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 love the thought of our dialogue journals. Your students are able to be themselves and voice their concerns and feelings about things that are going on in their everyday lives. This reminds of one of my favorite movies and one of the reasons that I started teaching; Freedom Writers. I think that you a class of mixed cultural students who are struggling and need to have a voice. I do think that you should continue the journals because you are learning so much about your students and as I stated you are giving them a voice. After talking with your principal I would recommend keeping the journals but also showing your students that they are more alike than different and have them grow into a tighter class.