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!) Your dilemma is very interesting. First I think you should continue to use the dialogue journals. They will enable students to articulate their feelings privately and will give teachers a positive means of communicating with students. Had the journals not been in place the school and parents may not have been alerted that there was a child in crisis who was contemplating suicide. You should seek guidance counseling for the student. I would also arrange a meeting with the students parents and guidance counselor to seek assistance for the suicidal student. I would also consult with the guidance counselor on strategies to continue teaching cultural diversity concepts in a way that could be less emotionally detrimental to the students. Perhaps you could team teach a lesson dealing with diversity and social emotional topics identified in students journals. Follow the principals advise by focusing on what unifies the students as an academically, culturally successful learning community rather than what separates students.                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes The suggested solution is original Yes Comments: I think this is a well thought out post. Rated On: November 24, 2014 2:36 am Rated By: Kim Lucas                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) No The suggested solution is relevant to the case No The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement No The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No The suggested solution is original No Comments: I would never do this! This is wrong. Rated On: March 4, 2017 11:28 pm Rated By: GyNyzu