Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES STUDENT PROFILE ESSAY

Individual Differences Student Profile Essay

Robertson, Haley
Instructor: Dr. Egbert
EDUC 205: Developmental Difference 10:00 am

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Abstract
Teachers have one of the most important careers in the entire world. They work with the
young minds of our society every day. Teachers have the unique ability to impact the
students that will be running our country in the future. When a teacher is effective,
students learn and the society benefits. As a teacher you create the foundation for your
students that they will continue to build on for the rest of their lives. People should teach
because they want to have a positive influence on the world we live in. They should not
want to teach for money, but for the students. Students need schooling because they need
to be educated for their futures, so that they can be as successful as possible. They also
need schooling because it teaches them many valuable life lessons, such as sharing,
responsibility, and how to interact with people. I learned many skills in school as well as
the workplace that will help me be a teacher. Some of these skills include responsibility,
honesty, punctuality, hard work, dedication, how to work as a team, and motivation. All
of these important aspects I learned have prepared me to be a successful professional
educator.

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Individual Difference Student Profile Essay

Just like flowers in a garden, all children are different from one another. Not only
are they physically different, but they also learn in different ways and develop
individually. Normal students are defined as the state of being usual, typical, or expected.
But, not all students in the classroom will be normal, some will have disabilities or
possibly be handicapped. A disability is physical or mental condition that limits a
person's movements, senses, or activities. Being handicapped is defined as having a
condition that markedly restricts one's ability to function physically, mentally, or socially.
I will be laying out the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional profile of a student with
ADD. I will also discuss a summary of my findings as well as the implications in the
classroom.
General Information
Jenny is sixteen years and eight months old and of Caucasian ethnicity.
She lives with her older sister, nineteen years old her mother forty-four years old, and
father forty-six years old. Her older sister left for college one year ago, so she only lives
with the family during breaks and the summer. Jenny attends high school Monday
through Friday 8:30 am-3:30pm, then track practice Monday through Thursday from
4:00-5:00. She has track meets twice a month either on Fridays or Saturdays. She also
works 15 hours a week at the local candy store. Jenny follows a strict routine every day
because she is very busy she must stay on top of things at all times.
Jenny was diagnosed with ADD one year ago. ADD stands for attention deficit
disorder which is a medical condition characterized by attention problems and
impulsivity. Jenny also suffers from occasional depression. The way she explained her

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depression was, sometimes I get a blanket of sadness that covers me for a while. Jenny
is overall a normal sixteen year old girl who crushes on boys and is trying to fit in like
every other teenager.
Physical Development
To paint a picture of Jennys physical appearance, she has blueish green eyes, long
blonde hair, and white skin color. She has braces, which she gets off in 2 months and
also wears glasses. She is extremely farsighted and also has astigmatism; her mother has
the same eye prescription. She is short, slender, and is right handed. Jenny is about one
year older than most of her classmates because she started preschool late due to her
birthday at the end of August.
Jennys physical health is normal for her age. Her large muscle development is
good; she can sprint and play kickball normally. Her small muscle group is also good
meaning she can write and use scissors just like anyone else. Track is the first sport she
has ever played. She prefers to read rather than run, but she wanted to try something new.
Jennys nutrition is as she put it, bipolar. She feels very hungry at times and not at all
others. Her ADD medication decreases her appetite, it is called Ritalin. Ritalin
(methylphenidate) is a central nervous system stimulant. It affects chemicals in the brain
and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control. Ritalin is used to treat
attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
ADHD is different from ADD because it includes the hyperactivity symptom. It is also
used in the treatment of a sleep disorder called narcolepsy (an uncontrollable desire to
sleep).
Cognitive Development

