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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!)
I really like the possible solution of speaking to the students who are doing the bullying in private in attempt to remedy the issue. Students from other cultures need to understand and respect people who are not exactly the same as them. The world is full of unique cultures that should be cherished. If that does not work I would get a school counselor involved and punish the students who are bullying the Eastern European student. |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
No
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
No
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
No
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
No
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| The suggested solution is original |
No
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| Comments: I agree picking on other students is very wrong, but this smell might not be cultural at all i could be something harmful to the student like rotting skin that has gone unnoticed at home. I think discussing this situation with the family and student is the best solution. |
| Rated On: October 19, 2014 1:49 pm |
| Rated By: Adam Sanchez |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
No
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
No
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| The suggested solution is original |
No
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| Comments: Only telling the kids that they need to have good hygiene is useless if they already think they do, and punishing the kids is not necessarily going to make them care. |
| Rated On: October 17, 2015 6:00 am |
| Rated By: nydyra |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Talking to the other students might help for a little while but I don't think that it is going to be a lasting solution because anytime you have a new student you have to let the new student know why he is smelling. I think the teacher should find a solution to waht he has to do so that the odor will not be as strong as it is at the moment. |
| Rated On: October 25, 2015 5:18 pm |
| Rated By: yWasyD |
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