Essay Items

Use the following vignette for items 77 and 78.

Henry Martinez, whose native language is Spanish, is a fifth grader who came to Roni Davidson’s class a month after school began.  As she did with any new student, Roni checked on Henry’s background, so she could try to better meet any special needs that he might have. She found that his parents were divorced shortly after they had immigrated to this country from the Philippines.  Henry lives with his mother, who is transferred regularly in her job as a government liaison for minority federal programs.  Henry has attended four different schools in the last 3 years.  In a letter to the school, Mrs. Martinez expressed concern over the frequent moves, but said she couldn’t afford to give up her $40,000-a-year job.  She also proudly pointed out that Henry was an all-star on his youth soccer team at the last school he attended.  Henry speaks of her and his two younger sisters often, frequently citing examples of some of the fun things they do together on the weekends and the interesting stories his mother reads to them in the evenings.

77.Consider the description of Henry Martinez.  Identify two characteristics that tend to make Henry a student placed at risk.

78.Now identify one characteristic for Henry that is unlike typical students placed at risk.

79. Describe four guidelines that teachers can use in their attempts to work effectively with students placed at risk.