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!) I think the first thing that you need to do is actually find out if this is a cultural issue. You should not just assume that because he is Eastern European, his body odor is correlated to his culture, because this may or may not be true.It could be an issue of neglect or bad living conditions. If it is a cultural issue, I do not believe you should send a note home to his parents. This is a part of his culture and he may very well think that everyone else smells bad. You should warn him about some of the comments students may make, but you should also conference with the students to let them know that it is not appropriate to tease him because he smells different. There should be consequences if he is bullied just as if he was fat.                 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 also believe that sending a note home is not the right thing to do. This conversation should happen in person because it is such a sensitive subject. I do like that you pointed out not to just assume that he has an odor because of his cultural, but to go further. No assumptions can be made in this type of situation. Rated On: June 8, 2014 8:12 pm Rated By: Cierra` Barksdale                 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 agree that your solution could be affective in the classroom. I think the point that you made of having the teacher discuss the different comments that are being made towards him. I also agree that the first thing the teacher should do is research and possible ask around to see if this is part of the students culture. Rated On: October 25, 2014 6:24 pm Rated By: VeHyge                 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 2:36 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 4:39 am Rated By: Krystalynn Gulczewski                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) No The suggested solution is relevant to the case No The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement No The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No The suggested solution is original No Comments: I think that it is a discussion worth having because it is something that can be reversible. Rated On: October 21, 2019 12:04 am Rated By: ygyXeT