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Jenny is a sophomore in high school and attends class in the regular classroom
with students of her same grade level. Jenny is easily distracted in class, but does
exceptionally well when she is focused. Her ADD medication assists with her ability to
focus, but it is still something she will always struggle with. She has average grades, and
is a very strong test taker. Jenny mostly struggles with procrastination and the motivation
to do homework or study. She says that after focusing all day at school, she is exhausted
by the time she gets home from track practice. This is why she has a difficult time
focusing for a few more hours after school. Jennys academic strengths are Mathematics,
History and English. Her weakness is science, although she receives passing grades it is
her least favorite subject. She does have a short attention span, but she learns best
kinesthetically. Kinesthetic learners learn best by moving their bodies, activating their
large or small muscles as they learn. These are the "hands-on learners" or the "doers" who
actually concentrate better and learn more easily when movement is involved learning.
Jenny would be considered to be in The Formal Operational Stage of Piagets
Stages of cognitive development. According to Piaget, cognitive development unfolds as
the child passes through four distinct and qualitatively different stages (as sited in
Parsons, 2011, p.39). The Formal Occupational Stage is the final stage of cognitive
development; it is characterized by childrens increasing ability to employ logical thought
processes. Jennys language and literacy is normal, she actually received an above
average testing grade in this subject area. Her scientific mathematical and social studies
thinking are at normal development. Jenny does not like art and feels as though she is not
good at it. But, she is at normal development in this as well; she just does not feel as
creative as some of the other students.

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Socio-emotional Development
Jenny is very out-going and sociable. She has the great ability to make everyone
laugh, and has many friends. Because she is one year older than her classmates, she is
more mature than most. Due to her mature nature, she has a very easy time talking to
adults, and almost prefers it over younger people. Jenny has a normal sense of selfconcept; being comfortable with your identity as a person. As soon as Jenny makes
people laugh, her self-esteem gets a boost. Self-esteem is how someone feels about
themselves.
Jennys stage of socio-emotional development according to Kohlberg is Level II:
Conventional Morality. Kohlberg believed that one stage of moral reasoning to another is
governed by transformations in the childs cognitive stage. His theory is more extensive
than Piagets because he describes the moral reasoning of children from four years old to
adulthood (as sited in Parsons, 2011, p.76). Moral reasoning is the thinking processes
involved in judgements about questions of right and wrong. Level II: Conventional
Morality consists of two stages: interpersonal harmony and law and order. Interpersonal
harmony involves loyalty and gaining the approval of others. Individuals in the law and
order stage base moral decisions upon whether they are congruent with the codified law.
Summary, Conclusions and Implications
Overall, the student is a normal sixteen year old girl trying to find her place in the
world. She is performing at all the normal levels of development for her age group. She
also has a good sense of self-concept and self-esteem. Jennys general development is
completely normal and seems to be consistent with other kids as her same age. Her
physical development has no inabilities or disabilities. She has perfectly normal large and

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small muscle development. Jenny is at the correct stage for her cognitive development,
and is in the formal operational stage of Piagets theory. For her socio-emotional
development she is at the law and order stage of Kohlbergs stages. She is very funny, and
out-going. She has a lot of friends and loves to read.
The learning strategies that would best work for Jenny or any student with ADD
are as follows. First, teachers should focus on the curriculum. Before deciding which
types of instructional approaches to use with students with ADHD, it is important to first
consider the cognitive and linguistic demands of the curriculum areas that are being
taught. Second, develop a student profile. Learn the students behaviors in certain
situations and their weaknesses and strengths. Another helpful idea would be to develop a
LRE, or a least restricting environment. This will be different for all children. Next, a
teacher should set attainable short-term and long-term goals. Fourth, develop an action
plan and make it your own goal to follow it at all costs. Last, make a plan for monitoring
the process of the students. This should involve the student parents and the teacher.
Just like a garden, all students are different in their own ways; no two students
grow and develop the same. Writing this profile on Jenny has helped me to find my
passion for teaching each and every student in my classes. As future educators, we need
to teach to their physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, as well as cultural differences.

References

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Parsons, R.D., Hinson, S.L. & Sardo-Brown, D. (2011). Educational psychology:

College of Southern Idaho. Belmont, CA: Thompson Learning, Inc.

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