Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Your Dad Looks Like Osama. Cultural awareness is important because we live in such a diverse country. As a teacher, I feel it is my responsibility to promote as much cultural awareness as possible in my 5th graders. As part my efforts, I invite people from diverse backgrounds to my classroom as guest speakers. I start with parents of my current students from various cultural backgrounds. Two weeks ago, I sent an invitation to the parents of my Arab-American student Mahmoud. Mahmoud's parents moved from Saudi Arabia to the US before he was born. His father works as an engineer in a large company and his mother is a nurse. I received an answer to my invitation the next day. Mahmoud's father agreed to come and talk to my class about his cultural and religious background. His guest talk was very informative and interesting. My students seemed to enjoy the session also. However, the next day I started hearing some of my students tease Mahmoud about his father's beard. They called Mahmoud's father "Osama." They asked him if his father was a "terrorist." I was shocked that despite my efforts to raise cultural awareness, my students gave into stereotypes so easily. Where did I go wrong? How should I respond to this situation? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I do not think that you went wrong anywhere. I think that the home upbringings and real world views of these students effect how they reacted. I would definitely have a class discussion and maybe show some pictures of other famous people that they love who look different. Explain to them how students are different but so are parents and their words hurt them. Read them stories of famous people who have been bullied or had similar confrontations. I would also maybe show them a clipfrom "Ugly Betty" the tv show and focus on how people made fun of her because of her looks. Use some play role acting to help the students understand better.