Running head Observation Assignment 1
Observation Assignment
Kayla Hillmann
Liberty University
Observation Assignment 2
ABC Analysis
Observer: Kayla Hillmann
Fictitious name or initials of individual being observed: Benjamin Matyi
Date Time Antecedent Behavior Consequence Possible
Function
11/06/2019
9:54 English Teacher was
having students
read out-loud,
paragraph by
paragraph. When
Ben’s turn came, he
stuttered,
stumbling over his
words. Teacher
snapped at him and
told him to hurry
up.
Resulted in Ben
crying, and
walking with his
head down
outside of the
classroom. By the
time he reached
the office, he did
not want anyone
to touch him or
talk to him.
He sat within the
office for the
remainder of class.
Teacher did not
have to deal with
him in class.
Removal from
classroom. He
was able to
function more
clear within the
setting of the
office, away from
said teacher.
11/06/2019 11:04 Social Studies
teacher was having
students summarize
the chapter they
just read out-loud
in class. Along with
answering
discussion
questions. Teacher
asked Benjamin to
respond to
question.
Ben read out-loud
slowly and took
his time. He
looked to his
teacher for
confidence but
began to cry
because of what
had previously
happened that
day.
His social studies
teacher took him
outside of the
classroom and spoke
calmly with him.
Removing him from
the situation was not
per say a
consequence, as it
was to help him calm
down.
Ben was able to
sit back in the
office until Mrs.
Matyi came to
pick him up and
take him home
for the rest of the
day to recuperate.
11/08/2019 9:30 English teacher
asked Ben to read
out loud from one
of the paragraphs.
Ben refused to
read out-loud and
told his teacher to
“go away.” English
teacher became
more hostile
which caused Ben
to stop
responding to
redirection.
Ben was sent to the
office to have his
mother called. He
would not let anyone
come near him, and
mother did not
respond.
We spent the
remainder of class
sitting in office.
Removed from
classroom for the
rest of the day
until next class.
11/08/2019 11:34 Ben’s social study
teacher asked him
to read out-loud.
Ben refused to
read out-loud,
blatantly ignoring
Ben was taken into
the hallway, where
the teacher
Ben was able to
express how he
felt, in a calm
Observation Assignment 2
his teacher and
struggling to put
into words how
he felt. He put his
head down on the
desk and refused
to make eye
contact.
attempted to calm
him down, without
using hostility or
force.
setting. He did
not have to go
home, but was
still removed from
the stressful
situation.
Introduction:
The week before I observed Benjamin I had the opportunity to speak with his mother about the trials
and hardships that she had been going through in the last few weeks. Benjamin was having difficulty
reading out-loud in his classroom and his teacher humiliated him and told him to read faster in front of
his classmates. Later that day, a few of the older boys from his class shoved him into his locker and called
him stupid. Benjamin came home that day hysterical screaming that he wanted to die because he was
stupid and did not belong. The next morning his father had to take him into the school and put him in
the office kicking and screaming. Mrs. Matyi said her husband and her both cried that morning because
it was horrible to watch your child going through something like that and could not believe that the
teacher would call him out in front of people like that. She was aware that Benjamin had a learning
disorder as well.
Observations:
Day 1
Observation Assignment 2
Benjamin is in the fourth grade. He was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, sensory disorders, and
learning disabilities. I personally know this family, which made it easier for me to get approval to watch
him while at school. His mother explained they had been having a tough time getting him to school, as
every morning it is a constant battle. I quickly discovered that his teacher should not be his teacher.
They were currently reading a book as a class called, “Bridge to Terabithia.” It most definitely took me
back to being a child, as my fifth grade teacher would read a chapter to us everyday at the end of school.
