Running head: SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT GETTING TO KNOW MY STUDENTS 1

532 Signature Assignment

Esther Duran

APU Murrieta
SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT GETTING TO KNOW MY STUDENTS 2

Abstract

This paper identifies three focus students during my clinical practice experience, including a

Special Education student with a speech impediment, a GATE student with autism, and a student

going through emotional distress. I have changed the names of all three students for anonymity.

Through close observation, conversation, and background research, I identify each of their assets

and develop modifications and differentiated instruction according to their needs to succeed in

my Spanish 2 classroom. I include a reflection of what I learned in the process, what I would do

different, and how this experience has helped me become a better teacher.
SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT GETTING TO KNOW MY STUDENTS 3

Introduction

People are diverse in their ability to acquire knowledge of new information. To be an

effective teacher, I must recognize that the diversity of my students plays an important role in

how they acquire knowledge and can be an asset in the classroom. The California Department of

Education (2021) states that Asset-Based Pedagogies view the diversity that students bring to the

classroom, including culture, language, disability, socio-economic status, immigration status, and

sexuality as characteristics that add value and strength to classrooms and communities.

To teach from an asset perspective and to reach the most students with my lessons it will

be imperative that I know who my students are. Knowing my students entails knowing their

strengths so that my lessons allow them to apply the skills and talents that are unique to them as

unique individuals. This requires building strong relationships with my students, founded in

caring, trust, and the desire to guide them toward success. By knowing my students and

recognizing their strengths and assets, I can modify my lessons so that students can make

stronger connections to the content of material presented. This creates a positive environment

because each student is celebrated and supported for what s/he brings to the classroom as an

individual to make the environment culturally rich.

Participant Description

I have chosen to work with three students in my Spanish Level 2 classroom. John is a

student with a speech impediment and Frank is a GATE student with autism, while Hannah is a

student going through emotional crisis. Foreign Language is not a requirement for graduation,

but students may choose to take it as an elective. Four-year universities require at least two years

of a consecutive foreign language course for admission. In the case of my three target students,

they have chosen to take a second year of Spanish for different reasons. During my clinical
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practice, I have gotten to know these three students very well and although they come from very

different backgrounds and their situations are completely unique to each, I found that at the core,

they share a desire to succeed.

The first thing that stood out about John was his enormous natural afro hairstyle, which

can be seen from across a football field. He is in 12th grade, has a positive disposition and is very

respectful to staff and his fellow students. He comes from a family of all women, a single mother

and two older sisters. This environment has molded his personality to be of a gentle giant type.

He suffers from obesity and did not meet physical fitness standards in his Physical Education

class. He is currently receiving specialized education to assist with a speech impediment and

receives therapy from a therapist once per week. This does not prevent him from advocating for

himself in class and seeking clarification when he does not understand.

He comes to class ready to pay attention and participate. His eagerness to learn is

refreshing, but at times distracting because he constantly speaks out loud during lessons, as if he

is the only one being spoken too. An example of this is a day when we were watching a video as

part of a lesson and he would yell out things he noticed in Spanish, like colors or words he

knows we are learning. This would not be so bad, but the problem is that he wants to be

acknowledged, so I had to find ways that this would not become an issue.

When speaking to his case carrier, she informed me that John has had outbursts in class

when he becomes frustrated, including yelling out in anger and tipping over a desk. She assured

me that he would never physically hurt anyone, but that it can be intimidating when trying to

diffuse the situation. This is not a common occurrence and I have seen moments of John

becoming upset, especially when he completes his work incorrectly and I step in
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to correct him. These moments pass quickly and have not become a problem in this

class.

John and his mother have expressed the desire for him to attend a four-year university

after high school. He would like to become an architect or a mining engineer. His mother owns a

donut shop, where John is expected to work after school and on the weekends.

John is close friends with Frank. They know each other from other classes they have had

together in the past three years. They are very comfortable working together on classroom

assignments and their friendship goes beyond the school setting, as I have seen them walking

home together after school.

Frank is a 12th grade GATE student with autism from a Latino family. He is affected by

sensory overload, which demonstrates itself in his mood as irritability, boredom, and annoyance.

When I first began my classroom observations, I noticed Frank sat with his arms crossed in front

of his chest and refused to participate or complete any work. He asks to go to the restroom daily

as soon as the class receives instruction to produce work. After fifteen to twenty minutes in the

restroom, he returns to his desk to sit and wait for class to be over. His teacher told me he is

capable but unwilling to complete class work, claiming that he does not know what to do. Frank

will notice his classmates engaged in classwork and he will not attempt to do the same, nor will

he ask for direction from the teacher.

