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Christi Freimark
Ed 180
Professor Wright
2 May 2018

Anabela Case Study


2a. The main issue is that Jean, a second-grade teacher, does not know if she should retain her
student Anabela or move her to third grade. Anabela is a student with an IEP to help her in her
areas of need: writing, reading, and math. She is not an independent learner, but rather seems to
be benefit greatly from resource room services. Anabela’s resource room teacher Connie
strongly suggests that she be retained from entering third grade so as to avoid a more restrictive
full-day placement, as she worries that the academic and schedule rigors of third grade would be
too much for Anabela. However, Jean fears retention will damage Anabela’s self-confidence and
social life as well as upset her parents.

2b.
Physiological: Anabela seems to have her basic needs met. She has stable housing and the
family never spoke of her not receiving enough food to eat or enough sleep. The family seems to
have disposable income for “extras”, as Anabela spoke of her grandfather giving her money
regularly and taking her to buy donuts. Having disposable income may be an indicator that the
family has enough financial resources to provide for Anabela’s physical needs.
- This information could help Jean and Connie to know that she does not need to worry
about her physical needs being met, and can attribute her learning difficulties to others
areas of need.
Safety: The family has recently passed through a difficult season of change and injury, as her
mother Magda hurt her knee and the family moved to a new home and school district in the same
year. Anabela’s father Gaspar has been ill for the past few years, and Magda cares for him. These
all were stressful situations which could have affected Anabela and made her feel less stable in
life. However, the family seems to be in a better place now, with her mother saying “Lately my
knee is feeling better and I am busy again”, and saying that Anabela “is happy now.”
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- This information could help Jean and Connie to keep in mind that Anabela’s mind and
heart could still be recuperating from the mild trauma of moving and seeing her mother
hurt. It may be wise for them to consider that she simply needs more time to heal from
the past, and with it improve in her academics.
Belonging: As quoted by her mother, they are “a close family and spend a lot of time together on
sports”. Her mother also speaks of a close relationship with Anabela, calling her her “baby”. The
grandfather also spend a great deal of personal time with her, walking her to and from school and
having her over to his house. Family wise, Anabela is given a lot of love and attention. In regards
to her school environment, Jean speaks of her being “babied” by her female classmates, and
while it may be enabling to her dependency on others, she is receiving a form of peer friendship.
Anabela is given individualized attention by her resource room teacher and seems to be thriving
from it. Overall, Anabela has great sources of support and love in her life.
- This information could help Jean and Connie to see that her need for belonging is met,
and they can focus on other areas of need for Anabela’s self-actualization.
Esteem: This seems to be the area that is lacking. She does not display self-confidence, as she
depends on others for help. She is said to ask her teachers for assistance often. Her mother does
not wish pressure to be put on her at school or at soccer practice, as she says she is sensitive.
Anabela also shared that she does not read on her own at home, but that her mother usually reads
to her. Jean and Connie call her “fearful” and “hesitant” when it comes to her academics. I
believe part of this could come from Anabela working on her homework at her Grandpa’s house,
where he helps her consistently. I also think it could stem from being in a Spanish-speaking
classroom for a school year, where she most likely felt incapable and out-of-place because she
cannot speak or understand Spanish.
- This information can help Jean and Connie to target Anabela’s need for growth in her
self-efficacy and esteem. Connie does often encourage Anabela, telling her to belief in
herself and to use her thinking skills, which seems to be helping her. Her teachers should
keep in mind to scaffold her learning, and allow her to become more independent, but
with encouragement and praise, and assistance only when needed.
Self-actualization: The level is not supposed to be achieved until adulthood, but it does start in
childhood so I’ll address it briefly. Anabela does accept that she struggles with reading, but does
not attribute it to her intelligence, saying, “I know I’m good at thinking even when it’s hard for
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me to read.” This is good because she believes in her ability to better herself, and is motivated to
be a problem-solver. She dreams of becoming a singer and dancer, and this aspiration may help
to motivate her to succeed in life.
- This can be good for her teachers to know that she is developing belief in herself, and
they can take advantage of this and encourage her to continue striving.

