Great comment. I agree with this as well. She should not have to do something she doesn't want to do because of what HE thinks. That is unfair.

Well that reply to the your comment stating, "she should not have to do something just because HE wants her to" is just bogus. That is a very close-minded and stubborn thing to say. He is the teacher and he has to make rules, just like a company makes rules and we have to abide by them, just like a college makes rules and we have to abide by them, etc. I agree that things should be adjusted based on her religious beliefs, but I don't think they should be adjusted so quickly and so freely. There definitely needs to be further investigation. Obviously it's not the first day of school, so if she had a religious belief that went against working with males, wouldn't her mother or father said something beforehand? Wouldn't she have said something before? The teacher mentioned that he knew her for a while, how did he know her? Does he know her family? I think a gradual integration of males into the future groups is probably the best option for the teacher. Of course, I would contact the parents before making any of those decisions.

I agree that being more sensitive to Aisha's beliefs would probably help to encourage her to participate more in the future. She feels very strong about her religious beliefs, and she is standing up for what she believes in by not participating. I think the teacher needs to find out more about why she has the beliefs she does so that he can be more sensitive in the future.

I feel that the teacher should reconsider his/her position on this issue. I feel that in order to do this and make sure the student just does not want to work with certain students the teacher should find out more information. Involving parents in order to understand the students religion would be a great way to learn about Aisha's culture. I could see that in the future not wanting to work with members of the opposite sex could raise some issues in school or even the work place in the United States.

Kimberly Spicer commented, "He is the teacher and he has to make rules, just like a company makes rules and we have to abide by them, just like a college makes rules and we have to abide by them, etc." I think the difference here though is that we get to decide what company we take a job with (assuming she is going to have a job at all which we don't know) and we get to decide where we go to college (this includes options of all girls colleges). I'm assuming here that this is a public school she is attending and that it is the school she is zoned to attend. Most likely she isn't there by choice but because that is where she is told to go to school. I think we need to be very careful about minimizing the beliefs of others just because those beliefs are different than our own.

I agree with this point. We as teachers should really be more sensitive to our students religious beliefs as well as to their culture because we expect everyone to respect ours too.

I believe that she should be given the choice to be in an all female group, not because she is being given special treatment, but because it respects her belief. Could you work for an employer that was going to force you to do something that went against your core beliefs? I wouldn't. I would not think twice about quitting a job that caused me to choose to follow their "rules" and abandon my beliefs.

Being more sensitive to the situation is definitely a great solution/idea to suggest. I feel that the teacher should allow Aisha to participate in an all girl group in order to make her feel safe and comfortable, as well as, receive quality work. I cannot imagine going against my religion each day. The teacher should further research Aisha's religion to accommodate her differences in the classroom setting.

I agree that she should not be made to do something. I think does need to be sensitive to what the student feels and thinks and try and make reasonable accommodations to make her feel comfortable.

I think it is very important that you note how a Christian (typically, a very well-represented religion in our area) might feel if forced to violate his or her own religious beliefs. Sometimes, smaller or less noted religions are not given the same consideration as others by members of what could be called "majority" religions. I think, in this particular case, we must reflect on how we would feel if put in Aisha's shoes. All of us want to have our beliefs and thoughts validated, considered, and appreciation. In return, we must do the same for people who believe differently than we do.

I agree that we should respect others religious beliefs. I totally agree that parents would complain if their child was not able to say the blessing before lunch. Actually I would be one of those parents who would complain. That is why I try to look and take others religious belief when planning my lessons. I would not want someone to force me to do something if it was against my beliefs so I wouldn't force others to do anything against their religious beliefs.

I agree with the solution stated above. It is important for teachers to be sensitive to religion beliefs and accommodate them in the classroom when possible. I do not believe that allowing Aisha to participate with only females would give her an advantage, therefore I see no reason for the teacher to disrespect her religious beliefs and make her work with both males and females. I also believe it would be beneficial for the teacher to research Aisha's religion in order to gain more knowledge and understanding of her beliefs and why she might refused to cooperate with male classmates.

Being more sensitive to others' religious beliefs is imperative to us as educators. I would however explain to her the cultural expectations in the United States just to ensure that she is aware that individuals typically are expected to work with one another regardless of gender. However, in a classroom setting the teacher has to create a climate that is tolerant and positive in order to facilitate learning. The teacher cannot expect this female student to learn and participate to her best ability if she is uncomfortable in the classroom.

I agree that teachers need to be informed of the cultures of the various students they teach. When it comes to religion we need to realize that not everyone will have the same beliefs as us. I would want to conference with her and her parents to explain the benefits and if the parents still did not want her to work with males, I would abide by their wishes and place her in a group with all females. In the end as long as the work is completed and understood by the individual students that is what matters most.

I think conferencing with the parents is a good idea. It allows you to gain a better understanding of her religious beliefs so that misunderstandings can be avoided in the future. However, I am not sure if all religious beliefs can be accommodated. If someones belief negatively impacts another student, then there must be some weighing of the situation. In my opinion, there are hypothetical situations where the beliefs of one student cannot be accommodated if another student is being deprived of access to a safe, secure, and respectful education environment.

First and foremost I think it is important to understand the student's religion. If there are any unknowns, I would suggest just reading up on it a little. I think that student's religious beliefs must be taken into account in all situations in class. This understanding can provide for alternatives to be agreed upon by the student. Including the parents is not a bad idea either. It doesn't mean that the student doesn't have to do the assignment, it just may be in a different format.

Religious Freedom is our 1st Amendment right. Therefore, it is very significant that her desire to not work with males for religious purposes is respected and honored. As teachers, we want to prepare our students to meet the demands of the 21st century and we focus on college and careers. But demands will eventually change and hopefully our freedoms and our rights will not.

There is no doubt that this is an appropriate solution. Kids have the right, just as adults, to practice their religious freedom and this student deserves the right to work with people that is accepted by her culture.

Great post

Being respectful of a student's perspectives and religion no matter what is the right thing to do. It's a teacher's responsibility to make every student feel comfortable and welcome in your classroom.

I agree 100% that she should not be punished or forced to do something she doesn't believe in. We should absolutely accommodate students according to their religious beliefs as long as it doesn't interfere with the learning of other students.

I agree that she should not be punished due to her religious beliefs. However, I would conference with the parents to get a better understanding of their beliefs and why this group work with males is an issue for their daughter.

