Case Study
Autumn Howard was born August 16th, 2012 to a nineteen-year-old single mother. She is four years of age. Autumn is a she, she is 40 inches tall and weighs 45 pounds. Autumn is an only child to her mother Regina Howard. I chose Autumn because even from my first observation for 1404 Intro, she has been at my hip. She asks to go home with me and tells me she loves me every day and I love her.
Autumn’s family is comprised of her mother Regina, and her Grandmother Joy with whom they live. Regina works at a plant and Grandma Joy works for DHHS as a child protective services worker for Ingham County. Autumn’s family is an average African American middle-class Detroit family. Autumn is a happy and healthy 4-year-old born prematurely but naturally at 5 pounds 2 ounces, 19 inches long. She also just recently lost her first tooth! Autumn is meeting developmental milestones at an appropriate rate. She can hop on one foot during transitions, do a somersault, she takes swim lessons, and can speak very clearly.
Autumn Howard was born August 16th, 2012 to a nineteen-year-old single mother. She is four years of age. Autumn is a she, she is 40 inches tall and weighs 45 pounds. Autumn is an only child to her mother Regina Howard. I chose Autumn because even from my first observation for 1404 Intro, she has been at my hip. She asks to go home with me and tells me she loves me every day and I love her.
Autumn’s family is comprised of her mother Regina, and her Grandmother Joy with whom they live. Regina works at a plant and Grandma Joy works for DHHS as a child protective services worker for Ingham County. Autumn’s family is an average African American middle-class Detroit family. Autumn is a happy and healthy 4-year-old born prematurely but naturally at 5 pounds 2 ounces, 19 inches long. She also just recently lost her first tooth! Autumn is meeting developmental milestones at an appropriate rate. She can hop on one foot during transitions, do a somersault, she takes swim lessons, and can speak very clearly.
Autumn can write her first and last name, spell her mother Regina’s name, and can recite their home phone number. Autumn had not previously attended any schools and was cared for by other relatives. She has attended the Great Start Readiness Program since the beginning of the school year and has only been absent once. Autumn enjoys the water table, catching frog’s at home, and coloring Doc McStuffins. Autumn is just one of the sixteen preschoolers in the room, and one of Ms. Gordon’s eight. Grandma Joy is mostly involved, whether it’s via the Dojo application or attending field trips.
Physical Development
Autumn moves in nonlocomotor ways during ‘dance parties’ and describing how she is dancing. “Ms. Victoria watch me, watch me!” She says as she twists her hips and legs to the music without moving her arms or feet. Autumn runs, does jumping-jacks, and can play a version of hopscotch with fluidity. During outdoor play Autumn had a bounce race with Kori to see who could bounce on the hoppity hop ball to the fence first. Autumn also loves going to dance class. “Ms. Victoria this is how you point your toes” she says and she points her left foot with her arms above her head. To further Autumn’s physical development, we could try skipping to the fence instead of bouncing or drawing a chalk line to jump over.
Cognitive Development
Autumn can create fantasy constructs and imaginative scenarios without being prompted. Her favorite role to play is Doc McStuffins in the house area. “Kori you have a cold and with this shot and a band aid and a cuddle you will be all better!” Autumn says to Kori as the play in the house area. “Ms. Victoria did you know I have a big book of boo-boos at my home?” Autumn asks me during discovery play. “Look this book has blue, red, yellow, and green!” Autumn says excitedly while showing Ms. Gordon her new sticker book. To further Autumn’s cognitive development, we could work on painting with the colors she doesn’t always remember the name of and sing songs like the “purple” song. As a recommendation to promote Autumn’s growth is focusing on more than one relationship at a time and being able to recognize different shades of colors once she has mastered them in their original state.
Social and Emotional Development
Autumn enjoys singing, dancing, and acting out scenes. She likes being the same as her friends. “Look Ms. Gordon Kori has pink on her shoes like me! We match!” Autumn said as the class was coming in from outside. Autumn is able to build relationships with her peers and adults and express her feelings with words. “But I had it FIRST!” yelled Autumn from across the room. Another student had taken something she was playing with; she is able to verbalize her frustration without being physical. Autumn also loves to help! “Here Ms. Victoria I will be the door holder.” Autumn holds the door as everyone comes back in the room from the gym. To further Autumn’s social and emotional development is by teaching her an understanding of helping without the presence of an adult or teacher. Being kind because she wants to not because she feels she has to.
Language Development
Autumn loves dramatic play and telling stories. She can describe events and talk to others about personally meaningful experiences. While playing in the house area if she is not Doc McStuffins, she is the “mom” and always holding phone conversations. “Girl you are something else.” Autumn said to Ms. Victoria while engaging in dramatic area play. “Autumn who taught you that?” Ms. Victoria asked while laughing. “My mommy says it to her friends.” She responded. “I know what I can tell!” Autumn says excitedly while getting ready to do journals. “I got to see Disney on ice!”. Autumn and Kori begin to discuss the experiences they had going to the show and telling each other their favorite part. A recommendation to further Autumn’s language development would be to join her in her dramatic play and using proper terms and correcting her words within her stories to introduce her to new words and expand her vocabulary.
