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!) I think it is good that the students see something in the people that are being studied that they want to emulate. I also think that it is really great that the teacher is focusing on different perspectives in the curriculum and incorporating the contributions of all races. I think when we teach about the contributions of different cultures we should not do it in a singular format. We should focus on the contributions and give various multiple cultural examples that are inclusive to all students. An example would be when you are studying scientists, study Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein but also study George Washington Carver and Marie Curie at the same time. This is to ensure that our students can take pride in their cultural identity while also seeing the contributions of people that different than them.