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 not group Aisha with any males and only group her with females. Moreover, I may also give her a choice about who she wants to be grouped with. I think that a religious beliefs are very important to consider and I believe if you force her to be in a group with males then you are discriminating against her. Moreover, by grouping her with males you are not doing yourself good because she is refusing to do the work. I understand about working in the United States and having her get familiar with working with men in the future, however, the United States is also a place where you have freedom of religion and expression.                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes The suggested solution is original Yes Comments: I agree with your idea about giving her a choice about who she wants to work with. I think choice should be given to all students. As teachers, I think we try to avoid allowing students to choose groups because we think they will get with their friends and goof off. That can and often does happen, but once deadlines pass and grades are given, logical consequences begin. Students grow a little more wiser in choosing people to work with. Rated On: June 1, 2015 2:58 am Rated By: uqeXun