I agree with your post. If we can make exceptions for race, age, or learning disabilities why cant we make them for religious purposes. Very good point made.

I totally agree with your solution. In the United States ALL people deserve the right to have and practice their own beliefs. Within another post's comments, I noticed that someone mentioned that a Christian in the United States would be offended if a teacher or administrator told their child they could not pray before lunch. In my opinion, this case study has to do with cultural perspective. As an American, we may have different beliefs than Aisha, but we have to think about her cultural perspective and differentiate our instruction to meet her needs just as we would any other student.

I, too, believe that a child's religious beliefs should be upheld. I also feel that it is the teachers job to make the student feel comfortable in his/her surroundings first. An accommodation of rearranging the groups will not "hurt" anyone. After all, the point of the group work is to have the students work together cooperatively. We as teachers have to be flexible. There is no "one size fits all" approach when it come to teaching.

I agree that you should not punish a student because of her religious beliefs. I feel that you should conference with her and the parents to get a better understanding of their beliefs.

You make a great point about interactions with males in general and does it have something to do with her parent's not knowing the young men. Those are those crucial pieces that are missing from this scenario for the teacher to focus in on. With a parent conference, the parents, teacher, and Aisha may be able to come to a compromise about this issue that would work in the favor of all of the stakeholders in this situation.

It's always important to include the parents/family in the student situations. I think that after talking with them and asking the school counselor to sit in on the conversation and advise, then the teacher would be able to better handle it. It's a very tough situation because as a teacher, I would want her to interact with males since in the workplace, that is what she will more than likely be working with. At the same time, I would not want to go against her beliefs and disrespect her and her family.

I definitely think involving the parents is important in this situation. Describe to them the purpose of the group activities and let them know you would like to see Aisha able to work agreeably with anyone in her class. Then, listen to what they have to say in the matter. They may see the value in having Aisha work with boys in class.

I believe that this is a great opportunity to discuss cultural diversity with the class as well. I love the idea of having her share about her religion and culture. This allows others to understand her differences. I also believe that involving the family is an excellent idea in order to receive insight and feedback on the situation at hand. The teacher should also incorporate social skills to help Aisha with the cultural differences. Great solution idea!

I too would try and learn more her beliefs. I would sit down and talk to her and either let her work in the group she felt comfortable, or make other accommodations to make her feel comfortable and able to learn comfortably.

I like your ideas about making minor accommodations in instruction that could make a big difference in how Aisha feels. I also think it is important that you pointed out the necessity for discussing the matter with her, rather than forcing her to do something. If she feels unsupported or that her beliefs are being invalidated, she will shut down anyway, so from a strictly practical level, it makes sense to work with her to find a mutually beneficial solution to the problem.

I would also look into her religion more. The first step I would probably take is talking to her parents like you mentioned. Then I would do research on my own. If her religion did not want her to work with males, then I would not make her. I wouldn't want anyone to force me to do something against my religious beliefs.

Discussing the issue with her parents would be a good idea. And if they insisted she follow her religious beliefs then as the teacher I feel I would have to honor their request.

Erin, I thought you had some great ideas in your post. I too believe that a private conference with Aisha would be beneficial, for it would allow the teacher to learn more about why she does not wish to work with males in the classroom. Lessons involving her different religious views may also help to create a more tolerant, welcoming classroom environment for both Aisha and her classmates. However, I do feel that it is imperative for the teacher to make sure Aisha understands that her cultural views differ from mainstream American society. Since the women's Civil Rights movement, men and women are expected to work alongside one another.

Ultimately our goal as educators is to create a learning environment that is open and conducive to learning. When a student feel threated like Aisha he or she may shut down completely and refuse to complete any activities. I think it is important to put ourselves her position to fully understand.

I am also interested about what she believes that keeps her from working with males. There is more to this problem than there may seem initially. I think that talking to her and approaching the problem carefully is a good way to find out if there is a way to solve the problem so that both parties are satisfied. This is an important skill that she needs to learn.

I agree with your post I think its important to understand her family's religion and why she cannot participate. I do feel they could be activities she could participate in other than this one.

I agree that her instruction must be differentiated. It is not fair for her to be forced to work with males if her religious beliefs forbid it. I think this situation is equivalent to making a student of one faith read from the holy book of another religion. If it isn't supported by their religion, then we must be sensitive to that fact and find other ways for the student to gain access to the curriculum.

Great post, I agree with you.

I agree with this solution. It is unfair and uncompassionate to make her do something she doesn't want to do based on HIS beliefs.

I agree with letting her work in a group with females. You make a good point about the law and I did not even think about the law regarding religious beliefs. However, I would try to find some way of incorporating interactions between genders into the unit in some way. It is important for our culture, as well as other cultures, to interact with all types of people from all backgrounds.

Thinking about the law really makes you reconsider your original position. I agree that this could become more than a simple teacher decision and become more of a legal matter. I'm glad you opened up my understanding a little more.

I think she needs to work with males. I am not really sure how we can talk about religion and the law together. We are not allowed to pray in public schools. If she does not work with males, I feel as if the teacher is doing her a disservice when creating a well-rounded citizen. Boy-girl collaboration is a very important thing. They are two completely different types of people. They come with different ideas, views, and leadership. I feel like the teacher should present it to her as a learning opportunity.

I am glad you brought up the point about the law. It is important to comply with legal rights as well as trying to be culturally sensitive.

I, too, had though along the same lines. Eventually, I believe it would be in her best interest to work within a group of both girls and boys. However, right now may not be the right time. Students need to time to adjust; and some need longer than others. As a benefit to Aisha, I would certainly conference with the child and her parents in order to "get on the same page" and make a plan for her academic and social success.

I agree that being flexible and adapting lessons would work best in this situation. Differentiated classrooms are the best anyways!

I agree. The teacher should make Aisha feel welcomed and safe in his or her classroom. Differentiation allows this.

I agree that flexibility in this is important. I think that she should be accommodated and that a conversation needs to be had that is a little more sensitive to her culture and her beliefs. If her beliefs state that she is not supposed to be working in close contact with males, and there are many that feel this way to maintain her purity and reputation, then this should be taken into consideration. I also think that it would be a good idea to talk to her parents and see if there is a middle ground that could be met.

