Case
No friends

Mary was experiencing behavior and learning problems at school. She refused to do written work, she was stubborn and her teacher found her difficult to work with. Her mother was extremely worried. She also reported that her daughter was experiencing social problems and often complained that she didn’t have any friends.

Posted on: 10/10/19 | Views: 494
Solution #1
Top Solution
I would ask mary to do a "lunch bunch" with you; sit with her and get to know her. Ask her about what she likes today and anything she looks forward to during the day. I would try to pair her with some kind and helpful students and praise her during class for any work she may be doing well. I would also discuss with other teachers if she may need extra support or an evaluation. Behavior can stem from not understanding what the class is learning or feeling lost.

A teacher is an invaluable asset as both an instructor and someone who is there for their students (such as a friend). I agree that one-on-one interaction from the teacher and creating a support group of peers will help the student feel more comfortable and ease some of her behavioral issues.

Thanks for sharing, this is a good idea.

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Solution #2
It's important to assess Mary's peer relationships, the relationship with her teacher, and what she is disliking about academic work. I would try to observe Mary's interactions with her peers during class and free periods. Maybe there is someone in class that she would like to sit near and hasn't had the opportunity to. Offering time to talk with Mary individually may give some insight as to why she is struggling. It seems like her mother wants to help Mary as well. Her refusal to complete academic work may stem from her dislike of the classroom environment or from negative social experiences. Also, talking to Mary about her interests may help her to feel more connected to what's happening during class.

yes i agree with everything that is stated in this response

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Solution #3
I would sit down with Mary and see what is going on. Maybe she just needs someone to talk to.

I agree with this solution

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Solution #4
I would have a talk with the student to see what is going and see what I can help her with. Also encourage her to be open to work with other classmates. I can also do an activity where I can put students together and work as a team.

Good solution, Group work is how I made some of my best friends throughout school.

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Solution #5
I would talk with Mary and see how she is feeling personally, maybe there could be a way that you could assist
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Solution #6
As a teacher i would commuicate with the student and parents, see what is going on at home and why is is acting this way. If she is having difficulty makign friends i would enroll her in some afterschool actvities
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Solution #7
I would suggest creating or incorporating a lesson on caring or how to be a good citizen. These activities can have daily tasks or weekly goals that kind of work, like a scavenger hunt. The students must be in groups of 3 or 4 and complete a caring task or a considerate school task where they are utilizing teamwork. This can help socialize Mary and help build her peer relationships with some of her classmates.
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Solution #8
When working with students like Mary who are experiencing behavior and learning difficulties in the classroom, it is essential for teachers to prioritize their safety and health above all else. This may involve taking a proactive approach, such as scheduling meetings with parents, observing behavior patterns, developing personalized learning plans, utilizing positive behavior interventions, and collaborating with other professionals. By providing support that is tailored to the student's needs and ensuring their safety and well-being, teachers can help students like Mary overcome their challenges and improve their academic performance and social-emotional development.
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Solution #9
Honestly I had social issues first hand when going to school. Most of the time this also affected my academic performance and mental health like Mary. I would try to impelment more group assignments, as looking back on it, being "forced" to work with my peers in class made the most of my friendships that I still have today.
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Solution #10
What do the behavior and learning problems consist of? What type of things interests the child? If the student prefers to be alone, they could just be an introverted type of person. If the student prefers to complete written work, perhaps there is a medical reason for this. Have you given the child a way to show what they know without having to write?
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Solution #11
I would ask if there was a day that Mary could stay late and have her parents come in my class room for us to talk. I would also suggest some kids that in my class that I think would be suited to be friends with Mary.
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Solution #12
You could possibly have assigned lunch groups with other students to try and get her more situated with other students on a social problem side. I also think that you could pull her aside and eat lunch with her inside your own classroom to figure out why she might be having social anxiety or problems with other students. On the work side of things, possibly having a meeting or conference with the mother to possibly give her an IEP if it is more of a thing that is long term.
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Solution #13
If Mary's social difficulties persist, consider involving school counseling services or external mental health professionals. They can provide additional support and strategies to address her social challenges.
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Solution #14
Ask Mary to to a lunch in!! maybe that would help her behavior
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Solution #15
I would maybe try to have the students work in groups that they are not familiar with. This helps them socialize over the class work!
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Solution #16
Try to pair Mary up with someone in the class she may get along with and want to be friends with.

I disagree with this solution

I feel this is a suboptimal solution because we do not know what Mary's issues are. Randomly pairing her with people has no guarantee to help the solution, and may actually make the situation worse by putting her in situations that stress her.

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