Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         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!) In this situation I would call the students and his parents in for a conference. I would explain to the parents what was going on in the classroom and why it was happening. This will help them understand the U.S culture on hygiene. I would then incorporate Eastern European traditions in one of my lessons to help the other students understand why this student does things differently. I would also explain to them that just because someone is different from you does not mean you are any better than that person.                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) No The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No The suggested solution is original No Comments: If all you do is punish the students making the comments, that is just going to intensify the situation and possibly make it worse. Rated On: October 17, 2014 5:05 pm Rated By: Sanubu                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes The suggested solution is original Yes Comments: I really like this possible solution! Rated On: February 22, 2023 6:08 pm Rated By: aVuSyT