I don't think it is the teacher's place to decide what she should or should not be exposed to. If it is outside of her comfort zone and in opposition to her beliefs, than the teacher should respect the student's wishes.

I agree that it is not the place of the teacher to decide if she should be exposed to working with males or not. In public schools we make accommodations for so many students, I don't think religion is any different.

I agree. I think that there is no reason to not put her in a group with females. If the objective of the group work is to work with others, then she will still be meeting that objective when working with all females.

I agree with you completely, thanks for posting. This was great

I definitely agree. We accommodate students with various needs throughout the day, so why is Aisha's case any different? If someone has a certain set of needs that factor into who they are and how they learn, we should respect that. Aisha's religious needs are no different than students with other particular needs.

I agree we have to accommodate the students' prior interests, beliefs and knowledge.

Your thoughts on allowing her to work in an all female group and also speaking with her parents to learn more about her beliefs are thoughtful. I do believe that we need to respect the beliefs of others, while also coming to a solution that allows students to function in todays world. If a solution is not acceptable to her or her family, then after consulting with administrators, she may need to be allowed to work with all girls. I believe however, that this is not helping her learn to thrive in todays world.

I agree, it isn't like the student is refusing to do the work. She just wants to complete the project in accordance to what her religion deems to be acceptable. As a teacher, it isn't my place to judge her.

I agree that some checking should be done to ensure that the student is being truthful. I wouldn't want to be disrespectful of her, but I think it would be better to check. I also agree that she should be accommodated in this situation. I think it is an easy fix and a minor adjustments, and regardless of whether the accommodation is mandated, I think there is no harm in allowing this.

I completely agree with your solution. As teachers, we are supposed to accommodate to the needs of our students, and this is an example of how we make accommodations for those students. It would be wise to consult the parents and have written consent expressing their religious beliefs that way nothing could be misunderstood.

I agree with you Nick, this type of issue makes the teacher's job more difficult. However, if the issue is validated as a true religious issue. The teacher should accommodate the students religious needs. Flexible grouping is good for this type of accommodation.

You're absolutely correct. A school cannot make a student go againsy his or her belief. They must respect the students belief and make accomodation. Thank you for posting your solution, I didn't see it this way.

I agree 100%. It is not legal for schools or teachers to force children to go against their religious beliefs. A better solution in which the assignments requirements needs to be found. It is the responsibility of the teacher and the school to ensure that students religious beliefs are not violated. Alternative groups or classroom assignments should be provided.

I agree. If you have a student with strong beleifs, it is best to accomodate them. We have laws in place to protect each and every religion. Why not just create her group of girls and call it a day!

I agree. She should accommodate, but I would also inform her that the real world doesn't have accommodations.

I do agree that you should create the group for Aisha because of her religious beliefs, but I think you are over simplifiing the problem. If you simply just create the group because a student says they cant work with a specific group of students because of religious reason, without finding out more, then it could possibly lead other problems in the class. Students are very observant and they will notice that you let a student get their way without questioning it or checking the validity and they will use this against you. Another student could have a problem a group of people in class and come to you and say they cant work with them becuase of some other reason. I am not trying to be cynical here, I just have taught long enough to know that some students would see this as an opportunity to try and take advantage of the teacher if it is not dealt with correctly.

I agree that she should be accommodated based off her religious beliefs. Seeing how she is in the 10th grade I would have to believe that she was put into some form of group work before and ask her other teachers how they have dealt with her needs. I would also suggest on making it clear that in the real world such accommodations may not be meant and she will have to learn how to work with a mix gender group even if it goes against her religious beliefs. I would also stress on talking with her parents about the situation and explaining to them how this may cause more harm than good for her future and hope something could be worked out.

I agree with you I think the teacher should speak with the parents and do some personal research to learn more about her religion and I do think that the teacher should accommodate the student as best as possible but to me it is also important to explain to the student that there will be situations in her future life where she may not be able to avoid working in groups with males..

I agree with both points. An open discussion with Aisha and her parents may be a positive step in forming a relationship with her and learning more about another culture. At the same time, if Aisha continues to live in the United States, it will be difficult for her to completely avoid working with males. Productive cultural understanding runs both ways. This may be an important learning experience for both teacher and student.

I too wrote about doing research on this religion to determine if she has a vaild point. I know that in high school, girls and boys have their favortites and they will not work with those they do not like. I have worked with a group like that and they would use any excuss under the sun to get thier way. However, if her religion is truly has an issue with her working closly with male students, she should be accomdated fully.

I also feel that doing research on the her culture or religion will help you to see more about why she is refusing to work with male students. Also learning more about her religion and culture will help you in the long run when planning lessons, so that you do not run into problems in the future when it comes to assignments or assigning groups. You can also set up a parent/teacher meeting to discuss it with the parents and learn more as well.

I agree that doing more research about her religion is a must in order to understand and make the right decision. I believe the teacher should step back and think about whether she will meet the expectations of the assignment if she works in a group of all females. If so, I feel that the teacher should make this accommodation for Aisha. Talking with her parents to better understand her religion and beliefs is a great opportunity to better understand her and her family.

I think that talking with her family and doing some research on her believes is a great idea. This is not necessary a cut and dry solution. I think it takes the teacher to really understand how the beliefs are affecting the situAtion in order to find a truly helpful situation.

I agree with you. We want to handle the situation gracefully, but we also don't need to be taken for fools either if she is lying.

After steps have been taken to assure that this is a serious and strong family belief, I agree that you should not push her into a group with males, but that is only after research, speaking with her, speaking with parents, and I like that you also said counselor. It is not reality for her to work with only females in the USA; however, she can also choose not to work and continue to practice her religion after school so she should have an accommodation in school.

It is also important to learn how Aisha's religious beliefs and values relate to the classroom as future students who share her beliefs may one day come to your classroom. Learning about Aisha's culture and religion allows you to relate to her better as well as recognizing future situations where accommodation may be necessary.

I agree that involving the counselor is a great idea. I also agree that the teacher needs to work to find out more information about her religion and why she is uncomfortable working with boys. Meeting with a counselor, Aisha, and her parents would definitely be the first step I would take before making any decisions. If Aisha and her parents are truly uncomfortable with the situation, then accommodating her needs would be appropriate.

