Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         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!) I definitely would not abandon the free-write journals because this has been a way for students to open up and share their feelings with you. Gail's feelings may have never been discovered had it not been for these free-write journals. I would definitely share Gail's situation with the counselor immediately as this may be a serious cry for help. I would make sure that I did a better job of not singling out one culture for an extended period of time. I would make it a point to apologize to Warren Jackson if he felt like he was singled out at all. I would continue to celebrate and embrace 'cultural diversity' through journal writing. I would explain to your principal that students are often unable to express their feelings orally, and that by allowing them to use a pen or a pencil is sometimes the most effective way for them to express their feelings to an adult. I would let your principal know that cultural diversity is something that should be embraced and celebrated. Everyone should feel as if they belong and that their heritage is just as important as the dominant 'Anglo-Saxon' culture is. The principal needs to understand that you are giving the students multiple ways to express their feelings about what is going on in the world around them. You are also giving each and every student in your classroom the opportunity to express themselves freely and without prejudice in these journals. I think that the teacher should allow the students to write about whatever is on their minds once a week. For the rest of the week, I believe that the students should have to write about global issues or topics concerning their nation. The teacher could present hypothetical situations for the students to respond to in their journals. They could be given a problem that someone from another part of the world may face. Next, they must figure out how they would get themselves to safety. After they have been given ample time to produce an answer, allow them to share their solutions with one another. Then show them how people from that region of the world solve a problem like that. Providing them with opportunities like this would broaden their world perspective and still give them the opportunity to write what is on their minds.                 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 with your solution. Allowing students to write in journals to express their opinions and emotions it good. I also agree that maybe providing a global issue or topic concerning our nation would be a great way to have them observe other aspects as well. Students need to be able to express themselves and feel as though they are important and so is their culture or heritage. Rated On: June 11, 2014 11:55 pm Rated By: Kimberly Rahn                 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: Rated On: June 12, 2014 5:58 pm Rated By: wendy burns                 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. Rated On: October 15, 2015 1:48 am Rated By: uVeWar                 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: This solution adresses the strong points of the journals and overall is well thought out. Rated On: October 31, 2021 7:44 am Rated By: aPeQyG                 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: If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this. Rated On: April 3, 2023 3:36 am Rated By: uPanaS