Case Study 2

Question:  Paulo Nzambi moved from his home in Angola to the United States in the fifth grade. While his English and schooling were adequate, his teacher Katie Wyant worried about his social adjustment. His quiet demeanor and soft voice were, in many ways, the opposite of his male peers. Paulo appeared hesitant when interacting with her as if he was unsure about how to behave. As the year progressed, Katie noticed he had not made any progress in adjusting to the classroom. She decided she needed to be proactive in finding a solution. (Cluster 6 / Unit 5).

         1)   In order to acquire a better understanding of Paulo and make make school a more positive experience, what three types of relationships would assist Paulo as well as Miss Wyant?

       2)  What aspects of culturally relevant teaching might Katie Wyant employ to assist Paulo Nzambi in his transition to an American classroom?

Answer: 

 1)  The three types of relationships that would assist Paulo and Miss Wyant are:
             1) Caring teacher-student relationships
             2) Effective peer relations
             3) Effective home-school relationships

2) Miss Wyant could connect with the not only the student Paulo but also get to know his parents by doing projects with all of them outside of the classroom.  Miss Wyant could ask the parents to help out in the class or to discuss with the students about their hobbies, or the history and heritage of their ethnic group.