Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Don't Hold Hands Ade and Elsa are two 7th grade girls from Indonesia who joined our school couple months ago. I teach them Physical Science. They have well-developed English skills. Although they have an accent, they can communicate with teachers and fellow students. I am very sensitive to the needs of newly-arrived immigrant students, so I paid close attention when I heard rumors from other students about them. Students started spreading that Ade and Elsa were in a lesbian relationship. Apparently Ade and Elsa heard about the rumors; they came to me in tears. I asked them to tell me what was going on. What I found out was very interesting. Ade and Elsa have known each other since they were small children and they have always been best friends. Their families decided to move to the US together. Their fathers applied for jobs in the same company. They both received offers and moved together. Ade and Elsa were excited about going to the same school in US and continuing their friendship. In Indonesia, same-gender friends holding hands is very common and indicates friendship. When children at our school saw Ade and Elsa holding hands they thought that Ade and Elsa were in a lesbian relationship. I have to do something about this. I see two options before me: I will explain to the children in my classes that friends holding hands in some cultures is completely normal, or I will tell Ade and Elsa to not hold hands to avoid these rumors. The second option seems culturally insensitive, but if Ade and Elsa continue holding hands, rumors will continue even if I explain to my students the cultural side of their friendship. What should I do? If you have an original solution to this issue, please advice. Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I also agree with the other students that you should do both solutions. I would talk with the students about how various cultures work and then talk with the girls about our culture in America. Had the situation been the other way around I believe that a teacher in Indonesia would explain the traits of their culture had an American traveled there to live. It is important for us to accept other cultures but we should also share about our own. This would be a great opportunity for students to learn more about the culture and report on what they learned. At the same time the two new students can report about what they learned about the American culture. It might even be helpful to assign various cultures to the class so that they are learning about several cultures that might integrate into our area. One idea that you have to understand as a teacher is that you are not going to completely stop the rumors but you can educate the students and make them more aware of other relationships and cultures. This will help eliminate the terrible gossip and rumors. I have seen this in a pre-k class and around my school. We have a high population of Vietnamese students and their families work for a local manufacturing company. These students enter school at a very young age only being exposed to their culture. As a teacher I have had to teach them everything from simple language techniques to how to use eating utensils. The list of understandings is long. With that said I also teach my American students how to help these new students and teach them ways the new students live. This helps integrate both cultures into our classroom. -Kayla Mullins