His family would like for Frank to attend college after high school and their biggest

challenge is holding him accountable by expecting him to take more responsibility for his

education. Because one of Frank’s favorite activities is to play video games as soon as he gets

home, his family struggles to keep him focused on his homework and he often forgets to turn in

his work.
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Frank is fluent in Spanish, including speaking, reading, and writing. He is difficult to

communicate with, as he does not engage in conversation. He is exclusive about who he speaks

to and engages with daily. When I stand by the door to welcome or dismiss students, he does not

respond to my greetings. When I attempt to talk to him, he will not look at me and appear

irritated and annoyed. He enjoys working only with John and will not participate when paired

with any student other than John. My biggest challenge with Frank would be to get him to trust

me.

Hannah is a 10th grade student of middle eastern background. Her family comes from

Afghanistan and her first language is Farsi. She has never been to the middle east, and she has

currently been in a lot of distress due to the political climate affecting the citizens of her native

country. When asked about the difficulty of learning Spanish, she says she enjoys the similarities

it has with Farsi and can make connections with the grammar in her native language. It upsets

her that because of the need to acquire English as a second language, she has lost her fluency in

Farsi. Now more than ever, she wants to feel a connection to something.

Hannah is extremely grateful to be growing up in this country and shows enthusiasm to

learn. She has a lot of support from her parents and their expectation is for Hannah to attend

college after graduation. Hannah would like to become a medical interpreter because she would

like to help families from all backgrounds who need representation. She believes that if she

becomes fluent in Spanish, she will challenge herself to learn other languages, such as Italian and

French. She currently has a GPA of 3.2 and is failing two of her classes, English and World

History. She says she feels extremely tired after she gets home from school and would rather

sleep than study. She tells me she has the most energy and focus when she is in school. Her
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parents have made her aware of the political climate in Afghanistan and encourage her to

continue pursuing her goals. They are aware that she is currently failing classes.

My goal for Hannah is to keep her motivated and focused so she does not lose interest in

Spanish class. My greatest challenge is to help her feel supported and not overwhelmed, while

continuing to express the importance of keeping up with the demands of this class.

Recommended Strategies

With this information in hand, I developed instructional strategies that would

accommodate the needs of all three students, considering my own assessment of their assets and

the group’s assessment and needs. I gave the entire class a survey with questions about their

attitudes and goals toward the Spanish 2 course, along with more personal questions about

themselves regarding their likes and dislikes. This was used as part of my evidence. I took great

care to follow up with more conversations with my focus students.

Beginning with John, I noticed that he has very sloppy writing for a senior in high school,

but even when he completes work in class, his answers are mostly correct. While other students

can handle being told their answers are incorrect, I had to be tactful with John. In order to not

discourage or frustrate him when his answers are incorrect, I began to praise him for coming up

with an answer and following up my praise, with a hint or a prompt to lead him in the right

direction? For example, for a question that asked for his favorite shoes, he answered “zapatos”

with confidence. “Often, a wrong answer gives some insight into how students are thinking about

the question and provides an opportunity to lead the students to a better solution” (Espinola,

2017). So first I responded with, “Yes, that is the correct word for shoes, what kind of shoes are

you wearing?” He responded with, “Boots,” and I asked him if those were his favorite or if he

had other favorite shoes. After prompting, he was then able to tell me his favorite shoes are Vans.
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When I review assignments, I call on John when I know he has a correct answer. It boosts his

confidence and keeps him engaged.

I addressed his blurting out in class by giving him visual cues. I asked him to watch me

when I’m talking, and I would point to him when he can call out an answer. This has worked

well for John because he will watch me and wait most times. Because the students have noticed

this about him. I have used his disruptions as an asset for the students who are struggling to

understand. I told the class that if they are ever lost, they can always listen for John’s voice

because he will call out clues during lessons. I told them these clues might give them context

about what we are discussing. This gives John a sense of pride and confidence to take risks

because he knows that students will not laugh at him for being wrong. The ones who struggle

have also begun to take more risks and feel comfortable with being corrected.

Frank is a GATE student who completes his work quickly and accurately. Students

around him have come to realize that he knows the content and often ask him for answers to

assignments. He is categorized as twice exceptional (2e), for his ability and disability. “When a

child’s giftedness or disability (or both) are missed, it can have emotional and behavioral

consequences” (Arky, 2021). His autism prevents him from communicating in a way that most

teenagers do, as he often seems irritated and impatient. For this reason and his failure to

complete work, previous teachers assumed he had cognitive disabilities, when the exact opposite

is true.