Monique brings up a good point. If she chooses not to work outside the home as an adult, why is so important that she be forced to work with males in school? I do feel more information is needed about her religion in order to determine if a disservice has been done. It is possible that not working with males may be a reflection of a personal belief which may be stemmed from religious beliefs.

I'm curious as to why you feel she needs to work with boys at some point in high school. I think that if a future teacher did not make accommodations, she would probably be well within her rights to go to the administration and complain about religious discrimination. I agree that it is very important to make her feel comfortable and safe, but I wonder if telling her that she will need to work with boys to be successful will make her feel that way.

Another great point. Collaboration for some with specific religions etc. may include different guidelines. Also, the teacher should involve administration to assure that they as the teacher are within guidelines. It never hurts to accommodate students until full understandings are evident. We are here to help our students succeed and besides if she was in a private all girl school would the requirement still be the same?

I would be concerned that not allowing her to change would be considered religious discrimination. Aisha is a 10th grade student, so it is likely that her parents would feel that she can advocate for herself and do not feel the need to address this with the teacher unless Aisha's requests are not considered. Also, shouldn't we take into consideration that Aisha is a good student who is advocating for her religious beliefs? From the description it does not appear that she would be trying to get out of something, simply wanting to protect her rights.

I agree that a discussion should be held with her parents to gain a more complete picture of the situation and to see if there is any middle ground. There are many cultures and religions that do not want females mixing with males before they are married so that they can maintain their reputations and their purity. The teacher in this situation needs to learn more about the situation before disregarding the religious implications.

I would be very careful with deciding not to allow her to work with an all female group. I feel that if that is truly a religious belief, then it should be accommodated. It is important to teach your students about cultural differences through the use of projects or collaborations.

I definitely agree with you. Unfortunately, we do not live in a world where we are always able to "choose" who we will interact with, much less work with. I believe that all students should be exposed to different things that will help them to grow as human beings but we do need to be sensitive to the fact that people are different and this issue that seems so minor to others is a huge issue to some. If Aisha's parents are adamant about this as much as she is, then she should be able to work in only groups of girls.

This is a great way to look at it. I think she should be aware of the world we now live in and that sometimes she will have to interact with people she may not feel comfortable with. However, we shouldn't force someone to do something that makes them uncomfortable if we have the option to fix it.

I agree that talking to the parents and trying to accommodate Aisha may be the best solution. Although the real world may require her to work or speak with males, she should not be forced to in a public school setting.

Very good point! As educators, it is illegal to force a student to do something that is against their religious beliefs. I like the idea of speaking to her parents about the situation and seeing what type of support you could get at home when trying to slowly immerse her into working with males.

I appreciate your concern for Aisha at present, in the classroom, as well as for her future, outside of school. I do not think we can make assumptions that her beliefs will "not work" in the outside world, but it would definitely be good to talk to her about the basis of her beliefs and how she does plan to go about future situations when she is in groups.

I think that this solution is a great suggestion reaching out to the counselor in these "sticky" situations is always a great idea. I also agree that there should be some type of written documentation to support her accomadations. Great post!

I agree with you. She should have some written documents explaining her religious situation and maybe some accommodations are already in place. I think after the teacher talks with the parent, he or she will have a clear understanding of what to do in future projects and where to go from there.

That is a great idea to have written documentation so that future teachers will be aware of this. The counselor should also be a great resource in helping with the situation, but I think that she shouldn't be forced to do something that goes against her religious beliefs either.

Wow, this is a really good response. I think you did a great job at explaining how important it is for Aisha to feel at ease, yet slowly come out of her comfort zone in order to become more integrated with American culture. I also like the fact that her parents should be contacted in order to better understand her culture and religious beliefs. I'm sure that this situation comes up quite a bit in the real world of education. These are great ways of handling the situation.

I like how you point out that it is probably hard for Aisha to stand up for what she believes in and speak about her religious values. This is a good start to understanding the situation. After you speak with the parents and understand why it is not okay for Aisha to work with male students, then it will be easier to make the decision from there. If the parents are very adamant that she does not work with boys, the teacher must accommodate her and make sure she feels comfortable. If the parents are unsure, maybe you could try it out slowly, and see how it goes. Great post!

Great response. I also liked the fact that Aisha stood up for what she believes in. That's not an easy thing to do in today's world. I also think that the teacher could use this as a life lesson that not all students will be the stereotypical American student. Students can come from all over the world. I think that to force them to become "American" would be doing them a disservice. I also think that everyone else would miss out on a learning experience if Aisha were prevented from exercising her beliefs. I enjoyed reading your post.

This is very true. We do want our students to succeed and they will not be able to do that unless they feel completely comfortable in their environment. Accommodating to her needs and religious beliefs allows her to feel comfortable enough in the classroom to participate.

I agree with this solution. I think to keep some peace in the classroom for this particular project, the teacher should allow Aisha to be in a group with just females. But, he should also follow up to make sure she is telling the truth. This needs to discussed with the teacher, parents and Aisha to make sure everyone is on the same page.

I can't help but think the student may just being using her religious beliefs as an excuse for attention. These are children we are talking about. I would ask questions and look into these beliefs. Of course I would allow her to work in the group of girls for the day, but at the same time I would schedule a meeting with her and her parents just to simply learn about my student.

I do feel Aisha's beliefs should be respected. I understand your point of view in asking how this can apply if her parents have chosen to send her to a co-ed school. We can assume that if your child is in a co-ed school at some point in time they will have to interact with the opposite sex. Then again, there might be external circumstances, such as finances, that have the children at this particular school.

This brought home some things I have experienced in my classroom. I have been teaching for two years and both years I have had a Jehovah's Witness student. This year the child's parents are separated. The mom and stepdad or Jehovah's Witnesses but dad is not. Therefore, I have to be very careful with what I do in my classroom to not offend the mom. It is so difficult in this day and age to support every little difference in culture but a child should not suffer just because they have different beliefs than other people.

Sometimes when students are in school observing their religious beliefs, it is a familial issue as well as a personal issue. Many students do not want to disrespect their parents by observing practices that are not common in their family or religions. In the example of when the teacher allowed the student to step out of the classroom during the Pledge of Allegiance and renaming the parties to "Winter" and "Fall" parties, this is a prime example of accommodating a student without making them feel isolated.

