Reference no: EM133218850

Question: Case Study

Pat has lived in the same house for the past 25 years. She knows many of the families in the area through her involvement with her own children at the school and at various sporting and social events.

Pat now works as a part-time Teaching Assistant at the school and has been assigned to work with Year 5. Pat arrives early to set up a range of learning resources, as instructed by the teacher. Pat has been assigned to work with three boys, all of whom have poor reading skills. As she is setting up, a parent calls out to her - she is Pat's neighbour, Sara.

Sara: "Hello, Pat. I heard you were working here. How's it going?"
Pat: "Hello, Sara. Yes, I've been here for six weeks now and I just love it."

Sara: "You're working with the Walker boy aren't you? How's he going? I hear he has real problems."

Pat: "Yes, he needs lots of support. I don't always agree with how the teacher handles this child. Mr Smith has asked me to praise the Walker boy for small things that the other students don't get praised for. I think it is unnecessary."

Sara: "Yes that does seem unfair."

Pat: "I think they should all be praised for the same things and get the same rewards for it to be a fair way to support their behaviours."

Sara: "Yes, I wonder why he has asked you to do it this way. I hear my phone ringing, got to go."

Pat: "Okay. Bye, Sara."

a) Here we find Pat talking with Sara again. Explain Pat's lack of understanding in Mr Smith's approach to guiding the Walker boy's behaviour. Should all children be rewarded in the same way and praised for the same things when it comes to guiding their behaviour?