Benjamin was extremely anxious and before he began to read he grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I
gave him a smile and encouraged him. He read what he could, (they were each reading a paragraph),
and the teacher looked extremely annoyed and impatient. She again told him to hurry up because
everyone else was going to fall behind, and he froze. He began to cry and I wanted so badly to say
something, but it wasn’t my place. She told him to go to the office. I quickly excused myself and caught
up with him in the hallway. I hugged him and told him it was going to be okay. Many people may have
said it was inappropriate but at that point my blood was boiling. When we arrived at the office the
principle asked me what had happened. I asked Benjamin to sit down and I began explaining to her that
this teachers behavior was extremely inappropriate. The principle apologized to me and brought
Benjamin into the office. It took a few prompts and cues to get him to respond to her questions because
he was so upset. I excused myself and called his mother. I told her I would work with him during week
nights on reading if she was okay with it. Her response was that she couldn’t pay me. I told her it wasn’t
about paying me, I don’t care about that. The principle allowed him to stay out of the classroom and we
sat in the office and did the reading and discussion questions ourselves. I had time to spare so I was still
about to go to one other class with Benjamin and it was his social studies class. His teacher was very kind
and patient. They were reading a chapter out of their text book and then taking a quiz. I told Benjamin
to stay calm and focus, to pretend it was only him in the room. He did so, and while he still read decently
Observation Assignment 2
slow, he accomplished it with no stuttering! He stayed focused the whole time. The teacher looked at me
with a beaming smile and he was beaming himself. That was most definitely my first AHA moment, and I
am not even a teacher yet! Throughout the day I was able to observe Benjamin with his friends, often
times I noticed when they would talk in a discussion group he would zone out, he would constantly be in
his own world. He drew a lot, which I observed and I believe it may help him cope with the stress of
being in a classroom. He does have a school guidance counselor he sees once a week and that seems to
help him cope with his emotional aspect of his disability.
Later that evening when I spoke to his mother, she told me that he came home happy as a lark and was
extremely proud of himself. He told his mother he wouldn’t have been able to do it without Mrs.
Hillmann and he wished I could come to school with him every day. She had to explain to him that I was
only there to observe, it was not part of my assignment to help. But that I had agreed to continue
helping him despite the fact.
Observation Day 2:
Today Benjamin seemed distant. When it came to his turn for reading he was had lost his spot and told
his teacher he would not read out loud. He refused to read and she looked at me shocked. All I could
think in the back of my head was that it was kind of her fault. I was not comfortable and did not know
what to do. I attempted to point out where the spot was within the book and he did not even read out-
loud for me. She increasingly grew a bit more hostile with Benjamin, telling him that she was going to
make him leave the classroom and sit in the hallway. He shrugged and ignored her. I could tell she was
getting angry and I was a bit worried that it would cause Benjamin to shut down even more and refuse
anymore participation that day. I was able again to attend Social Studies with him, but even in this class
Observation Assignment 2
he did not seem to want to be a part of any of it, he continued to draw in his notebook. While the
children were doing their discussion group and talking about current events, she pulled me aside and
asked me if I knew what was going on. I told her I had no idea and that he wasn’t even responding to me
in a positive manner. Before I left the school that day, the principle told me that his English teacher called
him a student with challenging behaviors. The teacher did not seem to have any patience with him and
wanted him removed from her classroom. While Benjamin did show some challenging behaviors that
day, I felt it was quite rude that she said it the way the principle portrayed it to me. His social studies
teacher believed it was because Ben knew I would not be returning.
Conclusion:
According to this article, “Students with learning disabilities characteristically demonstrate unexpected
underachievement and continued learning challenges in spite of appropriate instruction. Because
reading is fundamental to competency of all future endeavors, reading interventions have been the
focus of considerable public and professional attention.” (Bakk, 2013) It is important that his English
teacher is able to get a hold of herself and figure out how to work with him, instead of against him.
However, it seems as though his Social Studies teacher knew exactly what she was doing and how to
help Ben instead of humiliating him. This was most definitely an eye opening assignment. It was sad and
scary, but two or three weeks later I am still working with Ben in my free time. He is doing so much
better and has so much more confidence!
Observation Assignment 2
References:
Learning Disabilities : Practice Concerns and Students with Ld, edited by Jeffrey P. Bakken, and Festus E.
Obiakor, Emerald Publishing Limited, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=1133300.
