Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Friday Prayer Mohammad joined my fifth grade classroom in mid-September. It has been about five months since he arrived, and he has been doing a great job on all subjects. He does not cause any discipline problems. He and his family are Muslims. My only problem with Mohammad comes every Friday. The 5th grade team at my school does weekly testing on Fridays to monitor student progress in Reading and Math. Therefore, we need all the students at school on Friday. Mohammad's father wants to take him to Friday prayer every week. I did some research and found out that the Friday prayer is a special prayer in the Muslim world. I want to respect their religion, but because of the Friday prayer, Mohammad has been missing the weekly tests. I talked to my colleagues to entertain the idea of changing the time of the test, but it does not seem possible because of the special area courses and other obligations we have on Fridays. So, my only other option is to ask Mohammad's father. I do not know how to go about this? Should I ask him? What if he says his son must go to the Friday prayer every week? What do I do then? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I think that you are doing a great job looking out for Mohammad. I too would talk to his father. I would explain the situation thouroughly so that his father understands that you do truly care about what's best for his son. If his father still refuses to send him on Friday maybe you all can work out some type of intervention plan and arrange his tests on another day or possibly before or after school. Your willingness to work with Mohammad shows that you are being culturally sensitive and you do care about your students and their customs.