LearningJournalPartner: Background

My learning partner is an English speaking Caucasian ten-year-old male who is a homeschooled gifted and talented student. He currently lives in two different homes in the same county. His mother and father have separated their living arrangements for about one year now, and they continue to work through weekly marriage counseling sessions. My learning partner has one older brother who has Down syndrome and who will be attending a public high school in the fall. His older brother has always been mainstreamed at public schools that participate and appreciate full inclusion programs. My learning partner still suffers from Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) from a car accident that left him and his mother, the pedestrians, in the hospital for a month along with necessary follow up surgeries. Him and his family members are treating this with counseling sessions, faith in Christ, and natural supplements. They are an extremely authentic and organic family who exemplify forgiveness and passionate love. This family is exceedingly active in their community and presents a cultural awareness through their national and international travels and studies.

I know this ten-year-old active learner and his family on a personal level as a result of past employment and continual friendship. Therefore I have a base knowledge of my learning partner but am looking to research a greater phenomenon within his learning style and emotional/intellectual response to bibliotherapy. My learning partner and I will also collaborate virtually through Skype and Voice Thread in order to maintain a regular partnership regardless of geographic distance; this too will present observational data.