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Case: De-emphasize Differences.
I was recently assigned to the middle school in the Warren School District. The district serves a community that had once been an all-white middle-class enclave, but has recently become more diverse in its ethnic makeup. I am very interested in multicultural education. I instituted the use of dialog journals in my adviser group, telling the students that they can write anything they want. Some journal entries cause me concern. Warren Jackson, an African American, complains that my emphasis on African American culture embarrasses him. Gail Smith, a white girl, writes that her parents object strongly to her affection for Warren Jackson and that she is considering suicide. My problems come to a head in my first meeting with the principal. The principal suggests that I decrease his use of small groups, that I abandon my dialogue journals, and that I de-emphasize the multicultural aspects of my classes. He suggests that I emphasize similarities, not differences. I don't know what to do. I do think that my methods have some value but I cannot go against my principal.
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
First and foremost, if you have a student who has indicated to you that he or she may be considering harming him or herself or others, you are bound both ethically and legally to report it, using the appropriate channels. I have always used our counselor as my first step. It does not matter if these journals are private or confidential. You are a teacher dealing with a student, and there is no legal expectation of confidentiality as would exist between a doctor and a patient. Report this immediately.
I am interested in how your multicultural lessons could be embarrassing an African American student. Is it possible that your interpretation of multiculturalism has targeted African Americans more than other cultural groups? Or is Warren Jackson the only non-white student in the class? I can imagine how that would cause embarrassment for a student if that were the case. You should avoid singling out a student. Don't teach multiculturalism in such a way that the message comes across as praising a person from another cultural group for something that they did. Teach it so that the message is that there is a great person or group of people who did something amazing, and they happen to be from another culture.
This is a situation in which you may have to consider how far you are willing to go to do the right thing for your students. So far, the principal has suggested that you stop the journaling. If you analyze the way you are using the journals and make some strategic changes, and your principal is still opposed to multiculturalism and journaling, you may have to find a different way to teach the subject. You can't help your students if you are suddenly unemployed.
It is also worth mentioning that these are teenagers that you are dealing with, and embarrassment is their natural state. They may grow out of their embarrassment and appreciate and benefit from what you are doing. |
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| 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:
I think the main issue here is the female students suicidal thoughts. They must be addressed. |
| Rated On: October 16, 2014 11:43 pm |
| Rated By: Denise Lukacik |
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| 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: Great post. |
| Rated On: December 1, 2014 9:34 pm |
| Rated By: ePeHyM |
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| 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: I share your same view with this problem. The solution you provided cover multiple apsects of this issue. |
| Rated On: February 26, 2015 1:34 am |
| Rated By: uVataS |
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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 |
No
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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: You made an excellent point about the classroom demographics. It seems many teachers do focus on African Americans when discussion multicultural issues, and ignore other cultures not intentionally, but it happens nonetheless. It seems the exercise did spiral out of control and became about the relationship about two of the students in the classroom. After that issue gets sorted out, I still think there can be some type of writing activity, and you can still encourage students to be open but you have to put limitations on what they say weather via a rubric (which is what I would recommend) or some other type of strict guidelines that can be more directed rather than open allowing for situations like these to occur. |
| Rated On: June 14, 2015 6:23 pm |
| Rated By: Farhat Ahmad |
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| 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: Deeply said. Another idea is to still encourage writing in journals on their own. |
| Rated On: October 17, 2015 6:18 am |
| Rated By: nydyra |
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| 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: I am glad you addressed the same open ended uestions that I hadon my mind. But most importantly involving a counselor that your students are familiar with will allow the environment to not be uncomfortable. |
| Rated On: October 17, 2016 12:59 am |
| Rated By: Raven B |
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| 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: If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this.
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| Rated On: March 4, 2017 11:26 pm |
| Rated By: GyNyzu |
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| 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: This is a very detailed and helpful bit of advice which balances the challenges faced between principles and a principal. |
| Rated On: March 6, 2017 6:05 pm |
| Rated By: jyHyHy |
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| 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: Couldn't have said it better myself! |
| Rated On: February 25, 2018 6:55 am |
| Rated By: epuMat |
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| 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: I agree with this solution. |
| Rated On: February 21, 2019 7:51 pm |
| Rated By: GeQapy |
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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: This is a great point! I agree with you. |
| Rated On: October 16, 2019 6:09 pm |
| Rated By: JeTeQu |
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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: good idea |
| Rated On: October 18, 2020 3:47 am |
| Rated By: VePuWu |
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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: I like this and would use these steps and think about the points that were brought up. |
| Rated On: October 25, 2021 8:39 pm |
| Rated By: Colleen Buckwalter |
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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: This solution addresses the self harm aspect very well. |
| Rated On: October 31, 2021 7:42 am |
| Rated By: aPeQyG |
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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: Reporting should be #1 on everyones list. |
| Rated On: October 31, 2021 7:56 pm |
| Rated By: yhedyZ |
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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: If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this. |
| Rated On: April 3, 2023 3:33 am |
| Rated By: uPanaS |
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