Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Cannot Cooperate Aisha is known as a responsible and smart student. I have known her for the last two years, but this year is the first time she is taking one of my classes. She is in my 10th grade US History class. Recently, I started using small group projects in my class. I simply want my students to learn to cooperate, exchange ideas, and produce the project together. Although Aisha is willing to take part in these small group projects, she does not want to be in groups with male students because of her religious beliefs. When she told me about this, I told her that she was in the United States and that she had to work with whoever she is in a group with. In the first group project, Aisha was in a group with three males and one female students. She simply did not participate in any of the group activities. I wonder if should reconsider my original position on this issue and accommodate Aisha by having her work only with girls. Would I be doing her a disservice? What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) Although Aisha will have to undoubtedly work with males in life, this is a special case. If Aisha had asked to not work with a particular female because she and the other student did not get along, a teacher would probably have worked to make sure the students didn't work together. I think the same respect can be afforded in this situation, too. I would explain to Aisha that a lot of effort would be put forth to arrange groups in which she didn't have to work with male students, but that it could not always be guaranteed (depending on the activity and/or group assignment). Given this level of consideration, I think Aisha would be more willing to work with a group (even if there was a male student) because she knew that the teacher was being considerate of her wishes.