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!) The first thing I would do is set up a lesson that would discuss taking care of yourself. This would not only help the one particular student but also help other students in the class. During the lesson you can incorporate how the body changes as you get older and talk about the importance keeping the body clean. This will not put the focus on the new student but on all of the students. They my help the new student become aware of his personal area and realize things are differnt in locations or cultures around the world. I would also make sure to talk in private with the students who are making fun of the new student. They are possible not aware of other cultures and need to be informed. -Kayla Mullins