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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!)
In this situation, I think you would need to respectfully talk to the parents. Inform them of how their son is being treated because of his odor. Talk to them in a way that shows cultural respect and with only their son's best intentions in mind. I think you should also inform the class of the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. Address how being clean affects health and prevents diseases, but I would do this in a way that does not single this student out. I think that these are the best ways to approach this situation. By teaching the student the importance of cleanliness, you are showing him the cultural norm and his need to be clean, and by informing the parents of this need, you are hopefully reinforcing this behavior through parental intervention.
 
     
     
  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 think a lesson on health would be a great idea to implement in a lesson!
Rated On: July 10, 2015 2:37 am
Rated By: RaMevy
 
     
     
  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: Yes, very good post. I think that the parents would appreciate their child's teacher notifying them, it shows that the teacher cares.
Rated On: October 21, 2019 12:13 am
Rated By: ygyXeT