Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: De-emphasize Differences. I was recently assigned to the middle school in the Warren School District. The district serves a community that had once been an all-white middle-class enclave, but has recently become more diverse in its ethnic makeup. I am very interested in multicultural education. I instituted the use of dialog journals in my adviser group, telling the students that they can write anything they want. Some journal entries cause me concern. Warren Jackson, an African American, complains that my emphasis on African American culture embarrasses him. Gail Smith, a white girl, writes that her parents object strongly to her affection for Warren Jackson and that she is considering suicide. My problems come to a head in my first meeting with the principal. The principal suggests that I decrease his use of small groups, that I abandon my dialogue journals, and that I de-emphasize the multicultural aspects of my classes. He suggests that I emphasize similarities, not differences. I don't know what to do. I do think that my methods have some value but I cannot go against my principal. Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I like the ideas of journals, but maybe instead of allowing students to write whatever they want there could be specific assignment that reflected learning for the day, or gave you insight on what they know before you teach. Writing in responses to a lesson would give you great insight on what the students had learned and also give you an indication of what you didn't teach as well or need to review. It would also be beneficial to have them write what they know about something before you teach it to discover any misconceptions or gaps in learning. I would definitely sit down with the student who feels targeted…or write him back about why he feels embarrassed and targeted. The girl who has said she has considered suicide needs to be seen by the counselor.