Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Cannot Cooperate Aisha is known as a responsible and smart student. I have known her for the last two years, but this year is the first time she is taking one of my classes. She is in my 10th grade US History class. Recently, I started using small group projects in my class. I simply want my students to learn to cooperate, exchange ideas, and produce the project together. Although Aisha is willing to take part in these small group projects, she does not want to be in groups with male students because of her religious beliefs. When she told me about this, I told her that she was in the United States and that she had to work with whoever she is in a group with. In the first group project, Aisha was in a group with three males and one female students. She simply did not participate in any of the group activities. I wonder if should reconsider my original position on this issue and accommodate Aisha by having her work only with girls. Would I be doing her a disservice? What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) Although Aisha might work with men throughout her life in the future, her religious beliefs might sway her to choose a profession or situations in life where she can avoid this. Therefore, pushing our beliefs onto Aisha is not only unfair, it is minimizing the importance of the values her religion has placed in her life. It is not fair for Aisha to not have the chance to participate in the class just because she is following the norms of her religion. The first thing I would do is put Aisha in a group of girls for the time being. Then, I would contact Aisha's parents and discuss the situation. I would ask them their thoughts on Aisha working with men, and if I felt like they were open, I would give them my reasons as to why I felt she should work in mixed groups. However, I also do not think giving parenting advice is best, especially concerning religion, so if I felt like Aisha's parents were very close-minded about the situation, I would prefer to do what is best for them. As Aisha grows up, she will learn if she wants to continue in the religion set before her, and she will learn to work with others.