Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Cannot Cooperate Aisha is known as a responsible and smart student. I have known her for the last two years, but this year is the first time she is taking one of my classes. She is in my 10th grade US History class. Recently, I started using small group projects in my class. I simply want my students to learn to cooperate, exchange ideas, and produce the project together. Although Aisha is willing to take part in these small group projects, she does not want to be in groups with male students because of her religious beliefs. When she told me about this, I told her that she was in the United States and that she had to work with whoever she is in a group with. In the first group project, Aisha was in a group with three males and one female students. She simply did not participate in any of the group activities. I wonder if should reconsider my original position on this issue and accommodate Aisha by having her work only with girls. Would I be doing her a disservice? What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I would discuss what has happened in the classroom and determine if these beliefs are as she says just to be sure and if the parents are okay with her being in groups with boys or if they would also prefer if she should be in groups with only girls. If it is an important rule to the parents as well I would definitely allow the student to only be in groups with girls. If the parents are okay with her being mixed in, I would do that. I would leave the decisions up to the parents unless they are not the same religion. If that is the case, I would research the said religion and determine where to go from there.