Approach to Learning
Autumn thoroughly enjoys playing with the wooden blocks during discovery time. “Look Mrs. Benton it’s taller than my other one.” It’s always her first choice, Autumn conveys an approach to learning by choosing to play with blocks. She also plans to enhance her sculptures each time she builds. Just like with her art, she loves drawing and executes a plan to use more colors and a pattern each time to create a more immaculate drawing. “Mrs. Jones I used more pink this time, your favorite color.” While drawing Rian took the crayons from Autumn, “that’s mine!” Autumn cried and Rian replied with “but you weren’t using it right now, can I give it back when I’m done” “that’s okay” said Autumn. They continued to color without any issue. A recommendation for Autumn would be to say how she feels without raising her voice.
Creative Development
Autumn always has her creative juices flowing. During writer’s workshop, where the children either draw in the journal’s, match rhyming words, or identify letter recognition, Autumn was looking at the alphabet and noticed “Look Ms. Victoria p is b upside down and they kinda look like q!” Autumn has also developed control of her body through creative movement. She will ask for our attention to watch her “Watch me I’m flying like a butterfly” Autumn said as she fluttered around the classroom during a dance party. After reading the Eric Carle book “A Very Quiet Cricket” and seeing his collage technique and distinctive art Autumn created her own dimensional cricket. “I tried to make my cricket like the story, see.” Autumn said as she proudly held up her work. To further Autumn’s creative development can help her draw more connections to the things we do in class, with real life situations.
Physical Development
Autumn moves in nonlocomotor ways during ‘dance parties’ and describing how she is dancing. “Ms. Victoria watch me, watch me!” She says as she twists her hips and legs to the music without moving her arms or feet. Autumn runs, does jumping-jacks, and can play a version of hopscotch with fluidity. During outdoor play Autumn had a bounce race with Kori to see who could bounce on the hoppity hop ball to the fence first. Autumn also loves going to dance class. “Ms. Victoria this is how you point your toes” she says and she points her left foot with her arms above her head. To further Autumn’s physical development, we could try skipping to the fence instead of bouncing or drawing a chalk line to jump over.
Cognitive Development
Autumn can create fantasy constructs and imaginative scenarios without being prompted. Her favorite role to play is Doc McStuffins in the house area. “Kori you have a cold and with this shot and a band aid and a cuddle you will be all better!” Autumn says to Kori as the play in the house area. “Ms. Victoria did you know I have a big book of boo-boos at my home?” Autumn asks me during discovery play. “Look this book has blue, red, yellow, and green!” Autumn says excitedly while showing Ms. Gordon her new sticker book. To further Autumn’s cognitive development, we could work on painting with the colors she doesn’t always remember the name of and sing songs like the “purple” song. As a recommendation to promote Autumn’s growth is focusing on more than one relationship at a time and being able to recognize different shades of colors once she has mastered them in their original state.
Social and Emotional Development
Autumn enjoys singing, dancing, and acting out scenes. She likes being the same as her friends. “Look Ms. Gordon Kori has pink on her shoes like me! We match!” Autumn said as the class was coming in from outside. Autumn is able to build relationships with her peers and adults and express her feelings with words. “But I had it FIRST!” yelled Autumn from across the room. Another student had taken something she was playing with; she is able to verbalize her frustration without being physical. Autumn also loves to help! “Here Ms. Victoria I will be the door holder.” Autumn holds the door as everyone comes back in the room from the gym. To further Autumn’s social and emotional development is by teaching her an understanding of helping without the presence of an adult or teacher. Being kind because she wants to not because she feels she has to.
Language Development
Autumn loves dramatic play and telling stories. She can describe events and talk to others about personally meaningful experiences. While playing in the house area if she is not Doc McStuffins, she is the “mom” and always holding phone conversations. “Girl you are something else.” Autumn said to Ms. Victoria while engaging in dramatic area play. “Autumn who taught you that?” Ms. Victoria asked while laughing. “My mommy says it to her friends.” She responded. “I know what I can tell!” Autumn says excitedly while getting ready to do journals. “I got to see Disney on ice!”. Autumn and Kori begin to discuss the experiences they had going to the show and telling each other their favorite part. A recommendation to further Autumn’s language development would be to join her in her dramatic play and using proper terms and correcting her words within her stories to introduce her to new words and expand her vocabulary.
Approach to Learning
Autumn thoroughly enjoys playing with the wooden blocks during discovery time. “Look Mrs. Benton it’s taller than my other one.” It’s always her first choice, Autumn conveys an approach to learning by choosing to play with blocks. She also plans to enhance her sculptures each time she builds. Just like with her art, she loves drawing and executes a plan to use more colors and a pattern each time to create a more immaculate drawing. “Mrs. Jones I used more pink this time, your favorite color.” While drawing Rian took the crayons from Autumn, “that’s mine!” Autumn cried and Rian replied with “but you weren’t using it right now, can I give it back when I’m done” “that’s okay” said Autumn. They continued to color without any issue. A recommendation for Autumn would be to say how she feels without raising her voice.
Creative Development
Autumn always has her creative juices flowing. During writer’s workshop, where the children either draw in the journal’s, match rhyming words, or identify letter recognition, Autumn was looking at the alphabet and noticed “Look Ms. Victoria p is b upside down and they kinda look like q!” Autumn has also developed control of her body through creative movement. She will ask for our attention to watch her “Watch me I’m flying like a butterfly” Autumn said as she fluttered around the classroom during a dance party. After reading the Eric Carle book “A Very Quiet Cricket” and seeing his collage technique and distinctive art Autumn created her own dimensional cricket. “I tried to make my cricket like the story, see.” Autumn said as she proudly held up her work. To further Autumn’s creative development can help her draw more connections to the things we do in class, with real life situations.