Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: I Wish I Were Black! As a teacher of 5th grade students, I try to make sure that my students have a good sense of all the people and cultures that make up this country. Last couple weeks, I paid special attention to the African American people who have made significant contributions to the US. We read a book written by Walter Dean Myers. We have studied scientists, writers, and political figures. Students were very engaged and interested in the content. Yesterday something happened that puzzled me. Three of my White students told me that they wished they were Black. This was not my intention when I planned all my lessons on contributions of African Americans. How should I address this issue? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) So much emphasis has been put on white and blacks being different when in today's society those differences are becoming less and less evident. There seems to still be that dividing line between whites and blacks. These students appear to me just to want to be like their friends. They feel inspired by the African American's you've been teaching about and only want to be more like them. Perhaps you can encourage these students that it doesn't matter the color of your skin but that your dreams and goals in life will make a difference in the world around them much like the African American's they've been learning about.