Fitting the school to the child: A case history of a child returning to school from brain surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy

Abstract

This ethnographic, teacher research case study focuses upon Valerie Clarie's return to school after surgery from brain cancer, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Situated in a whole language classroom, Valerie is entering her fifth year of school in a southwest public school system. Prior to this study, Valerie was placed in a traditional classroom setting receiving services on a pull-out basis from the special education resource teacher. This study was initiated during an attempt to mainstream Valerie into her whole language classroom on a full-time basis. It critically examines Valerie Clarie's special education and whole language classroom settings and curriculum. Utilizing work samples, journals, medical records, and school records, this study questions the appropriateness of each of these settings for Valerie, and seeks to discover which setting supports Valerie best in her academic and social pursuits. The study is additionally concerned with identifying Valerie's strengths as a learner. These strengths are documented and maintained using alterative assessments utilized in her whole language classrooms. Additional topics addressed in this study include issues of literacy, social structures of school, hegemony, special education curriculum, whole language curriculum, standardized testing, and brain cancer.