Activity 1.2

What should Johnny's parents do?

• Johnny's parents should meet with their son in a non-confrontational manner discussing his grades and behavior in school. By the tone of the passage, it does seem that the way his parents chose to talk with Johnny (the exact phrasing being "They confront Johnny about his poor grades and his behavior...") and that may have been too strong of an approach. 
• Johnny is obviously unhappy. But seeing as he is twelve, he could be entering into his angst-filled teenage years and be confused by the change in his life, mind and body. Johnny's parents should reassure their son that they are supportive of him and love him.  
• I would suggest a gentler approach when asking Johnny about difficulty at school - maybe deviating from the two parents against one kid model by allowing one parent to initiate the conversation in a friendly manner? 
• It seems like Johnny is feeling critiqued by his parents. It might be beneficial for the parents to also focus on what Johnny is excelling at: art. This may weaken the feeling of parental judgement and allow for increased intimacy in the relationship. No kid will want to open up to a parent if they only want to talk about the problem areas. 
• First off, I wonder how long it was before Johnny began acting out, (the passage mentions "as the days progress") and why it is that, according to his records at least, this is the only instance of this behavior?

 What should Miss Jones do?

• Miss Jones should make an effort to discover if there was a specific event in the classroom or school building that caused this sudden shift in behavior. If there was an altercation with other students, Miss Jones could try to ascertain  (very discretely) what occurred, and make an effort to correct the issues. 
• Miss Jones could make a pointed effort to include Johnny in all classroom activities. Since he won't include himself by his own accord, it could be that he uncomfortable putting himself out there and would benefit, even grudgingly, from a nudge in the right direction.
• Miss Jones should make sure that she doesn't allow her frustration or confusion with Johnny become apparent to him or the class; Johnny isn't just a kid that refuses to be good but rather, a 6th grader that needs help in order to succeed. 
• This could be a chance for Miss Jones to integrate new teaching styles into her curriculum. Now, I understand that she can't focus all her attention on just one student, but by utilizing more creative means of teaching, maybe Johnny and his classmates might benefit from the change. 
• I think that Miss Jones should meet with Johnny's art teacher in order to get a firmer grip on exactly how Johnny performs in art class. What does he really like? Does he prefer to work alone in this class too or does he actually get along with students in this class? Miss Jones could ask the art teacher for pointers in reproducing this beneficial effect on Johnny in a more traditional classroom setting. 

What is a likely explanation for Johnny's new problems?

• Johnny might be having a hard time making friends and might be feeling rejected if no other student makes an effort to reach out to him. It seems like lonely kids sometimes try to overcompensate for their emotions by pretending that they don't need or want any friends.
• Johnny could have gotten into an altercation with other students in class and as a result, refuses to take part in class or recreational activities with other students.
• Johnny may still be feeling upset about his recent move.
• On top of everything else, Johnny is about to enter his teenage years and has just entered middle school. Middle school is remembered by most as a notoriously difficult time, and it is possible that Johnny is merely feeling awkward and unsure of himself. 

Monty:

• The family should wait the three days that they were instructed before they make any major decision regarding their next big move. They should observe the dog as mandated. 
• In the meantime, they could make sure that Monty hasn't eaten anything outside that he shouldn't have or come into contact with any new substances. I had a dog named Gertie who got into some mouse poisoning one evening without us noticing. When she got sick (similar to Monty, actually), we couldn't figure out what was wrong until we found the empty container of poison. We rushed her to the vet where she was saved. If my mother and I hadn't found the poison she'd gotten into, we might never have understood what happened to Gertie. 
• I would recommend moving Monty into another part of the house where he might be monitored easily, while still allowing comfort to the dog (maybe the garage or shaded portion of the back yard).If Monty is kept indoors, he might need to be confined to a certain area for the safety of the children.  If he sleeps indoors, changing the bedding frequently if Monty continues to soil it so that he is comfortable is also necessary. 
• The heads of the family will need to discuss the lengths at which they are willing to go to ensure Monty's health if recovery is possible, including how much time, patience, money and resources they are willing to use. 
•  If it becomes evident that recovery is not possible, the heads of the family need to discuss whether or not Monty should be put down or allowed to live out the rest of his life. Considering the dog seems to suffering and the children might be further traumatized by living with a dying animal, the possibility of  putting Monty down must be discussed in full. 
• The heads of the family should discuss what is going on with the children, especially Jeffery who seemed particularly attached. They shouldn't be left out in the dark, especially if the worst was to happen, because then the shock may be even more traumatizing. 
• If the prescribed pills work after the three days and it seems like the situation is resolved, the owners should be on the look out for similar behavior in the future. If this occurs again, they should be able to nip the symptoms in the bud so that Monty can live as happily as ever.