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!) The principal may not fully understand himself what you are trying to accomplish by using the dialog journals and might benefit by seeing your lessons in action. The journals have been successful for the students, in that they feel safe in writing things that you may not have discovered had you not been doing them. I would absolutely follow the correct procedures for Gail, and quickly. I would also speak with Warren, either in person or by writing back to him in his journal and asking him why he feels embarrassed. If he is feeling singled out, then I would thank him for his honesty and let him know that that was not your intention. Then change the way you approach teaching your multicultural lessons.