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  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!)
My first step would probably be to schedule a conference with his parents to make sure they were aware of the problem. Before discussing the problem, I would share some positive information with the parents first, such as how well the student is doing in participation. If, like you said, it is something that is culturally acceptable in their country, I would respectfully explain to them, that the body odor is causing the student to be picked on by other students. I would also reiterate to the parents that I would not allow him to be picked on as long as I could help it, but sometimes, we aren't always with our students. I would again, tell the parents that the student is trying so hard to participate, and explain to them that the odor is hindering his participation. If this didn't help the problem, I would get my school counselor involved.