Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: De-emphasize Differences. I was recently assigned to the middle school in the Warren School District. The district serves a community that had once been an all-white middle-class enclave, but has recently become more diverse in its ethnic makeup. I am very interested in multicultural education. I instituted the use of dialog journals in my adviser group, telling the students that they can write anything they want. Some journal entries cause me concern. Warren Jackson, an African American, complains that my emphasis on African American culture embarrasses him. Gail Smith, a white girl, writes that her parents object strongly to her affection for Warren Jackson and that she is considering suicide. My problems come to a head in my first meeting with the principal. The principal suggests that I decrease his use of small groups, that I abandon my dialogue journals, and that I de-emphasize the multicultural aspects of my classes. He suggests that I emphasize similarities, not differences. I don't know what to do. I do think that my methods have some value but I cannot go against my principal. Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) Unfortunately it seems like your principal is not wanting to accept the changes being made in your school in order to better prepare your students for reality and their future. I would continue with the journals but instead I would give them specific topics to focus on. They could reflect on current events or over content being learned in class. This will still give students the opportunity to share their ideas openly but they will need to stay on a topic instead of being free to write about whatever. I would then discuss with your class different outlooks of different cultural perspectives on this current events or topics. I feel like this would be the solution I would take in this circumstance. I would definitely not ignore the differences in your students but I would help direct them in a better way of expressing these feelings so all students will see the value and understanding.