Although I enjoy the fact that here in Georgia we are allowed to call Christmas break "Christmas Break" (when I lived in Miami that was not allowed),I like your suggestion of calling the holidays a generic name for the purposes of catering to all comfort levels and beliefs. It's important to not isolate those that are different. On the same token, I believe that it is also important not to be so concerned about others feeling and forget what's important to us personally.

I believe wholeheartedly with your solution. I do feel that a possible disservice might be being done by only grouping her with females; however, I feel that cultural and religious beliefs of students need to be respected by all teachers.

I would set up a parent teacher conference with either both parents or the parent of the same gender (as myself) and see what the family believes is most appropriate for their child. I would try to ensure the student was present during the meeting. In the mean time I would respect her request. Having spent some time in the Middle East there is an obvious physical separation between men and women in some places. She can still learn your content and how to collaborate even if you discover it is most culturally sensitive for her to work with only other girls.

I agree that a way should be come up with so that she can work with male students and not violate her culture. I guess they can do pieces of an assignment and submit and talk about it via email. That could be a solution. I think a clearer understanding from parents would possibility alleviate the concern for her.

I agree with your position to involve the parents. When we talk to parents we gain a great deal of insight about the values in the home and how we can adapt to help Aisha participate in classroom learning experiences

Getting parental input is extremely important. There may have information that will benefit you in understanding the home culture of the student. I personally believe however that the school should respect the student religion and make reasonable accommodations when necessary.

I agree with involving the parents. However I don't think those of us who come from a culture where interaction between males and females is common really have a right to judge the values of a culture that is different from ours. While I agree that one day she may feel differently if she becomes truly bicultural we have to be careful not to impose our own values here. Just because most of American culture believes it is appropriate for both males and females to work together doesn't negate this young woman's religious convictions. She can still learn the content without being asked to violate her own ideals. If a teacher tries to force this issue they may cause the student to suffer a sense of disconnection from their culture and themselves. This might create a barrier to learning and disempower the student which I think is antithetical to your goal.

I like your idea of involving the parents. They may have a different take on the situation and may say that it is not a big deal if she works with males or they may agree with the student and say that it is a big deal. Either way, the parents have been informed.

I agree that it is important to involve the parents in this decision. Perhaps they simply mean she cannot work with a male alone, or one-on-one, but a group project would be perfectly acceptable when coed. On the other hand, their religious beliefs might be completely against working with male students. In that case I would let go of the issue and allow Aisha to work with strictly females.

Great post Laura! I like how you suggested that the teacher discuss the issue at hand with Aisha, then work out a plan to solve the problem. Speaking with past educators would be a great idea to see how they have handled similar situations in the past.

Most definitely! This would also bring up the question "Are we forcing our beliefs on other cultures?" As teachers, we definitely have to be care not to push our beliefs on others. Even if we did feel that this would cripple Aisha, we have to respect her culture and her beliefs.

I agree that it is important to identify what the goal of the exercise is. However, if the goal is to work with others and to learn to cooperate with those who are different from you, it may not be the most beneficial to put her in a group with only females. I would also want to ask her in a respectful manner about her beliefs so that I could learn more about the situation and make a more informed decision.

I agree that Aisha should not be forced to act against her religious beliefs. However, I hate that she will not be given the opportunity to work with, interact act with, or learn from the males students in her class. I'd be interested to learn where the problem rests in regards to Aisha's family beliefs. I think heterosexual grouping would give Aisha the opportunity to see various gender and leadership roles in the class setting. Ultimately, I think the solution would rest in a conference with the parents, school administrators, and Aisha herself in order to determine what could be done to accommodate Aisha but also uphold school procedures.

Rachel, before reading your post i was completely in support of Aisha being allowed to do what her culture has taught her to do. After reading your post though and considering the fact that if she plans to remain in America she will have to work with males in work and group settings, I am beginning to feel that a compromise is in order. If she applies for a job one day and opens up to the idea that she will not work collaboratively with males this may very well exclude her from being hired on whatever grounds the personnel manager decides to trump up at the moment. I feel now that this could be used as a learning moment for her if the cards are played right.

Rachel, my solution was identical. I believe that Aisha and parents should be involved with the hopes of reaching a compromise of gradually increasing the number of male students in a group. However, if the parents were adamant about Aisha not working in a group with males, I would respect their decision. I would explain to them the consequences of not working with different students, but I would ultimately respect their decision.

I like how you mention finding a balance between projects that will require this of her and ones that will not. I believe that by minimizing that number of times she is put outside her comfort zone will help her transition and work through any rough patches that may arise. While I agree that she needs the exposure to be prepared for real life, I don't think she should be overwhelmed right off the bat having to work with males every single time. This would be insensitive to her beliefs that she was raised on. I imagine that must be very difficult for most people.

I agree with you, It would be a difficult decision.I believe that she needs to overcome this barrier to effectively function and live in this society.

I believe that the teacher should accommodate within reason, but the teacher also needs to encourage her to interact with groups that have males. Both the teacher and the student should each give a little to make a happy medium. The student also needs to be aware of life after high school. In the real world, it will be difficult to go through life in an American culture without interactions and working with males.

I agree with your approach on respecting her religious beliefs, but informing her that in her life beyond school she will more than likely have to work with males. I believe a slow transition into her working with males would be benefical, since she is in hgih school and getting closer to life after school.

I am not sure that I would bring her parents into the conversation at this point. If you know Aisha to be a responsible and respectful students, a solution could be worked out with her. She is a sophomore in high school and is reaching the point where she should be able to reach some of these conclusions on her own. Bringing her parents into the conversation may then cause some tension between you and she because she may feel that you do not believe her or trust her or you do not believe she is sincere in her religious convictions. Even if her parents wanted her to work with other boys, Aisha still may not cooperate, and again, no one really wins. If her request is reasonable (which I consider it to be), then I do not see the problem with working with her to try and provide the best possible learning environment for her and all other students in the class.

I think that Ashia is not comfortable at all in her environment and placing her in a group with boys goes against her beliefs and her sense of identity. I still remember being in middle school and there was a Mormon young man who had a huge amount of facial hair. it was against the school rules to have any facial hair. It would be the same to Ashia as stripping that young mans facial hair in which it was a part of who he is. Krissy

I agree that it is important to make Aisha feel comfortable in the classroom and also make her feel that her beliefs and identity are valuable. I would take it one step further and educate the class about different cultural norms and allow them to do projects about the beliefs of different cultures and their own culture. The students would be instrumental in making the situation work, they could either make Aisha feel accepted or make her feel rejected based upon how they themselves receive her beliefs. Allowing them to learn about other ways of being could possibly make them accepting of Aisha's belief. Another thing to keep in mind is how the other girls of the class would fell about working in an all-girl group.

