Index to MTeach Case Study No. 7 

"Norma"

The Setting

A fairly small, co-educational, inner-city, high school whose only unusual characteristic is a relatively large number of Aboriginal students. Because these students number about 1 in 10 in a school population of 500 it boasts a support unit, the purpose of which is to provide information and assistance in all matters affecting the education and welfare of the Aboriginal students in the school community. Attached to this unit are two aides, a male and a female, who are themselves Aborigines. Norma is a particular concern of the man, Geoff, who has established excellent rapport with her and is largely responsible for the success she is beginning to experience in her special program in classroom integration.

Other possibly relevant documents may be found in Teacher as Manager readings.

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The Characters

Geoff: The male aide attached to the unit who is highly regarded by staff and all students for his sensitive and successful work.

Norma: A fourteen-year-old Aboriginal girl in year 8. Norma is an accepted member of the community, living in a stable family and with no known problems, apart form the learning difficulties described. Norma's reading ability is about the same as an average six year old's. She was a virtual non-reader until Geoff and the STLD (Special Teacher, Learning Difficulties) designed a program to assist her and persuaded her to participate in it. This proved very difficult as she had all the usual resistance of the adolescent who has met with repeated failure in attempts at learning to read. Norma has one session a day with Geoff, working on the reading program designed by the STLD, but she attends classes in the mainstream at other times. Geoff has also negotiated with her classroom teachers so that they are aware of Norma's difficulties and have undertaken to ensure that Norma feels comfortable and unembarressed in "normal" lessons.

Julia: A recently qualified, young, Ango-Celtic English teacher who is beginning her teaching career as a "casual". This incident occurs on her first visit to this school. She has been called in at the last minute to replace a teacher who has suddenly been taken ill. The job is to last at least three weeks.

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The Scene

Julia was time tabled to take Norma's unstreamed year 8 class for English first period. The lesson began at 9. Julia had arrived at 8.30 and been given her timetable, a program, a pile of texts and an "introduction to our school" document by the HOD who them had to leave her to deal with other administrative matters.

Julia, who had been an excellent student teacher, has come armed with multiple copies of a number of short extracts and a series of activities based upon them which she knows should be suitable for the class in question. This preparation is a precautionary measure as casual teachers usually do not have time to acquaint themselves with programs before they are required to take their first lesson.

The lesson begins well. The class members are amused by the extracts and interested in the activities. Selected students are reading short passages aloud and then participating in a number of brief game activities. Norma is the the third student whom Julia asks to read aloud. Norma refuses. Julia, conscious that her authority is at stake with this new group, insists. Norma refuses again and Julia persists. Finally Norma throws the offending sheet on the floor, shouting, "I'm not reading anything for you, you f---- white bitch!" and storms out of the room.

Geoff and his colleague, Joan, were absent that morning at a short in-service course but they return at lunch time to find a sobbing Norma and an equally distraught Julia waiting for them. Julia had been advised to consult Geoff by the HOD whom she had not been able to speak to until the lunch hour began.

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Reflection Exercise

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1. Outline the immediate problem as you see it.

2. List the other problems/questions which this incident raises.

3. How should the immediate problem be handled, and by whom?

4. Explore the ways in which your list of problems/questions might be addressed in order to eliminate or lessen their harmful effects.

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The Actual Immediate 'Solution'

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Click here to view the Actual Immediate Solution.

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On-line Discussion of the Norma Case Study

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To participate in an on-line discussion of the case, in which you can post messages and respond to messages posted by others, click On-line Discussion of Norma

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