Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Smelly Kid I guess I am still considered a novice teacher because I have been teaching for four years only. I am an elementary school teacher who teaches in a mostly White suburban setting. Couple of weeks ago a new student joined my classroom. He and his parents recently moved from Eastern Europe. His father works at the local university as a music professor. I am not sure what his mother does. He is a wonderful child. Although he speaks little English, he tries to participate in class activities and to make friends with others in the classroom. Couple days after he arrived, I noticed a strange smell around him. I was sure that it was body odor. The other students in the classroom started noticing it too. They started making fun of him. I learned in my multicultural classes when I was at the university that not all cultures promote taking showers everyday, and that body odor is not considered a problem everywhere in the world. Now I have a big dilemma. If I tell my student about it, I might embarrass him. If I sent a note to his parents, I may appear disrespectful toward their culture. But the way he is treated in the classroom by the other students is becoming a real problem. What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) There are a couple of things at play here that you could address. First, it sounds like the other students are aware of the smell and have begun making fun of him for it. Though from other culture, I'm sure the boy is aware of this sudden change in peer interaction. He may realize the concern and work with his parents to address it before you ever mention it. If not, I would try to alleviate the issue first. Perhaps changing the seating chart, opening a window, using a scented plug-in, etc. You can also contact the school nurse or counselor for some additional strategies. At the elementary level, children are always going to be brutally honest with one another, so I'm sure he will not be the only one teased. A class unit on health and hygiene may be a general way to address the classroom odor. You are right, though, to be mindful of how you approach the subject with his parents. This is especially true as it is a cultural issue.