Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Smelly Kid I guess I am still considered a novice teacher because I have been teaching for four years only. I am an elementary school teacher who teaches in a mostly White suburban setting. Couple of weeks ago a new student joined my classroom. He and his parents recently moved from Eastern Europe. His father works at the local university as a music professor. I am not sure what his mother does. He is a wonderful child. Although he speaks little English, he tries to participate in class activities and to make friends with others in the classroom. Couple days after he arrived, I noticed a strange smell around him. I was sure that it was body odor. The other students in the classroom started noticing it too. They started making fun of him. I learned in my multicultural classes when I was at the university that not all cultures promote taking showers everyday, and that body odor is not considered a problem everywhere in the world. Now I have a big dilemma. If I tell my student about it, I might embarrass him. If I sent a note to his parents, I may appear disrespectful toward their culture. But the way he is treated in the classroom by the other students is becoming a real problem. What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) It is great to hear he participates even though he does not speak much English. He's transition into the US must have been very smooth. Where I teach the guidance counselor will talk to students about personal hygiene. Although this is part of his culture, I feel it is something that needs to be brought to his family's attention because he will be made fun of in America. If there is someone in the area from Europe and has made the transition to the hygiene regiments we have here, they could talk to the family about the differences. If not, read up on the culture and make sure you have the background knowledge before discussing this with the child or the parents personally.