2c.
Boundaries: Although Anabela’s parents are interested in her education, they do not seem
extremely open to collaborating with the teachers and hearing their thoughts and suggestions for
her growth and needs. If they were more open to new ideas, they might attend every parent-
teacher conference rather than just the initial IEP meeting. Rather than allowing an outsider’s
(her teacher) opinion of their child affect their interactions with her, Magda chooses to consult
the principal when there are issues, most likely expressing her own opinion of how a problem
should be solved.
- Realizing this, the teachers could engage with Magda with a more open, listening
approach. They might invite her to a conference with an email reading, “We would love
to sit down with you and hear your thoughts and desires for Anabela’s education.” This
might let Magda’s guard down if there is one, and she could be more receptive and
engaged with her IEP goals.
Roles: Anabela’s role within her family is the baby. She is the youngest in her family, and
Magda openly expressed that she spoils her and that she is her baby. We don’t hear how her
siblings treat her, but we know that her grandfather cares for her by protecting her on the way to
school, providing her with small gifts and treats, and helps her with homework. Although very
tender and sweet, constant homework help can further enable her to be dependent. Dependency
seems to be the biggest symptom of her role as the baby of the family- she knows her family
cares for her needs, so she expects teachers to help her whenever she feels she needs it.
- With this in mind, her teacher can identify one of Anabela’s weaknesses- her over-
dependence. Her teachers might work to counteract this by giving Anabela opportunities
to be in other roles at school, such as helping others! For example, she could lead basic
phonics activities with 1st grade or Kindergarten students. This would help her to see
herself as capable and knowledgeable. Jean and Connie could also give her leadership
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responsibilities, such as leading the line or arranging the picture schedule for the day. Her
teachers should make sure to document her experiences in other roles so they may share
them with her parents, in effect also helping them to also see Arabela in other roles.
Rules: Magda may be guided by the cultural belief that her most important role as a mother is to
nurture her children and make them happy. This might explain why she takes measures to spend
a lot of time together as a family and remain close-knit. It could also explain why she does not
want Anabela to feel pressured, but rather to have fun and not worry about chores or high
expectation in sports.
- This may help her teachers to realize that Magda is strong and nurturing in ways other
than academically. They can recognize her great ability to advocate for what she believes
is best for her daughter. Her teachers can also keep in mind Magda might benefit from
learning just how important parent involvement is in children’s academic success so she
can also grow in that area. This perspective can help the teachers to be more
understanding and effective when working with her parents.
Hierarchy: Magda is the most involved with Anabela’s education, as she is the one who meets
with the principal when issues arise, however her father is somewhat involved, as he attended the
IEP meeting. The grandfather is in charge of observing Anabela’s experience at school and
reporting it to Magda. This makes for an interesting dynamic, but it does place Magda at the top
of the hierarchy as far an involvement in educational matters. We don’t know much about the
decision making in other aspects of the family’s life.
- With this in mind, Anabela’s teacher can focus mainly on Magda when communicating
educational concerns, but they should be careful to include and invite her father and
grandfather as well, as they do play a part in her school experience. The teachers should
recognize that although Magda’s participation in Anabela’s schooling is not always
evident, she is interested and invested, but might require an extra “push” to meet with
them.
Climate: The family climate seems to be positive and relatively stable. Although they have gone
through some physical difficulties and a move recently, the family is remaining positive and
emotionally healthy. Magda spoke of being happier herself and feeling her family was in a better
place.
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- This is good for her teachers to know because they can rule out a hostile home
environment for reasons for a learning disability or parent disengagement. Rather, they
can focus on educating Magda on the importance of parent involvement and working
around her busy schedule in which she has to take care of others and her own health
needs.
Equilibrium: We don’t know if the family has moved multiple times in the past year, but we do
know they moved once in a 2 year span. Although changing houses and schools can greatly
impact a young child, it is not such a drastic change because she still has her same family
members and a positive home environment. Her father has been ill for a few years, which may
cause changes in routine, affection/attention, and power structure, but we don’t know for sure.
Her mother injured her knee the year before, and Anabela said she stayed home from schools on
“real rainy days.” This inconsistent school/home schedule could have been troublesome for
Anabela. She also transitioned from a Spanish to English-speaking classroom from 1st to 2nd
grade, which is a drastic change academically and socially.
- Her teachers can benefit from knowing her recent family past because it might explain
some of Anabela’s tentativeness in school. She is still relatively new to the school, and
may not feel comfortable in the building or with her classmates. She may also still be
getting used to being in an English-speaking class. Knowing this, the teachers can better
meet her needs by speaking with her about change and counseling her through it.

