This case study summary was written as part of a presentation for EDUC 336, and was written along with Alex Horner. The case study is based on a real child, but his name was changed in the textbook for privacy.
Drake is a ten year old boy from Ontario diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette syndrome (TS), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is a typical combination of disorders (Cumings, 2001). He has problems paying attention in class, struggles to follow through with instructions, and cannot complete tasks that require planning or organization, all of which are symptoms of both ADHD and ASD. As symptoms of TS, Drake also has motor jerks and verbal tics, particularly humming and echoing what others say. His intellectual potential is in the normal range, but his academic performance has been about one year below grade level in core subjects. He has difficulty socializing with his peers, and a tendency to become aggressive with other children and animals (Stegemann and Aucoin, 2018).
Drake exhibited symptoms from an early age, but, as his mother was in denial about his condition, he was not diagnosed until pre-school. He was then put on ADHD medication for four years before he was taken off due to health concerns including not sleeping or eating. As his behaviour in class improved after being taken off his medication, it was clear to his mother that the medication was not working the way it should have (Stegemann and Aucoin, 2018).
Drake’s situation at his first school involved stigmatization by staff and peers, coming home crying every day, low self esteem, and leading to Drake wanting to kill himself. In grade 5, he was enrolled in a new school that was a much better fit for him. His new teacher was able to give Drake effective strategies to help regulate his behaviour, and he was one of many diverse learners in his class, which lessened Drake’s feelings of not fitting in (Stegemann and Aucoin, 2018). This teacher emphasized student choice in work, allowing students to choose from a variety of ways to represent their learning, as well as allowing them to choose topics that interested them. All students were encouraged to be themselves, and learned about social justice and human rights, as well as the experiences their diverse classmates were dealing with to allow them to better emphasize and appreciate their peers (Stegemann and Aucoin, 2018).
Some strategies this teacher used to fit Drake’s learning included positive reinforcement, seating him in optimal learning locations, and having visual copies of instructions for Drake to refer to as needed. Drake also had the options of using technology or working with a partner, and was able to work one-on-one with a resource teacher (Stegemann and Aucoin, 2018).
This case study teaches us that teacher-student relationships are essential for student success. As shown with Drake, a negative teacher-student relationship does no good for either party, as the student feels ostracized and the teacher does not get the behaviour changes they are wanting (Stegemann and Aucoin, 2018). A positive teacher-student relationship, on the other hand, allowed Drake to flourish and enjoy his time at school.
We learn from Drake that it is important that students have agency in their educational needs. The student themselves is going to be the best judge of whether something is helpful or detrimental, and is less likely to go along with adaptation plans that they do not agree with. Allowing students to voice what has and has not worked in the past and taking these statements into consideration allows a better learning experience overall to be created.
Finally, it is important to take any and all diagnoses into consideration for students with multiple diagnoses like Drake. Only treating or considering one diagnosis could be detrimental to another (Hutchinson and Specht, 2020). Like with anything, all aspects of a student should be taken into consideration. This can be made harder with conflicting diagnoses, which is why it is important to consult with experts on each students’ situation (Hutchinson and Specht, 2020).
References:
Cumings, D. (2001). Clinical and Molecular Genetics of ADHD and Tourette Syndrome: Two Related Polygenic Disorders. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, Vol. 931(1), 50-83. https://doi-org.prxy.lib.unbc.ca/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2001.tb05773.x
Hutchinson, N.L., & Specht, J.A. (2020). Inclusion of learners with exceptionalities in Canadian schools: A practical handbook for teachers. Pearson Canada Inc.
Stegemann, C. K., & Aucoin, A. (2018). Inclusive education. Stories of success and hope in a Canadian context. Pearson Canada Inc.