My biggest challenge with Frank has been communication. I began to build trust with

him by addressing his sensory issue. I began to use only half the lights on during class. Since he

asked to go to the restroom each time he needed to begin working, I began approaching him after

all students had begun their work and asked him if he knew what to do or if he had questions
SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT GETTING TO KNOW MY STUDENTS 9

about how to begin. Even though he would not respond, he would take out a pen and begin

working. Over time, he began producing work on his own. I counted this as a giant success since

the teacher told me he would never produce any work since school started.

When I had students come to the board to write answers for the class to compare, I chose

him to go up to the board. I made the process in a way that all the focus would not be on him. I

had at least two students writing answers at a time. When he finished writing his answer he asked

if he could go to the bathroom. The bathroom issue had not resolved itself, but it was becoming

less. During an activity on listening skills, Frank asked to use the bathroom as we were getting to

the end. I told him we were almost done with the activity and asked him if he could wait about

five minutes so he would not miss the end. He agreed and as soon as we were done, I gave him a

signal that he could go. I thanked him for waiting to finish his work and for the past three weeks,

he has only asked to go to the restroom once.

Because he limits his conversations to a couple of words, I moved his seat to the front

row so that can attempt to establish more communication between us, even if it’s through eye

contact or visual cues. This has worked better than I expected because he has begun to feel

comfortable with participating through thumbs up signals or even looking up at what is being

taught in the moment. Just a side note, he did not complete the survey I gave the class in the

beginning, and I asked him orally and recorded his answers myself. His answers were one to two

words, and it was difficult to get anything more out of him at the time.

One of the activities that I incorporated is to have silent discussions. These are group

activities where students use a whiteboard to share answers and no talking is necessary. This

gives Frank the opportunity to participate without having to talk, as I noticed that he asks to

leave when he must work with others. Many students like this activity since they are still
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learning how to speak in Spanish, and some are unsure of their pronunciation or accuracy. Since

Frank finds using a pencil extremely irritating, I have allowed him to write in a pen of his choice

and whenever possible, he is allowed to work in a Word document on a laptop and submit

assignments electronically. Frank has now started to respond about 20% of the time when I say

goodbye to him and John as they walk out at the end of class. This is another accomplishment

toward building trust with him.

To be of the most help to Hannah, my Afghan student, I educated myself on the political

climate and current events that are affecting her mental well-being. The greatest challenge for me

was to learn how to be supportive without being intrusive. “Afghans are generally reluctant to

share personal and family issues with nonfamily members… The Afghan family is sacrosanct

and a matter of great privacy.” (USA Hello, 2021). I began building more trust with her by

asking her about her language background. She told me her first language is Farsi, but she picked

up English quickly. I also asked her if she has ever been to Afghanistan, which she has not but

has many family members there currently. That was as far as I got with my questioning regarding

her family.

She enjoys learning Spanish and she has continued taking it a second year because she

likes the language. Her current grade in the class was a B, but it has slipped to a C in the last

weeks. Instead of questioning her about it and telling her to do better, I invited her to come sit in

class during our study hall period. I told her even if she does not need help with Spanish, she is

always invited to use the space as a place for reset. When Hannah is having a bad day, she

usually becomes quiet and closed off to conversation.

On days when I notice her spirits are up, I call on her to participate in providing answers

or use her to play out examples in front of the class. This is my effort to make her feel that she is
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part of the classroom and that her contributions matter and help others. I have developed a

system to check in with her. During the beginning of class I will ask if she’s doing well by giving

her a thumbs up sign. She will give me one back or some days she won’t respond, or she’ll shake

her head “no” and I know it’s not a good day for her.

Some of the academic supports I have implemented for her began with seating. She now

sits in a front row seat from where I can quickly access her and take in visual cues regarding her

mood when I’m conducting whole room instruction. I found a student she is very comfortable

around and I changed the seating arrangements so he can be right next to her. I also give her

more time to complete assignments, sometimes as long as several days because I know that she

is having a difficult time with concentration. I also allow her to take five-minute walks around

the school campus if she needs a break. I constantly conduct checks for understanding on days

when I know she is mentally checked out.

