grammar through
the Daily Oral Language
bell works.
Is there anything weve
Learner 3 says she
been doing in this class
understands most of what is
that is not making sense to
covered in class. She
you? What do you like
comments that the writing
least about our class so
assignment we did with
far?
The Landlady was
difficult for her. (Students
were instructed to write an
alternative ending to the
story, which ends abruptly.)
Learner 3 says that it was
hard to maintain the
authors tone in her story.
Do you have a homework
Learner 3 emphasizes that
routine at home? (Follow her mother and older sisters
Up Questions)
treat school very seriously.
If she were to ever come
home with a negative
report, shed face serious
consequences from her
mother and grandmother.
What are your goals in
Learner 3 wants to graduate
middle school? In high
from high school and
school? In life?
pursue an art-related career.

Note: Learner 3 wanted to add at the end of her interview that she dislikes being singled
out as Spanish-speaking student. She doesnt like taking test separately or having her
ENL instructor visit her classes. Learner 3 says her mother signs the form every year
because she doesnt want [her] to forget [her] heritage.