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 would agree with the students that, "Yes, it is cool to be black." I would also add that it is cool be _____ or ___, or whatever race(s) they were. In my conversation with these students, I would suggest that there are great people everywhere and race is not a contributing factor. I would point out that people become great because they are passionate about something, they set goals, they work hard to achieve them, and they make sacrifices that ordinary people are not willing to do. I would encourage these students' to focus on being the best person they can be and continue teaching them about other cultures.