CDE3701
ASSIGNMENT 2
DUE DATE: 4 JULY 2025
,QUESTION 1
Carefully read the case study below and then critically discuss and answer the
questions that follow:
CASE STUDY
Emily is a 9-year-old girl who attends a suburban private school where each classroom is
equipped with smartboards, tablets and an extensive library. Most of her classmates’ parents
are well-educated. The school offers a variety of extracurricular activities like ballet, coding
and foreign language clubs. Although Emily excels academically, she struggles with social
anxiety. She finds the pressure to perform well and fit in with her peer group too much. Emily’s
peer group values material wealth and social status highly. Her parents are involved in her
education and expect her to participate in multiple activities. That leaves little time for play or
relaxation.
The multi-cultural environment of the school exposes Emily to different perspectives
and languages and fosters her appreciation of diversity. The cultural events at school
allow her to explore various cultural practices, which broadens her worldview and
enriches her social experience.
1.1 Why does Emily feel pressure to perform well at school?
Emily’s sense of pressure stems from multiple sources. First, she attends an academically
rigorous private school where high achievement is normative, and most classmates come
from well-educated families. Secondly, her parents have high expectations enrolling her in
numerous extracurriculars and monitoring her progress, so Emily internalizes a need to excel
to satisfy both her family and peer environment. And then, the school culture likely reinforces
competition and achievement e.g., through honor rolls or gifted programs, making her feel that
any lapse could jeopardize her standing.
1.2 How does Emily’s peers’ focus on material wealth and social status affect her?
, When peers place a premium on material wealth e.g., designer clothes, the latest
gadgets)and visible social status e.g., popularity, exclusive friendship circles, Emily may feel
anxious about fitting in. Even though she excels academically, she may worry that her worth is
judged by possessions or social cachet rather than by her scholastic strengths. This mismatch
valuing achievement but feeling that status requires material symbols can heighten her social
anxiety and foster feelings of inadequacy or isolation, since she may feel unable or unwilling
to match her peers’ consumer-driven benchmarks.
1.3 What is social anxiety and how might it impact Emily’s daily life at school?
Social anxiety, clinically known as social anxiety disorder refers to an intense fear of being
judged, embarrassed, or humiliated in social situations. In Emily’s case, this might manifest as
dread before group work, reluctance to speak up in class, or feeling nauseous when
anticipating a social event. Daily, she might avoid participating in discussions, sit alone at
lunch, or dread extracurricular groups where she feels observed. Over time, this can impair
her ability to form friendships, contribute to classroom interactions, and enjoy typical aspects
of childhood.
1.4 How do the extracurricular activities Emily’s parents expect her to participate in
contribute to her stress?
While extracurriculars can be enriching, over-scheduling can rob a child of free time and rest.
Emily’s parents and by extension, the school expect her to excel in ballet, coding, foreign
language clubs, and possibly more. Juggling academics plus multiple clubs leaves her little
downtime to decompress, reflect, or simply be a kid. The sheer volume of commitments can
exacerbate her anxiety, because each activity carries its own set of performance expectations
e.g., auditions, coding challenges, and language proficiency. And as a result, Emily may feel
chronically stressed and unable to recharge.
1.5 Why is it important that Emily has time to play and relax?
Unstructured play and relaxation are critical for emotional regulation, creativity, and overall
well-being. From a developmental standpoint, play allows children to process stress, build
resilience, and explore social roles without the pressure of formal evaluation. If Emily never
has downtime, she cannot recover from academic or social stressors, increasing her risk of
burnout. But, play supports healthy brain development enhancing problem-solving, fostering
ASSIGNMENT 2
DUE DATE: 4 JULY 2025
,QUESTION 1
Carefully read the case study below and then critically discuss and answer the
questions that follow:
CASE STUDY
Emily is a 9-year-old girl who attends a suburban private school where each classroom is
equipped with smartboards, tablets and an extensive library. Most of her classmates’ parents
are well-educated. The school offers a variety of extracurricular activities like ballet, coding
and foreign language clubs. Although Emily excels academically, she struggles with social
anxiety. She finds the pressure to perform well and fit in with her peer group too much. Emily’s
peer group values material wealth and social status highly. Her parents are involved in her
education and expect her to participate in multiple activities. That leaves little time for play or
relaxation.
The multi-cultural environment of the school exposes Emily to different perspectives
and languages and fosters her appreciation of diversity. The cultural events at school
allow her to explore various cultural practices, which broadens her worldview and
enriches her social experience.
1.1 Why does Emily feel pressure to perform well at school?
Emily’s sense of pressure stems from multiple sources. First, she attends an academically
rigorous private school where high achievement is normative, and most classmates come
from well-educated families. Secondly, her parents have high expectations enrolling her in
numerous extracurriculars and monitoring her progress, so Emily internalizes a need to excel
to satisfy both her family and peer environment. And then, the school culture likely reinforces
competition and achievement e.g., through honor rolls or gifted programs, making her feel that
any lapse could jeopardize her standing.
1.2 How does Emily’s peers’ focus on material wealth and social status affect her?
, When peers place a premium on material wealth e.g., designer clothes, the latest
gadgets)and visible social status e.g., popularity, exclusive friendship circles, Emily may feel
anxious about fitting in. Even though she excels academically, she may worry that her worth is
judged by possessions or social cachet rather than by her scholastic strengths. This mismatch
valuing achievement but feeling that status requires material symbols can heighten her social
anxiety and foster feelings of inadequacy or isolation, since she may feel unable or unwilling
to match her peers’ consumer-driven benchmarks.
1.3 What is social anxiety and how might it impact Emily’s daily life at school?
Social anxiety, clinically known as social anxiety disorder refers to an intense fear of being
judged, embarrassed, or humiliated in social situations. In Emily’s case, this might manifest as
dread before group work, reluctance to speak up in class, or feeling nauseous when
anticipating a social event. Daily, she might avoid participating in discussions, sit alone at
lunch, or dread extracurricular groups where she feels observed. Over time, this can impair
her ability to form friendships, contribute to classroom interactions, and enjoy typical aspects
of childhood.
1.4 How do the extracurricular activities Emily’s parents expect her to participate in
contribute to her stress?
While extracurriculars can be enriching, over-scheduling can rob a child of free time and rest.
Emily’s parents and by extension, the school expect her to excel in ballet, coding, foreign
language clubs, and possibly more. Juggling academics plus multiple clubs leaves her little
downtime to decompress, reflect, or simply be a kid. The sheer volume of commitments can
exacerbate her anxiety, because each activity carries its own set of performance expectations
e.g., auditions, coding challenges, and language proficiency. And as a result, Emily may feel
chronically stressed and unable to recharge.
1.5 Why is it important that Emily has time to play and relax?
Unstructured play and relaxation are critical for emotional regulation, creativity, and overall
well-being. From a developmental standpoint, play allows children to process stress, build
resilience, and explore social roles without the pressure of formal evaluation. If Emily never
has downtime, she cannot recover from academic or social stressors, increasing her risk of
burnout. But, play supports healthy brain development enhancing problem-solving, fostering