2d. Anabela has a nuclear family structure, as she resides with her mother, father, and older
siblings. They seem to be a stable family, and there is no evidence of divorce or remarriages.
However, her family structure does include extended family, as her grandfather lives close to her
and she spends a lot of time with him. This affects the family culture in the way that he seems to
be taking the inter-rim father role while her father is ill, as he protects her as she goes to and
from school and provides her homework assistance. He is also the one to “keep an eye on her”
and report to Magda any problems with her schooling. They are a self-protested close family,
and seem to value taking care of one another.

2e. Recently, Anabela has transitioned from Sandia to La Paz elementary school, and it went
very well, and her family is happy that the school is better-run and the principal is so personal.
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She also recently transitioned from being in a bilingual classroom to being in an English-
speaking classroom with a few hours of the day in the resource room, as she was able to be tested
and placed in special education. She is thriving with the support from her resource teacher.

2f. The family’s educational goal for Anabela is that she has the support she needs to thrive.
Magda’s son also has support services, and she is pleased that they were both tested and placed
in special education, although she feels it was too late. Although Magda does not speak of a
specific academic goal, she does express that Anabela’s teachers tell her Anabela is too
dependent on others, although Magda does not express willingness to address the problem,
saying, “I guess she depends on others too much”, and going on to explain she spoils her and
does not have high expectations for her helping around the house.
The only other educational goal she has for Anabela is that she is not given too much pressure.
She wants her to be happy; she wants her soccer games to be just for fun and for her not to be
penalized for performing poorly in school.

2g. Magda is the only one who appears to be communicating with the school, although
Anabela’s father Gaspar did attend the initial IEP meeting. Magda asks her father to observe
Anabela’s schooling, and when he communicates something alarming with her, she intervenes by
speaking directly with the principal. This is ineffective because she is adding a middle-man by
speaking to the principal instead of Anabela’s teachers Jean and Connie. The problems could be
addressed with more dialogue, strategizing, and mutual understanding if Magda spoke with her
daughter’s teachers.
It is also ineffective because in effect, Magda is only communicating with the school when she
sees a problem, rather than maintaining an on-going partnership with the teachers that would
allow her to track Anabela’s progress and meet her evolving needs effectively at-home. Studies
in the textbook have proven that parent involvement in the school setting greatly improve
academic performance, so Anabela would benefit from her parents not only meeting with her
teachers, but to be an active participant in the classroom.

2h. Connie and Jean feel that they do not have good communication with Magda. They noted
that she was initially involved and excited for the first IEP meeting, but hasn’t come to any
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parent-teacher conferences. Jean also notes that verbal communication is “scarce” although they
do sign papers she sends home. They are concerned that she is not partnering with them for
meeting Anabela’s IEP goals. Connie wishes her parents were more involved with Anabela’s
homework, as well.
From Magda’s perspective, she says she goes to her school for “the important things,” such as
Anabela’s initial IEP meeting. She must not realize that each meeting is important to Anabela’s
success, and her teachers might try explaining this to her and attempting to reach out to her in
different ways.

2i. I believe Anabela’s parents, the principal, and Connie and Jean should convene to find a
solution to Anabela’s 3rd grade quandy. I’m including the principal because Magda thinks highly
of her, has met with her before, and she can serve as a mediator.