I have poured a large amount of praise and encouragement to all students, but especially

to Hannah when I see her excel in tasks that require more than passive listening. “Providing

students with evidence that validates their personal qualities also provides a model for all to

emulate in their interactions with others” (Alvarez-Ortiz, Haynes, Zacarian, 2021). Even though

her grades have dropped, I know that she can excel and perform well so I use praise to remind

her of her ability and her strengths.

My next steps with Hannah are to create opportunities where students can share cultural

traditions. Now that October is approaching, I will be introducing lessons on the Day of the Dead

so that students can have opportunities to share their own cultural traditions with classmates. We

have students from many ethnic backgrounds, and I want their culture to have moments to shine

in our classroom.
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Reflection & Conclusion

When I first started my research within the pool of 170 students, I was drawn by curiosity

to these three students mostly for their appearance, demeanor, or behavior. As I got to know them

better, their struggles became my motivation. Every day I challenged myself to think of ways to

engage them into our daily classroom environment and make each one feel like an integral piece

with unique contributions. In the beginning it seemed like an impossible mountain to climb

because the challenges that each brought were difficult to work with. So much was the challenge,

that teachers and mentors told me they were better off ignored because they would never produce

work. To say this was soul-crushing, is a disservice because it was much worse than that. The

complacency and acceptance that these students would be underperformers was the fuel that

gave me strength and fed my hope to make the difference.

There is a lot more that I wish I could do for, not just my three focus students, but for

each student in all my classes. I have only been in this class for five weeks and Hannah is the

most challenging of my three focus students. I walk a fine line between showing her I care about

her mental state and keeping the focus on academic success. I hope by the end of my clinical

practice, we will have built a stronger bond and she can feel more comfortable expressing her

needs.

I am looking forward to finding more ways to work with John. I would like to see him

struggle less and his positive approach to learning makes me want to find and implement the best

strategies to get him to the next level. John is so likeable and outgoing; it is hard not to smile at

the sight of him. I know that his personality will make him many friends and he will meet people

who will guide him and give him opportunities.

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The most rewarding feeling has been watching Frank produce work and participate in

class lectures, even if that participation has been holding up a finger to show that he knows that

the answer is “one.” The progressive increments he has made, though small in the eyes of others,

are ones that no one thought he would. His willingness to withhold walking out of class during

work time or completing assignments without being prompted are giant victories in my eyes. I

will continue to search for the best tools that will help Frank and teachers will see him in a

different light. Since I have been there, students have been the first to notice Frank’s brightness

and it has been so rewarding to watch Frank respond to his peers in a helpful way. My goal for

Frank is to continue to include him in class activities and boost his confidence with praise and

acknowledgement of his strengths.

What I have learned through the process of teaching with the students’ assets in mind, is

that my perspective changed from that of a problem to solve to an opportunity to enhance. I am a

better teacher for taking the time to learn about each of these students with their unique strengths

and their various circumstances. It is a daunting task to feel that I have over 100 students to learn

about on a more personal level. I have taken the time to have conversations with those students

that are failing to figure out where they are having difficulty and what I can do to help them

succeed, even if all that means is helping them study to pass the class.

It is my hope that by the time I reach the end of my clinical practice, these three students

and their classmates will know that I care about their success, and they will continue the path to

achieve it long after I have moved on in my teaching career. I hope that when they think back to

their high school Spanish class, it will be with a smile.

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT GETTING TO KNOW MY STUDENTS 14

References

Alvarez-Ortiz, Lourdes, Haynes, J., Zacarian, D. (2021). Meeting Student Trauma with an Asset-

Based Approach. ASCD. Retrieved from: https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/meeting-

student-trauma-with-an-asset-based-approach

Arky, Beth. (2021). Twice-Exceptional Kids: Both Gifted and Challenged. Child Mind Institute.

Retrieved from: https://childmind.org/article/twice-exceptional-kids-both-gifted-and-

challenged/

California Department of Education. (2021). Asset-Based Pedagogies. Retrieved from:

https://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ee/assetbasedpedagogies.asp.

Espinola, Mark. (2017). Addressing a Wrong Answer to a Question. Gradehub. Retrieved from:

https://gradehub.com/blog/addressing-a-wrong-answer-to-a-question/

Gifted Child Quarterly. (2000). Gifted children with Asperger’s Syndrome, Gifted and Twice

Exceptional. Retrieved from: https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/gifted-children-

with-aspergers-syndrome/

USA Hello. (2021). Afghan Students. Retrieved from: https://usahello.org/how-to-help/for-

teachers/cultural-background-resources/afghan-students/