I completely agree in that through a child's life, they should learn to love learning so this same passion follows them through life. I think it is our job as an educator to assure that students are learning in a safe environment in which they feel comfortable to be themselves. If Aisha's religion does not allow her to work with males, then the teacher should respect this within the classroom. I think that having her work with all females will not affect the outcome of the project in a negative way. If anything, it will allow Aisha to perform her best. I like how you stated that society may not be so accommodating but as teachers we should be. It is our job to foster a child's love for learning and we can not do this if they do not feel comfortable in their learning environment.

I agree that making her work with males could make you look like you do not respect her religious beliefs. I also agree that placing her in a group with all females will not hinder her ability to work with others and learn to cooperate. Just because they are all females does not mean that they are the same.

This sounds like a very viable plan that will help her to feel most comfortable and ultimately succeed in learning. It may be helpful to her if the teacher explains to her that going forward in life most others don't hold her religious beliefs and some places may not be accommodating of her wishes to only work with females. Putting the bug in her ear early on that her beliefs may cause challenges for her will let her know what to expect and how to prepare for those times. However, accommodating her currently in the classroom seems most optimal for learning and participation to occur.

I agree that the parents should have been notified when this first became an issue, however as you stated there is still time to notify them. It will show them that the teacher is willing to cooperate with them. As for the compromise that you suggested, would assigning only collaborative assignments help the other students to learn to work in groups? At some point, group projects would have to be assigned.

I agree that contacting Aisha's parents should have been the teacher's first response. By contacting the parents it could have been determined whether or not Aisha's complaint was valid and the teacher could have discussed with the parents possible solutions. I'm not fully on board with your proposed solution however. I think it would be a disservice to all of the students to cut out the collaborative group projects and rely solely on each student completing one part of a project that is then added to the others in their group at the end of the assignment. Students would not have the opportunity to discuss and share their ideas which was the teacher's intent.

I agree that contacting the parents would be very beneficial in making a decision about the project. Having the parents explain what working with a male signifies in their religion could help you to better understand how crucial of a decision you are making. You could also explain to them about the American culture and the importance of interacting as a group. I do not feel like separating the project into individual parts would be the best way to address this situation because you would be avoiding the purpose of the project.

I can't edit my post for some reason, so I will correct my mistake through a comment. My first sentences should read- I am not sure why this concern was not brought to the teacher's attention before now. Even though the small group projects are new, the problem with working with males should have come up before now.

I agree completely. That's exactly what I would do. I like that you mentioned using teachable moments. Unless made to, my students don't step out of their comfort zones and therefore there is a great deal they have no knowledge of.

You made great points. This is a difficult situation, but I do feel with the way education is today you have no choice but to group her with females. I do think that if all other groups are teacher assigned, her group should be too, just be all females. I think a discussion could take place explaining that she may have to work with males in the real world one day, but it should not be forced in the classroom. I also feel that the rest of the class needs to know why she is in a group with all females and this should be used as a teachable moment.

I agree that we need to make our students feel comfortable in the classroom and not feel like they are being forced to do something against their will. I think that in order for her to be successful in the United States that she needs to integrate her into working with others that she is not comfortable working with. It is all about collaboration and being able to work with others. Although it may seem harsh, it will ultimately help her in the future.

Very interesting. I feel that the Teacher should not take away any culture values by forcing communication/participation. Since there are multiple females and males this definitely leaves a clear choice for the Teacher along with a noticable solution for the student because clearly the force isn't necessary. No student should be forced into participation in my opinion.

I agree. We have always been taught that you do not try to sway someone one way or another towards certain beliefs. If this is Aisha's belief, I think that people, and especially us as teachers, owe her and her family the decency to respect her choices. If Aisha's ideas about religion changes, then maybe her group-work situations will change, also.

It is a good point that Aisha's sudden unwillingness to work with male students may be a sign of some issue other than religion. If she is in 10th grade and this has never been an issue before, it is possible that Aisha may have had an experience unrelated to religion that she is not ready to discuss but that she isn't sure how to deal with. If the parents don't confirm Aisha's story, it might be advisable to seek the advice of the counselor.

I agree that the student not having to work with male students is a disservice. Whether she plans to go on to college or a job, she will need to be a team player and work with whoever is involved in the company or class. Maybe the group projects in this class would be a good way to slowly introduce her to working with different students.

I agree that by not placing her in a group with males will "spoil" her due to the fact she will not be able to get out of it as she goes through life. I would discuss the matter with the parents and with the student. I feel that adhering to religious beliefs is very important and as a teacher we must respect it. If at all possible I may would try to slowing put her in groups with males. Maybe start her off with a group of girls and eventually add males later on. This way she is eased into it and not submerged.

I think it's very important to involve Aisha's parents in the process. I would set up a conference with her parents and a counselor to discuss the religious views and how we could be sensitive to their beliefs. We want to do all that we can to make sure Aisha learns in our class.

I completely agree with you. Slow integration with mainstream U.S. cultural ideals of coexistence would be the best solution to this situation. I think after a while she will become more receptive and open-minded about working outside of the comfort zone that her religion provides her. This would also help her to eventually move back and forth between her religious beliefs and those of the typical U.S. culture.

I agree with you, my first step would also be to confirm that this was actually part of the student's religion; it might be helpful in a situation like this to contact the parents in a culturally sensitive way just to get their views and perspective. If it was indeed something her religion set forth then I would make accommodations.

I agree that you should also speak with the parents. And I think the key phrase here is "reasonable accommodations". You stated that Aisha is a good student, so I'm assuming she is not trying to get out of doing the work or doing less work. As long as she understands that she is still expected to do the same amount and quality of work, there is no harm in accommodating her religion.

If both the student and the parents have explained to the teacher that working with males students is against their beliefs, I think that it is a great idea for the teacher to research her religion to get a better understanding. By doing this, he may could adjust her group assignments in a way that she would be able to learn and understand other cultures while studying history while working individually.

