Kristen Jackson Field Seminar Artifact 9: Case Studies (Update on Rhea, Ike, Timmy) In my second artifact, I discussed three

students who I was beginning to track according to their ability to master the ideas behind agency as ownership. I want to update that assessment. Unfortunately, I have not determined the best way to codify progress chronologically, nor is my definition of agency developmental, but there is inherently a factor that has to attribute the growth factors of students ability to self-assess and take ownership within this analysis. I have found this difficult, however, I feel that by examining many of their recent conversations as well as survey answers over time, I will get a better sense of their progress. To begin, I have seen a level of growth in all of my students, although behaviors continue to occur that challenge my understanding of their progress. I have attributed this not to a lack of growth, but their overall humanity. There is no cut and dry solution to internal motivation, and even the best students have bad days. So I have pushed myself not to see those students who were improving as relapsing but instead as barriers on the course of progression. Thus my framework for considering the conversations/actions of the students I am about to discuss is not that my inquiry is being challenged by their actions, but more so that the complex nuances of pubescence have to be taken into account when evaluating the acquisition of new skills. And fundamentally, agency is impossible to practice all the time given human nature to deflect blame as well as the inability to incorporate many other factors into the definition of agency.

First I will return to Rhea. I was seeing immense progress in Rhea, both behaviorally and with her effort in class. Then there was a long period (which is still happening) of regression. She barely shows up to my class (she has been almost 50 days since the beginning of the year) and when shes been present recently, she has not been mentally present. I have had to beg her to work, constantly ask her to participate with the class (even if it means just turning to the same page in the textbook as everyone else) and she has definitely not been the student I saw her

morphing into in the middle of the school year. When I asked her on February 26 if she felt she gave 100%, she said no, definitely not and when I asked her why, she simply shrugged. When I followed up with what level of effort she believed she gave, she said probably 50% I guess. Now in this exchange, it is clear that she is aware is she not putting forth her best effort. Regardless of my feelings about her effort, my inquiry focuses on students ability to self-assess, not self-assess and thereafter adjust their behavior. She is acknowledging that her effort could have been better and recognizes that she has not been participating to the level that she could. On the other side, there was a day that she told me she felt she had a good day and asked me to rate her effort/behavior and when I told her she gave 10, she asked if I would write that on her notes to show her mother.

She was so proud of herself and it was clear that she recognized the difference between her effort that day and whens hes checked out. Ergo, she is much more aware of her effort and also aware of how it affects her progress in class. Next we have Ike, who has been making consistent progress. He often checks in with me and asks me how he is doing. My consistent response to him is how do you think youre doing? and he always responds, I think Im doing better, but I need to try harder. Ive been amazed at his recent tenacity and drive. He is always asking for more, and desiring to do better. When I assigned the culminating project for our Crusades Unit, he asked to design his own project. Pictured below is his 3-d cardboard replica of the city of Jerusalem. He chose to do this for his project because he wanted to show me that he could be the best student and also because he wanted to show me how hard he can work at home. Ike has been on a journey to prove that he does homework (because most students do not). This project required a

lot of work at home, and I told him he had to have his mother sign off on it first. Although I have ventured into project based learning in several units recently, I do not want students/parents to feel the burden of having to complete projects at home with limited access to materials. Thus, I encourage them to complete the bulk of their work in the classroom. Ike was determined to make the model, and because I would not be able to provide materials, he vowed to complete it at home. And he did. The replica represents what he believes Jerusalem would have looked like with the Christian Crusaders and Muslims fighting in the center. He built a church, several soldiers, swords and shields. I was amazed at what he created, and Im confident that he has made significant strides toward progress. Not only is he much more keenly self-aware, he has taken it a step further and allowed his self-assessments to dictate his actions. Finally, I want to briefly discuss Timmy. I often struggle with Timmy in class over his drawings. His artwork is phenomenal (I have included a picture of one of his projects) but his constant doodling in class (and when I say doodling, I mean his elaborate pieces of artwork) is extremely distracting. Not for me, but for him and anyone who sits near him. He is often so engrossed in his drawing that he completely misses my directions. Or else he is half paying attention and rushes through whatever were working on to return to his drawings. I often ask him if he feels like hes done all he can, and he will always tell me yes. Even in class when he has barely completed an assignment, he will respond that hes done as much as he can which is frustrating for me because I know he is capable of more. There was a period that he was very on top of his work and consistently participating and a strong presence in class. In the past three or four classes, however, he has buried himself in the corner, refusing to work and will only draw. The downside to his behavior is when I tell him he will lose credit; he gets angry with me and says Im being unfair. Last class he even said he was going to hire a lawyer and sue me.

Although I found it amusing, I was shocked at how easily he deflected blame and made me the culprit for his actions. Fundamentally, Timmy does not see anything wrong with drawing in class because he does his work but doing his work is rarely giving more than 50%. And although there was a period I believed he was better assessing his effort (or lack thereof) he has consistently shown lately that he does not feel his behavior is problematic. Im not saying that he is a problem, per se, but perhaps that his lack of effort in class directly correlates with his lower grades. He often only takes half of the notes and will only complete half the assignment. The baffling part is not that he will turn in incomplete work, its that when I ask him if hes okay with his work, he responds yes or that it IS finished! This disturbs me because I look at it as if he cares about his work (Ive heard him express so) and he cares about his grades, but hell submit incomplete work.

My concern with both Rhea and Timmy has always been their ability to look me in the eye and tell me they did the best they could. Perhaps I have expectations, but I know they can do better than they have been, and aside from motivation, which is partially outside of my control, but concern has become that they dont see that theyre capable of more. I have begun to wonder if in my students minds, their judgment of their effort is what they truly believe theyre capable of. I would be inclined to hold this theory, but then when I speak to them after class, they both individually express both a desire to do better and an understanding that they can. I guess this has become my new concern: can you really self-assess the way someone else would assess you if you have differing levels of expectations in yourself? Am I fundamentally asking my students to do something that asks them to subscribe to my consideration of their expectations.