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!) You could use this as a jumping off point into outlining other cultures and contributors from those cultures. Maybe have students research their culture or different cultures and let them do a project where they "live a day in someone else's shoes." Because these are 5th graders they are not yet mature enough to totally understand and appreciate their own cultures. They are still young and that must be kept in mind when dealing with issues like this. You could also use this as a way to start discussions about why they feel this way and helping them to find things about themselves that make their culture "cool" too.