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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!)
I am a novice teacher as well as I have yet to have any experience teaching. If I were in this situation I would first ask my peer teachers if they've run into this sort of situation and how did they handle it. I would weigh their opinions and then do what I felt would reflect best in the eyes of the student as well as his parents. Perhaps research the student's culture online to see if you can find out if deodorant is not commonly used or if bringing this situation up would be offensive to the family. The most important thing is for the student to feel welcome and safe in the classroom and this will not be the case if he continues to be teased. I would remind the classroom of classroom rules and that any form of bullying is not tolerated. I think an in person meeting with the parents would serve better than sending a note home. Be sure to also express to the parents how well their son is doing in the class.