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!) I believe as a teacher, you have to be willing to do whatever is necessary to help the student feel appreciated, safe, and respected. The teachers willingness to "change groups" for the benefit of a student should not be viewed as a disservice. The disservice would be if you were to make her stay in the group dominated by boys. If she were made to stay in this group, as with the first group, she would probably not participate in any of the group activities. However, if she were moved into a group where she felt more comfortable, she would possibly be more open to learn to cooperate, exchange ideas and produce a product with her fellow group members, which, after all, is the main point.