I think a teacher almost has to learn as he or she can about their student's beliefs in this situation to fully understand the situation. However, I don't think that it's only a place for teachers to learn, but students as well. Teaching the other students who take notice and witness the situation will hopefully scaffold your culturally sensitive attitudes and inspire them to do the same in all alikeness.

I definitely think it is important to learn and understand the students religious beliefs and background. You do not want a student in your classroom to feel uncomfortable because you are forcing them to do something they do not believe in. I also believe that the teacher should contact the parents to try to learn more about this student. I agree with the fact that the teacher should always be sensitive to all students needs.

I definitely agree with you that you should find out more about her religion and how this plays a part in it. Maybe talk to her parents and find out if this is significant in their culture and are there any exceptions or options. This situation could be very minimal and fixed quickly with more information and background.

I agree, it is not right for a student to feel uncomfortable in the classroom because the teacher does not understand their background or culture. If the teacher did research to understand the students needs and involved the parents in this process I believe that the student will begin to trust the decisions that the teacher makes in the classroom. It is not okay for someone to force their beliefs on another person. Also, the student should not by punished for not working in the male group setting.

I agree with you that she should be able to work with only girls. It shouldn't matter who she works with as long as she completes the project.

Definitely can agree that a conference may be necessary. Often times it takes time to help students collaborate (depending on the situtation) and this is one of those times. Being patience can go a long way. When participation is considered force-many times the expectated response is delayed.

I really like your suggestion of discussing the situation with colleagues who also teach Aisha. Undoubtedly, this situation has come up in another of her classes. She may have felt more open to talk with another teacher (especially if you are male) and may have shared some of the reasons for her beliefs.

I like how you would use this as a chance to learn more about her religion. Making it a learning experience for yourself and to increase your knowledge in other areas that could help you relate to more students in the future.

Contacting her parents should have been one of the first approaches. What if her parents would have been informed of the situation (being made to go against her religious beliefs to satisfy those beliefs of the teacher)? That could have been a recipe for a major conflict and possibly a lawsuit. I really like the idea of using this a way to learn more about her religion as well as other cultural beliefs. I am personally very big on learning about other cultures and I think this could have turned into a great class assignment.

I like your comment referring back to the overall goal of the project. I believe that if there is a roadblock to learning the subject matter then it is concerning and must be addressed. In this case, I do not feel like her not wanting to work with male students is a roadblock to the material. I think the primary problem is pairing her with a group that has more males than females. Slowly adding more male students to her group may slowly acclimate her to the idea of working with males.

I like how you pointed out that we should focus on the overall idea of the project. Since she is a student that is normally well behaved and performs well this is an odd behavior. I think by making sure we focus on the idea of the project versus her defiance may be a place to start before adding males to a group and making her uncomfortable.

I agree that completing the project as a whole is not the issue here. This student is a good student and can do the work with little to no issues. I do believe allowing her to work in a group with only female is fine as long as she is getting the work completed. However I do think that eventually she will need to learn how to work with males, but who I am to tell a person she needs to go against her religious background. I am sure her family has been dealing with situations similar to this a whole lot longer than me, and they probably have solutions for future encounters working with men. It would truly be up to the student to decide if she wants to expand past those religious beliefs and work alongside men.

I also feel that as long as students have valid reasons for not wanting to work with someone or a group a people, we should respect that choice (within reason of course). I also feel there would be no need contact her parents unless there was some major issue. I feel this situation can be handled on the classroom level, without additional intervention.

I mentioned talking to the parents to finding out if this is really an issue. It's probably due to the fact the population I work with will say or do about anything to avoid the task at hand. If I was in a more general class environment it would probably be a different story with how I felt about this case study. It would probably help the student-teacher relationship you helping her out with no resistance.

I too, feel as though her values and beliefs should be honored. She has to make the decision within herself as to whether or not she will follow her religious beliefs, or change her thoughts about working with males.

I can see your reasoning behind most of what was said but I DO think contacting her parents is necessary. I also feel that at least TRYING to establish some co-ed collaboration is essential, and the only appropriate way to do this is through talking with her parents. As I woman, I don't feel that simply being fine with her not working with males is the way to go because I know that sooner or later this will make her less adept to success in the workplace. If I don't at least TRY to reason with her and her parents on this topic then I would feel like a bystander to continued oppression. I know that she is more likely to succeed by being able to work with various people so why wouldn't I give her that chance by going to bat for her this one time? If her parents refuse to budge I can't help that, but at least I tried by establishing a conference where viewpoints were shared.

I also think contacting the parents is reasonable considering that the culture is very rooted in parental expectations. If a student might be worried about their parents reaction, they are less likely to want to participate.

As a parent I would want to be contacted and informed. Regardless of beliefs, if I felt my child would benefit from this group work, I would want her to participate. It is always a good idea to keep the doors of communication open with the parents.

I agree that she is going to have contact with males once she gets outside of school but I don't think she should be force to go against the culture that she was raised with. A parent/teacher/student conference is needed to really understand the degree of this action.

You are correct. That's just like making her do pledge of allegiance to the flag if she is raised in a religion that you do not make a God out of anything and do not pledge allegiance to anything. I once was in class with 2 cousins who were from the Holiness denomination. Pledging allegiance to the flag was making a God out of the flag and they were dismissed from this activity daily.

After viewing your post, I realized that their are always other ways to look at a situation. I understand that Aisha needs to realize that there will be times in her life that she will have to work with males especially if she goes to work. I also think that as Aisha and her family become a part of our culture that they will understand that they may have to compromise in order to be successful.

I like the fact that you stated you would set up a meeting with the parents and the counselor to discuss a plan of action. Maybe before teachers begin assigning projects we should take the time to get to know our students (especially religious backgrounds like this) so plans can already be established before group projects or any other assignment is assigned.

I really like your response. It seems to be the correct avenues administratively and for the student. She will have to gain experience with working with males but to throw her into a male dominated group is sure to shut her down competely, which we saw in this example. There has to be a compromise that is made between the parent, student, and school in order for collaborative learning to take place for this student.

I enjoyed reading your response. I didn't consider that Aisha would eventually have to work with males at some point in her life. Why wasn't I thinking that? I think Aisha should be taught the culture of America so she can begin to ease into it. This is definitely something that needs to be discussed with her parents and teacher and possibly a counselor. I think everyone can respect her religion and Aisha can try to respect the demands of a classroom in America.

