Problem

Mary is such a shy girl who is very easily embarrassed. Consequently, she avoids performing publicly. That is very difficult in a foreign language class. Yet, she seems to enjoy learning and does all right in other ways.

Student Name	How does this problem relate to what we know about learning?	Cite your sources.	Given what you know about learning, how might you resolve this problem?
De Lyce Schlepphorst	I believe the Humanistic approach to learning would best help Mary. This approach encourages cooperative learning. Cooperative learning promotes social and emotional growth in the classroom where students share, accept, and respect each other. The adage "all for one, one for all" summarizes the Humanistic approach to learning.	page 95, The Art of Teaching; www.educationworld.com	I would devise a cooperative learning lesson plan that would encourage group work with peers. This would allow Mary an opportunity to work in a group with the support of her peers. I found a great lesson plan titled 3R Activity (reading, relating, and responding). Here are the highlights: Students work cooperatively to read, share, and answer questions about a particular text, read for detail, and summarize their reading. It allows for a creative, group method to practice reading in a foreign language while easing the apprehension that the shy student, Mary, has.
Pat Freeze	The social-interactive developmental pathway refers to a child’s ability to communicate and interact within social situations. Social abilities are shaped by culture. Gender differences may contribute to Mary’s shyness. In group settings, girls tend to speak less because they use language more privately than boys. Children have temperamental differences. This student may have the temperament trait of withdrawal, meaning she tends to shy away from new people or things. Shy students may be considered less intelligent or uncooperative when, in fact, they may be smart and thoughtful.	The Learning Classroom, Session 2, p. 32, para 6. The Art of Teaching, Ch. 3, p. 56, para 2 The Art of Teaching, Ch. 3, p. 63, para 5; p. 64, Highlight 3.5.	I would remember that normal social behavior is learned, and that social skills must be clearly taught. Teachers must explain desired behavior to children and model it. I would make sure boys and girls have equal opportunities to participate. I would be sure to praise this student when she does participate and I would team her with more outgoing students.
Michelle Hill	(1) Students have different personalities that affect the way they act in class. (2) Therefore, schools should be made to fit the students and their personalities (3) Students are more likely to open up and participate in class if they are in a caring environment and (4) if their responses and participation is encouraged. (5) and have personal connections in the classroom.	(1) PPR - The Act of Teaching, Chapter 3, Page 63, "Temperamental Differences" (2) PPR - The Act of Teaching, Chapter 4, Page 94, Bullet 3 (3) CD - Session 6, " Caring Environments and Personal Connections," Page 110 (4) PPR - The Act of Teaching, Chapter 4, Page 98, Bullet 10 (5) CE - Session 6 "Caring Environments and Personal Connections," Page 111	I would give Mary the opportunity to perform in a smaller group setting and encourage her participation in class discussions. Although she has a shy temperament, she is still enjoying the class and learning so I would adapt to her shyness when possible. I would also make sure Mary has the opportunity to get to know me on a personal level and her peers in hopes that she will begin to open up. With the comfort she will get from this, she will find the classroom to be a safe environment and will be encouraged to take risks.
Daphne Dildy	Pesonality traits and self-esteem issues are a critical factor in student participation in the classroom. The Humanistic approach needs to be applied to learning by making the classroom more about the students needs.	PPR, Ch4,pg 94, The Humanistic Approach to Learning PPR, Ch3, pg61,par1 PPR, Ch4.pg98,par1	Mary's personality is timid and shy which has nothing to do with her academic ability in the classroom. I would give Mary the opportunity to work in paired learning groups where she might feel more comfortable expressing herself and participating. There are many students that do not want to open up to an entire class and teacher, this can be quite intimidating. I know how intimidating this is because I have been trying to overcome this my enitre life. Shy students need to be encouraged slowly to come out of their shell, and once they come out ,the enviornment needs to be a safe place to express ones' self. Pretty soon they will be speaking in front of the entire class with just as much ease as anyone else.
Brenda Hebert

Differences in temperament play an important role in how well students achieve and behave. None the less, it is important that teachers not assume that because a child is quiet or in this case, adverse to public performances, something is wrong with them. The humanistic approach to teaching holds that the school should be made to fit the child rather than the child made to fit the school. Additionally, Behaviorists would approach this situation by attempting to understand why she behaves as she does.

