Family Dynamic Paper

Name: Kasim Jawad (name changed for confidentiality)
Age: 10
Family Dynamic: Lives with mother (father working overseas), one older sibling(sister), middle class family

Why did I choose this client?
I was informed about Kasim by my placement supervisor on my first day of placement. She mentioned to me that she struggled with Kasim because at times he displayed disrespectful behaviour towards her. He is an above average student, however, the big issue with his academics is his effort. He is also very aware and very mature for his age. He is given tasks which are arguably greater than what’s expected for his age such as walking home alone or taking the bus alone. He enjoys being the center of attention and helping others. Kasim always prefers

Gender roles in this background are different to North American society. At times the female is less respected than the male, and her word is not taken as seriously as the males. This can affect Kasim’s development because we see that both his teachers are female, and when they give instructions, Kasim feels as though he has the ability to refuse the command because he is a male. Kasim is also much younger than his older sister, and is given the most attention at home since he is the little boy of the family.
Socio-economic status: Kasim’s family is a middle class family. The family has the means to provide almost everything their children could ask for. With Kasim being the youngest child and the only boy, he is definitely spoiled by his family with shows in his actions at school.
Past schooling experience: Kasim is in his first year at SMY after being bullied at his previous school. He is comfortable speaking about the events that occurred and has openly stated that he is happy at SMY. Being in a new environment and not knowing anyone is another struggle Kasim faces.

Resiliency

One has been not allowing him into the classroom in the morning without a smile. Kasim is an emotional child whose emotions are visible on his face, therefore when the teacher or I stand by the door and sees that he isn’t in a good mood, we ask him to walk out the class and try again with a smile. Another strategy used by the teacher and I in the classroom is not offering him help with the work unless he has read the instructions three times over. If he refuses to do the assigned work, he is reminded of the consequences for his actions, which then brings his focus back to the work. Also, in gym class the strategy that the gym teacher and I use is to ask Kasim to step back and think about where he is, as he is a competitive boy who enjoys