Step 1: The first step is for Anabela’s parents to express their desires and concerns for their
daughter as she approaches the following school year, and for her teachers to express their
desires for Anabela’s academic success as well as overall well-being. The teachers should focus
on the general value they place on education and on Anabela’s success rather than stating their
opinions on what should happen next year.
Step 2: Both parties should come to a consensus as to what they believe is important. Anabela’s
parents should feel that their values are understood and respected. They might all agree that they
want what is best for her, and for her to reach her greatest academic potential. They might also
agree that they desire for her IEP goals to be met, or that they want her to grow in her self-
confidence.
Step 3: At this point, the teachers can express what step they each feel would help Anabela to
reach the aforementioned goals. Here is where Connie would express she feels Anabela could
benefit from retention for a year. While bringing up these points, the teachers must be careful to
word it so that is an open, collaborative effort, with flexibility and room for the parents to make
changes or add suggestions to what the teachers propose. The parents can express how they feel
about her being retained vs. moving to 3rd grade, and if the parties don’t come to the same
conclusion the teachers should identify where they are willing to be flexible, and invite the
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parents to do the same. In this scenario, being flexible is being willing to compromise your own
ideas for her success for her parents ideas.
Step 4: Here, the parents and teachers will brainstorm how to mesh all of their ideas and
opinions into a concrete plan of action that is agreeable to everyone. They might decide that she
can transition to 3rd grade under the premise that she enrolls in summer school sessions, or that
she receives intensive support services next year.
Step 5: After a few months into the new school year, everyone should reconvene to discuss
Anabela’s progress in whatever environment was decided upon for her. The parents may express
concerns with the placement, or the teachers, and they can once again brainstorm ways to get her
where she needs to be. The teachers should remain open to changes, as it is a work in progress,
not an ultimatum decision.

2j. One strategy to help Anabela transition to the general ed. classroom would be to make the
transition gradual rather than abrupt. Connie, Jean, and Anabela’s parents could work together to
create a 8 or 10 week schedule in which she gradually spends less and less time in the resource
room. She currently spends two hours day there every day, but the first week they could allow to
have one full day in the general ed. classroom, and the next week two, and then decreasing it
down to only maybe two hours a week.
Of course, this would need to be communicated to Anabela, and she would have to
understand that she will be expected to complete the classroom assignments with little-to-no
assistance. Connie would teach her problem-solving and self-regulatory skills to prepare her to
work independently so she can feel confident in the less restrictive environment. Connie should
share with Jean the skills and strategies she is teaching Anabela so Jean can continue them in her
classroom and use common language when working with Anabela.
Source for strategy: NJ Coalition For Inclusive Teaching.org
Another strategy is to set up self-help system in the general education classroom. Jean
mentioned she doesn’t have enough time to help Anabela with all her questions, so maybe Jean
and Connie could devise a system in which Anabela is motivated to work independently. For
example, whenever Anabela is “stuck” on something she would write down her frustration or
specific question on a labeled index card (this would serve two purposes: one, to express her
frustration and feel “heard” in a way, and second, to help her to remain on-task and motivated).
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She would then have a sand timer on her desk (one that’s about 3 minutes long) that she would
flip over. In that time, she would be instructed to use self-regulation and problem solving
strategies taught to her, such as “talking to the text” or using scratch paper to figure out a math
problem. The strategies should be on a laminated paper she can refer to when needed. If she is
unable to answer her own question using the strategies, she is permitted to ask for help from a
designated buddy in the classroom. If her buddy is unable to help her come to answer, then and
only then may she approach Jean for help. Every day that Anabela is able to complete most of
her assignments correctly with asking Jean or her buddy for help less than 5/times a day, she will
be given a small reward by choice.

2k. The family is facing two main stressors, one being that Magda is experiencing a knee injury,
and the second that the family is unsure of how to meet the needs of their two children with
learning disabilities.
- The first local agency that could be of service to them is Hope Within Ministries.
https://www.hopewithin.org/ They are a health center that provides free or low-cost
medical care to residents in need. I am guessing the family is low-income because they
lived in a low-income school district, Sandia. This service could alleviate some of
Magda’s medical expenses, and allow her to be more at-peace and available for Anabela.
- The second community resource would be CAP Super Padres. It is a local parent
education program specifically geared towards Latinos that provides parent training on
discipline, instilling responsibility, improving academic performance, managing stress as
a family, and connecting with community resources and schools. It would be especially
useful to Magda, Gaspar, and even the grandfather to know how to better support
Anabela as they raise her.

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