Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Your Dad Looks Like Osama. Cultural awareness is important because we live in such a diverse country. As a teacher, I feel it is my responsibility to promote as much cultural awareness as possible in my 5th graders. As part my efforts, I invite people from diverse backgrounds to my classroom as guest speakers. I start with parents of my current students from various cultural backgrounds. Two weeks ago, I sent an invitation to the parents of my Arab-American student Mahmoud. Mahmoud's parents moved from Saudi Arabia to the US before he was born. His father works as an engineer in a large company and his mother is a nurse. I received an answer to my invitation the next day. Mahmoud's father agreed to come and talk to my class about his cultural and religious background. His guest talk was very informative and interesting. My students seemed to enjoy the session also. However, the next day I started hearing some of my students tease Mahmoud about his father's beard. They called Mahmoud's father "Osama." They asked him if his father was a "terrorist." I was shocked that despite my efforts to raise cultural awareness, my students gave into stereotypes so easily. Where did I go wrong? How should I respond to this situation? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I think an appropriate response to this issue is to present several examples of people that students often stereotype. Students could be split into groups in which they will be assigned a person. They are to write what they first observed about this person, and their initial opinions. Then they can research more into this person if he/she is famous, or be given the person's story. The people for this activity should represent diversities that students are sure to come by, such as disabilities, speech impediments, those dressed in religious attire, etc. These people should be remarkable regardless of their differences. This may not completely change their minds, but it can open their eyes make them understand diversity better. To really support this, students can be given an opportunity to share what they have encountered themselves, or what they have seen. This should happen in a trusting environment when the students have their guards down and are able to appreciate their classmates' courage.