Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: I Wish I Were Black! As a teacher of 5th grade students, I try to make sure that my students have a good sense of all the people and cultures that make up this country. Last couple weeks, I paid special attention to the African American people who have made significant contributions to the US. We read a book written by Walter Dean Myers. We have studied scientists, writers, and political figures. Students were very engaged and interested in the content. Yesterday something happened that puzzled me. Three of my White students told me that they wished they were Black. This was not my intention when I planned all my lessons on contributions of African Americans. How should I address this issue? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) Embrace it. Although it may not have been your intention in the beginning, a situation has been created in which a unique response has bubbled up. Ask the students why they feel that way today and not yesterday or last week? What part of your discussion and lessons conjured up this feeling with them? I think that because the students responded in this manner is a tribute to how well the unit and lessons were structured and taught as usually very little attention is given to issues of the history of other races in America.                 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 really like what you had to say-- it made me see this situation in a new light. As a teacher, I think it's important for us to ask the students questions to better understand their thinking. It would be beneficial to know why they wished they were black and what made them think that. Interesting read! Rated On: June 1, 2014 2:02 am Rated By: Haley Moore                 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: Discussion is key. Rated On: October 21, 2014 12:56 am Rated By: qyryMa                 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 your solution is right on track with the problem. I think the students are expressing how they feel and how they wish that they could make that type of impact on history. I would probably quesitons to the entire classroom, with some question of if you were that person would you do the same things they did? why or why not? Rated On: October 25, 2014 6:41 pm Rated By: VeHyge                 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 Yes The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No The suggested solution is original Yes Comments: I do like the dialogue however the missing piece is not discussing how the students should also embrace who they are. Rated On: February 26, 2015 7:02 pm Rated By: BeMyDu                 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 find that it would be the opposite reaction for the teacher rather than thiking it should be a tribute to how well the unit and lessons were structured and taught as usually very little attention is given to issues of the history of other races in America. I think it is important to see why they feel that way and to let them know every race has a an accomplishment somewhere somehow. Rated On: March 2, 2015 12:09 am Rated By: NaHuVa                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) No The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes 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: Although these seem to be beneficial questions I think you are looking at the scenario all wrong. I would not approach my students in this way. Rated On: March 3, 2015 12:00 am Rated By: eWeHaz                 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: Great post!!! Rated On: July 10, 2015 2:47 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: This is a great solution. Rated On: October 16, 2015 6:18 pm Rated By: uqeMeg                 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: This issue needs to be addressed not brushed over. Rated On: October 19, 2015 12:25 am Rated By: tygaBu                 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 No The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No The suggested solution is original Yes Comments: Very nice response. Rated On: March 4, 2017 2:36 am Rated By: Shelby Farrell                 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: This is not the appropriate way to deal with the situation. Rated On: March 5, 2017 10:15 pm Rated By: aTaqyW                 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: Good Rated On: October 3, 2017 5:58 pm Rated By: NuXepy                 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: Although it wasn't the teachers intention I don't think the best option is just to embrace it. Teachers do things everyday with the right intention but that doesn't always turn out the way they liked. I think the best option would be to ask the students why they feel that way and what things in the lesson have made you think this. That way there is room for improvement on the teachers behalf and could fix the lesson to use it next year. Rated On: October 16, 2017 5:07 pm Rated By: Xupuva                 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 feel that this solution is slightly inappropriate in encouraging students to wish they were different, especially within the color of their skin. I would not follow this solution. Rated On: February 25, 2018 3:06 am Rated By: Samantha Rey                 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 get where you are getting at but this could lead to further low self-esteem from the student if not addressed properly Rated On: February 25, 2018 7:05 am Rated By: epuMat                 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 No The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No The suggested solution is original No Comments: I did not agree with the solution. Rated On: October 13, 2018 3:16 am Rated By: yreQan                 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: Embracing it would not be effective. They need to understand that race does not matter. Rated On: February 19, 2019 3:48 pm Rated By: Tiffany Foti                 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 don't think embracing it will be a good idea but having a discussion with the students will be beneficial. Rated On: February 21, 2019 5:02 pm Rated By: ePegej                 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 No The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No The suggested solution is original No Comments: I do not agree with the solution because instead of focusing on why the students want to be African American the focus should be on the the student embracing and being confident in their own race. Even just embracing who they are inside and out because that is what really makes a person not race. Rated On: October 28, 2021 4:30 pm Rated By: mymaVy                 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: If I was in this situation, I wouldn’t use this solution. Rated On: November 1, 2021 12:59 am Rated By: karagan murfin                 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: agreed. Rated On: November 13, 2022 8:46 pm Rated By: buTuDe