Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Tarkalson, Eric
There are many strategies to provide students with a learning plan that works for them in
the classroom because one specific program does not fit all students. Attention-
development (“National”, 2016). In this profile of a student with ADHD, I will discuss
General Information
Ethan is ten years and seven months old and suffers with ADHD. He lives with
his parents, two older brothers, and two younger sisters. The ages of his older brothers are
sixteen and fourteen. His sisters are six and eight years old. Ethan began to have
Ethan’s daily schedule is full of routines that he follows. For example, he gets up
in the morning and goes to school from eight in the morning to four-ten in the afternoon,
four days a week. After school, Ethan participates in some form of seasonal
extracurricular sports or youth activities. When his family gets home, they finish their
Physical Development
The physical description of Ethan is as follows: he has brown hair, brown eyes, is
Caucasian, and weighs close to 75 pounds. He also has a scar below his left eye from an
accident. He was hesitant to tell me how he got it, only that it came from crazy horse
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES STUDENT PROFILE IDP 3
play. The child’s physical maturation is somewhat behind those of children his age. He
has minor vision issues but only wears glasses while in the classroom.
The general physical health of this child is good. Ethan participates in various
activities that promote physical fitness. He attends P.E. class twice a week for one hour
during the school day. Some of his favorite activities are football and hockey. He is right
handed, and his large muscle development is normal for a ten-year old, meaning he can
run, jump, and play as most of his peers can. The student’s small muscle development is
also consistent with youth in his age group. Ethan has good hand-eye coordination. Ethan
has a healthy appetite and demonstrates normal eating habits. His mother encourages him
to eat healthy, but he, like other kids his age, tends to eat more processed foods.
Cognitive Development
At the age of eight years old, teachers noticed Ethan’s difficulties in the
classroom. Teachers allowed Ethan to stand at his desk as needed, because he could not
hold still in his seat and would end up disrupting other students. Jean Piaget's theory of
human intelligence. Under Piaget’s concrete operational stage, it states “ADHD makes
it challenging for the child to focus on the process of learning and sustain information
long enough to master new skills and move on to the next step” (Teaching students with
ADHD, 2016). The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the difference between
what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help. A teacher with
the proper training and an understanding of ZPD can play a vital role in helping Ethan
attain success.
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES STUDENT PROFILE IDP 4
enjoys learning, and tries to promote good self-regulation, but has a hard time staying on
task if the teacher talks a lot. He enjoys hands-on learning and shows great creativity. He
does not do well when the teacher talks a lot during a lesson. He is easily distracted and
finds it hard to concentrate while his mind is racing on to the next thing.
He has classes in the following subjects: basic math, physical science, English,
advisory, and computer skills. In addition to his core classes, he also participates in P.E.
and music twice a week. His area of academic strength is math and English being his
weakness. Ethan must work extra hard to keep his grades up. Also, he is given one-on-
one tutoring help during advisory time. Furthermore, he is not motivated to get A’s but
assignments, so he can get right to work. Reading is his least favorite part of school.
Socio-emotional Development
Ethan is very social among his peer group, to the point that he tends to be
disruptive in most of his classes. He is funny and thrives on the attention of others.
Teachers frequently remind Ethan to “keep quiet” and “stay on task.” His mother has
been confronted several times by teachers with concerns about the noises he makes. He is
comfortable around adults but is not the first one to strike up a conversation. Ethan is
accepted by most, but struggles with peer acceptance by a few, because of his ADHD.
His mother feels that as he is getting older, Ethan is recognizing the reaction of students
to his behavior. He tends to have a lower self-esteem from the negative labels that have
been placed upon him, along with the frequent self-criticism that has caused further
Erik Erikson believes, adolescents go through the psychosocial crisis of identity versus
role confusion, which involves exploring who they are as individuals. Ethan’s socio-
emotional development is that of identity vs. role confusion because he knows that he is
not like some of his friends. He will always have to work harder than his friends to
Ethan’s educational needs are being met through the efforts and the support of his
family and teachers. There is frequent contact between parents and teachers to discuss
ways to better understand Ethan and his needs. He seems to be happy and is on the go all
the time with school and extracurricular activities. Everyone enjoys being around Ethan,
but some get bothered with the constant noises and extra energy he creates.
Concerning Ethan’s cognitive stage, he has done well, but struggles when the
teacher tends to talk a lot. His physical development is equal to or just a little behind that
of his peers. He does not have vision, hearing, or chronic health problems due to his
disability. He can use both large and small muscle groups. Additionally, Ethan displays
identity vs. role confusion in his socio-emotional development. In addition, he can use
autonomy in his decision making but tends to be a very impulsive in his choices.
Ethan’s strengths in math give him confidence and this is where he likes to
challenge himself. He is respectful and a joy to be around but tends to go overboard when
it comes to gaining attention. Ethan has recently been prescribed medication to help him
with his ADHD. His mother seems to think it has helped and Ethan feels that he is no
There are different learning strategies that would best support Ethan’s learning
and development. He would benefit in having a 504-plan set in place, so all his teachers
could assist him with his needs and understand his struggles. When Ethan gets frustrated
with his disability, it’s important that his teachers understand his condition to serve him
better. Ethan would benefit by integrating more physical and hands on activities during
the day to help lessen his disruptions. This approach gives him something to do with his
Every student is different and will shine in a different way. This project has made
me aware that ADHD is real, and it affects not only the student, but everyone that he/she
meets. Just because a student suffers from ADHD, does not mean a teacher can turn a
blind eye. Each teacher needs to educate him/herself and study ways to assist these
students and understand their struggles. By doing so, educators can help increase their
References
04 Dec. 2016.
Sousa, David. How the brain learns. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
"Teaching Students with ADHD." Teaching students with ADHD: Tips for teachers to
help students with ADHD succeed at school. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.