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!) This is a situation that definitely needs to be addressed! Students can be very mean to "smelly kids" and you do not want this happening in your classroom. I would personally call the parents. You know that the dad is a professor so he should understand what it means to be professional. I am sure the dad would not go into work smelling. I understand that some cultures find it normal to not take a bath everyday but when it becomes a distraction something needs to be said. You are not trying to change the student and their cultural beliefs by no means, the topic just needs to be addressed to the parents. This situation could be the student simply refusing to shower. Communicating with the parents will be key to finding a solution to this problem. If it is strictly cultural differences I would suggest solutions. Prior to contacting the parents research the exact belief behind not showering in case that is the reason behind the student not showering. Then you can be informed on what they believe when you are suggesting ways to come up with a solution! You could also always sit him by an air freshener!