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!) I think for the initial class the teacher could possibly create groups that are all boys or all girls. This way the others won't be wondering why there is just one group of all girls and the other groups are mixed up. I feel like this is something highschoolers would actually notice. I think the teacher should try to have a meeting with the parents and Aisha in order to confirm these religious beliefs. Once they are confirmed I would ask the parents if Aisha could possibly learn to work with males in the classroom, because, as someone else has already mentioned, it won't be the last time she is asked to do so. Eventually this could be a disservice to her if she plans to stay in America. I think Aisha needs to learn that men and women can and do work together in America.