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Case: Smelly Kid I guess I am still considered a novice teacher because I have been teaching for four years only. I am an elementary school teacher who teaches in a mostly White suburban setting. Couple of weeks ago a new student joined my classroom. He and his parents recently moved from Eastern Europe. His father works at the local university as a music professor. I am not sure what his mother does. He is a wonderful child. Although he speaks little English, he tries to participate in class activities and to make friends with others in the classroom. Couple days after he arrived, I noticed a strange smell around him. I was sure that it was body odor. The other students in the classroom started noticing it too. They started making fun of him. I learned in my multicultural classes when I was at the university that not all cultures promote taking showers everyday, and that body odor is not considered a problem everywhere in the world. Now I have a big dilemma. If I tell my student about it, I might embarrass him. If I sent a note to his parents, I may appear disrespectful toward their culture. But the way he is treated in the classroom by the other students is becoming a real problem. What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I would set up a small conference for you and the parents in private. Relay the issue to them, but make sure that it is in a way that doesn't attack or threaten their views and beliefs. Just because they are Eastern European doesn't mean they follow that same cultural view, so instead of saying something like, "I know where you're previously from they believe this..." try saying, "I don't mean to be disrespectful or over step, but I want to make sure that *student's name* feels comfortable and ready for his day of school, and that he and his peers can work together and learn without distraction." Seeing as bullying has become a hot button topic as well, you might want to mention this to the parents as well. Explain to them, if they take offense, that you are truly trying to look out for the child, as other students have become aware of the odor and are picking on him. |
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