Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: I Wish I Were Black! As a teacher of 5th grade students, I try to make sure that my students have a good sense of all the people and cultures that make up this country. Last couple weeks, I paid special attention to the African American people who have made significant contributions to the US. We read a book written by Walter Dean Myers. We have studied scientists, writers, and political figures. Students were very engaged and interested in the content. Yesterday something happened that puzzled me. Three of my White students told me that they wished they were Black. This was not my intention when I planned all my lessons on contributions of African Americans. How should I address this issue? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I feel that children and young adults "wish" they were something else (race, size, social class) quite often. I would talk to the students about why they want to be black. I would guess it is because of all the successful things you told them about African Americans doing, but would explain to them that people of any race can be successful. If you have talked about a successful person of another race previously in the year, refer back to that person and make them aware of successful people of all races. Let them know the importance of their individuality and that anyone can be successful if they put their mind to it.