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!) My first thought was along the lines of "she's going to have to work with males later in life, so shouldn't she start getting used to that when she is in school." Now that I have reflected on this case, I am somewhat ashamed that that idea ever crossed my mind. After all, we wouldn't make a student who doesn't celebrate Halloween due to their religious beliefs wear a costume and go Trick-or-Treating. In fact, we provide accommodations to meet the needs of individual students continuously in schools. It should be simple enough to accommodate this student's need of working in a group with females. As a teacher, it isn't our place to decide what is right or wrong within a student's culture. It is our job to provide a fair education to all students. In order for this student to learn and participate in the activity, she needs to work with females. I don't need to judge her culture and her future; I simply need to provide her with the accommodation so she can learn.