Although Dondra and I had a positive interview experience, I chose to keep the interventions I implemented focused on Jase’s peer relationships at school rather than try to implement and monitor interventions at her home. The problem solving survey was very informative and gave me some ideas for interventions not only for Jase, but to help my entire class become more independent problem solvers.

A few years ago I read the book Positive Discipline by Jane Nelson (1996). The book describes ways to help children become independent problem solvers through class meetings. Although I continued the practice of class meetings with my students, I referred to the book to help me find a way to allow Jase to express her feelings immediately after a problem has occurred without interrupting instruction. I was quickly reminded of the class agenda. As Nelson (1996) describes it, an agenda is used so the teacher does not get distracted by minor student conflicts. When a child has a problem, they write their name and the problem on paper and place it in a designated spot. During a class meeting, the papers are read aloud and if the situation is still a problem, each class member has an opportunity to suggest a solution as the teacher writes all the solutions on chart paper (p. 141). I introduced this procedure to my class in February. Whenever students came to me with a problem, I said, "Put it in the agenda box." Jase quickly caught on to this procedure and even now I often find her long notes filled with exclamation points in the agenda box. Writing down her problems gives Jase an opportunity to express her feelings without disrupting class.

Another intervention I used to help Jase was a carryover from a program my students had been exposed to for many years through the guidance counselor’s lessons. Kelso’s Choice (1994) is a program designed to teach children specific strategies to solve problems. It includes the use of modeling, dramatizing, stories, and visual aids to teach eight different methods to solve a small problem. The program begins by teaching the difference between small and big problems, which we reviewed as a class. I then read the surveys that the children filled out aloud to the whole class. I stressed that different children had different preferences for solving problems and that they were all correct and acceptable. Over the course of the next few weeks, I had each child role play their favorite way to solve a problem and an additional method with which they were not so comfortable. I also placed a visual aid on each child’s desk to remind them of the different strategies to solve problems. I used the visual aids as a reminder to Jase that not all students use the same methods to solve problems. This was especially useful when Jase could not understand why someone wasn’t listening to her express her feelings about a problem situation.

The information I gathered also helped me realize that I would need to change the way I handled Jase’s emotional responses to conflicts with other students. In the past, I often told her to get herself under control so she could rejoin the class. I realized through my conversations with Dondra and observing Jase, that she needed to have her feelings validated by someone before she was able to do that. Many times the student with whom she had the conflict needed time to calm down before talking; sometimes a student was not able to talk about it at all because of emotional difficulties. So I changed the way I reacted to Jase by becoming more comforting. I listened to what she had to say, and if the other student was physically and emotionally available, I had them listen also. I would then paraphrase what she told me so she knew I was listening closely. Sometimes I would give her an example of a time when I felt the same way. I was reminded to do this when I read, "Adults often show interest in having children share, but do not demonstrate mutual respect by sharing themselves" (Nelson, 1996, p. 119). This response from me seemed to help Jase refocus and move on with her day more quickly.

I also intervened by giving Jase more opportunities to be around Kebran, the other African American girl in third grade. Kebran seemed to be one of the only children who accepted Jase and treated her as a friend consistently. Kebran’s teacher and I worked out some times when the girls could be together in academic and nonacademic situations. Kebran began coming to our room for one hour per week for math. Not only did Jase look forward to this time each week, but Kebran was able to help her stay focused on her work.