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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!)
First of all, you can't make someone change cultural ways. So, incorporating the family in making the student transform to the American ways is not ethical. I would begin by eliminating the behavior issues first in class. I would explain that rudeness will not be tolerated and neither will disrespect. I would then have a lesson to discuss cultures, self-esteem, self-concept and personalities. This way the students will understand how everyone feels about themselves is just as important as how they feel about themselves. We would then begin to discuss culture and rituals. This could lead into a research project and a trip to the media center in order for each student to learn a new culture and rituals. Then presenting them to the class will allow each student to let classmates understand that everyone is different. I would allow the new student to research another culture and not his own. Each student would then have to compare his culture to the culture that was researched. Comparing and contrasting each will help them to see there are differences.
 
     
     
  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: Great response! It needs to be a group discussion not just one on one. The students need to know about being different.
Rated On: October 17, 2014 5:01 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: Great post!!!
Rated On: July 10, 2015 2:42 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: I think you present some great ideas
Rated On: October 18, 2015 4:40 am
Rated By: Krystalynn Gulczewski