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 definitely do not think that Aisha should be punished for working with males because of her religious beliefs. It is, however, a difficult topic to address. If she does not have to work with particular students, then what are the grounds and guidelines for other students not working with particular students. As teachers, it is important not to have a double standard. There needs to be clear exceptions for working with particular students. If not, you are just going to have students that get upset because Aisha's beliefs were considered and not anyone else's. It is also important for Aisha to learn to work with others. When she graduates from high school, she is going to have to work with a variety of people whether she wants to or not. The same is true for when she gets a job after school. I think that you need to have a serious conversation with Aisha and even her parents about her not wanting to work with male students. This lets her and her parents know that you have her best interest in mind. After the conversation, I would come to some kind of agreement about who she works with in the classroom.