PPR; Ch. 3, pg. 62 Spotlight on Research 3.4 and pg. 63 paragraph 4 PPR; Ch. 4, pg. 94 bullet 3 PPR; Ch. 4, pg. 97, para. 3

I would approach this situation from a variety of ways. I would introduce additional small group (social learning) situations where this child is grouped with a more outgoing student that could model public speaking and then have the shy student gain confidence speaking in this smaller group before asking her to speak before the entire class. I would also call on this particular student more often when asking questions of the class and provide a generous amount of praise for her responses and willingness to participate. I would also consider allowing the student to tape herself speaking either via tape recording or video recording as an alternative to standing in the front of the class to demonstrate fluency.
Rebecca Ayers
This is not an uncommon problem. Many students do want to speak in front others. This problem is relevant to the behavioral school of thought, the humanistic school of thought. It’s important for Mary to feel valued and safe to express herself. By taking the humanistic approach to teaching Mary can build confidence by understanding that she is accepted for who she is (PPR Ch 4, Pg 95, Beliefs of the Humanistic School). Personality and temperament also are important are also something that needs to be considered. Is this child adaptable to new things? How do new tasks that take them outside their comfort zone going to make them react? (PPR Ch 3, pg 63, Temperament differences). What is this child cultural background and does this play a role in her personality?
There would be a number of techniques that could be used to help Mary become less shy and more confidence. First, we don’t want to assume because she is shy that she doesn’t understand the information. This just might be her personality or how directly related to her family or cultural beliefs. To build Mary’s confidence in public speaking I as a teacher would have her work in small groups and use these social interactions to help her gain confidence (CD Module 7, Pg 127, Learning from Others). I would also create more of a student centered classroom and let the students decided ho they are going to approach a problem. This will allow Mary to take responsibility for her learning and get more involved. (PPR Ch4, Pg 94, The Humanistic school of Thought). These type of teaching encourages higher level thinking and will help Mary become more out spoken.(PPR Ch4, pg 92, Problem Solving).

Genevieve Cosby Green	In this scenario the emotional well being of the students take priority over the academic goal of mastering spoken foreign language. Persons who champion humanistic or ‘affective’ education focus on the social and emotional learning and development of students.” As a result of feeling good about herself and having good felling about her classmate the student will in time develop a desire to speak the foreign language out loud. It is the view of the humanist that the teachers, schools and classroom environments should accommodate the students. According to the humanistic approach to education, “The school should be made to fit the child rather than the child made to fit the school (Nell, 1969). Children learn best what they want to know when they are self directed.” Emotions are important because they affect students’ ability to focus and learn. Schools should be safe environments where students develop a wide range of intelligences, and “learning how to manage feelings and relationships constitutes a kind of “emotional intelligence” that enables people to be successful. Emotional intelligence expands on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences.”.	PPR, Chp 4, page 94, paragraph 2, PPR, Chp 4, page 94, bullet 6, CM, Chp 5, page 90, paragraph 1	As a teacher, I would respect the student, and I would not put her in any situations were she was pressured or embarrassed. When the appropriate opportunity presented itself, I would ask the shy student for suggestions of foreign language activities. I would be very patient and develop activities to meet the needs of the student.
Rosalina Trujillo	The Humanistic approach explains we should accept learners as they are which includes their behavior, feelings, and opinions. Also, the humanisitc school of thoughts states teachers should use techniques that help learners better understand their feelings and values. The student must feel love, safety, and social acceptance to participate and be more successful and self efficient as a student. The behavioral school of thought states that teachers should encourage shy or insecure learners' responses.	Pg. 95 para 1 pg 98 para. 1	As a teacher, I need to understand Mary. She is a good student the only problem is that she is shy. Therefore, I would learn her interests and slowly and patiently put her in situations where she has to communicate with others. First, I would put her in a good group of students where I know they would respect her, here I would observe if she progresses. It will also be important for me to praise her when she does participate in class.
Delia Spicer	As the Humanistic School of Thought suggests, students may be more successful in school the higher their self-esteem. The Humanistic approach also believes that a student's basic needs such as security must be addressed for their success. The Humanistic School of Thought incorporates the idea of Values Clarification where teachers communicate to their students that they are positive and "of value" individuals Lastly, the Behavioral School of Thought incorporates intrinsic rewards in the Operant Conditioning learning methodology	"The Act of Teaching" (TAT) Ch 4, pg 94-95 Beliefs of the Humanistic School TAT, Ch 4, Pg 95, Values Clarification TAT, Ch 4, Pg 97. Operant Conditioning	In Mary's case, she might be shy because of a self-esteem or confidence issue. As the Humanistic approach suggests, I would do things to build up her confidence. I might tutor her and give her verbal rewards and incentives as she becomes more comfortable with speaking. Then after she has reached a certain comfort level, I would have her in a small group and demonstrate her verbal skills to the other student or students. Again, she would be rewarded for her effort. I would then begin to call on her in class and reward her for her effort until she is completely comfortable with speaking in class.