I don't necessarily think that Aisha working with an all-female group will be a disservice to her. After all, just because all of the members of the group are female, does not mean that they do not have different ideas, viewpoints, interests, and strengths and weaknesses. I do feel that at some point Aisha will be required to interact with her male counterparts in life. Therefore, a conference with the school counselor, Aisha's teacher, as well as Aisha and her parents, would be beneficial in helping her to ease into the transition of being able to interact with males without violating her religious beliefs.

I am not sure that it would be a disservice to her, putting her in a group of all women, but as the teacher you also have to think about the other students. What if the other girls in her group want to work with their male classmates? Do you deny their requests because of Aisha's religious beliefs?

I do not feel that we should try to change her religion in any way at all, because I also feel strongly about ones religion being respected. However I feel that there should be some written documentation on the student and that the school should hold a meeting a the start of each year with the child's teachers and parents to make set goals, expectations, and accommodations that will be given to the student in her classes for the year. If the parents agree to the terms set and sign, then the are written records as to what is expected of the student in her classes and what is expected of the teachers to follow.

I agree that her religious beliefs should not be compromised and that there were other solutions to the problem. I think that we have to honor and respect others beliefs. I also believe that a teacher/parent/student conference for more information is step to a solution in order to determine if the student is truly not doing the work for the reasons she stated.

I think this is a great compromise. Easing the student into an uncomfortable situation instead of throwing her in or holding her hand. I really like your suggestion and agree that she needs to know eventually she will have to work with males. I agree with being sensitive to her religious beliefs however, the real world is not going to be sensitive so that preparation is necessary. Great post!

Aisha may not have any intentions of entering the American work force. If her religion is so set against women and men working together then I would think there would be a good chance her plans for the future do not involve having her work with other men. Maybe she plans to be a wife and mom and not work. There are definitely cultures where this would be the norm. Or maybe she plans to have a job where she would only work with other women (maybe a daycare, for example). She can still learn to work cooperatively within a group of all girls, so if the goal is for her to learn to work cooperatively then she can still learn to do this.

I agree that she shouldn't be thrown into the situation and if the teacher decides to put her in a group with males she should be eased into it. I also agree that if Aisha is going to work in the hustle and bustle of America, she is going to have to work with men at some point.

I agree with your solution. In our society you have to work with males and females. Therefore she needs to learn how to work with males. Slowly easing her in to the situation will work better rather than forcing it right from the start.

I agree with the fact that you said pairing her with just girls is not a disservice but allowing maybe just one male in the group with time would allow her to adjust to the idea that males are going to be involved in most aspects of life in this society. Maybe she just needs practice with the idea of sharing ideas with males like you suggested.

I did not think to consider whether working in an all female group would actually affect the assignment. If the actual assignment doesn't require a co-ed small group, then working in an all female group should not make a difference. However, there will come a time when Aisha will have to work with males. Therefore, at some point, this issue will need to be addressed.

Your comments provoke a clear cut question: What was the goal of the assignment? It certainly was not about how well we can get along with the opposite sex. The goals were to demonstrate cooperation, exchange of ideas, and to collaborate to produce a final product. Therefore, if Aisha can successfully achieve these same goals in an all female group, then why not allow her to do so. I firmly believe that teaching is about making the learning environment accessible to all learners - to disregard Aisha's religious beliefs for the sake of our teaching practices employed through our own cultural frames of reference is clearly limiting her ability to be successful in the learning environment.

I absolutely agree with your solution. She may come to a time and place where she must work with males but right now, she does not have to.

I agree with you that it is not necessary to force this issue. If she works better with a female group, is that not the same as requiring other accommodations such as visuals or repetition of information?

I completely agree with you. Accommodating Aisha would be the best thing for her education.

I definitely agree with you...every student has a voice in the classroom. For Aisha to come forth and express hers is a tremendous task and responsibility for us teachers. I think that as a teacher, you could also use Aisha as an example for showing her voice, upholding her cultural beliefs, and teaching your students about other cultures and what their responsibility is as a soon-to-be adult for being a culturally sensitive member of society. Including parents and administration is always the way to go too...you are always covered when you have thorough communication with ALL parties involved!

Yes it would definitely bridge the alliance between home and school and let the parents know that the administration and teachers truly care about their daughter and want what's best for her.

I agree with your short-term solution to accommodate Aisha and allow her to work with a group of girls initially. Like you, I would contact her parents to verify and understand the specifics of her beliefs and how it relates to the male species. Further, I too would offer my reasons/explanations/benefits to mixed, collaborative groups. Together, we would compromise and create an individual plan for Aisha to succeed in the classroom. As others have pointed out, Aisha is described as both responsible and smart. Therefore, her intention is not to elude the assignments, but to honor her religious beliefs. I believe it is important to respect and embrace our students' differences.

I really liked the way you looked at this. As teachers, our ultimate goal is student success. Aisha clearly wants to be successful in school, but has also made it clear that her success in school is not as important as her beliefs. Working in a group with males obviously impedes her learning and success in school. I agree that seeking clarification is important and that creating a least restrictive environment for this student would include placing Aisha in a different, all female group.

I certainly agree with your comments; not only would Aisha be questioning her cultural identity/ethnic background, I do believe that the teacher's decision to ignore Aisha's religious beliefs has damaged their relationship. I am quite sure she probably walked away feeling as though she was never really valued or respected as an individual that mattered in the learning environment.

First, I like your suggestion of arranging a conference with Aisha and her parents to validate Aisha's claims regarding working with male students; parent involvement is key. On the other hand, I disagree that it would be a disservice to always give Aisha the choice of working with male students. If America is truly the land of the "Free", then our students should be given choices. I would suggest that we educate Aisha about the dominant culture that exist in the American workforce (working alongside a male employee), but we give her the freedom to choose while in school; in the real world, it would still be a her choice to accept a position that requires working alongside a male.

I think that parent involvement with Aisha's request should be taken into consideration. I do feel as f Aisha's wishes should be granted due to the goal of the assignment: to work well with others and complete a final task. Even though she only wanted to work in a group with girls, I think that she should be able to do so. In the end, she should be able to complete the goals of the assignment.

I too would allow her to participate in an all girl group if the preference was truly from religious beliefs. This would build trust and respect between her and the teacher.

I agree completely with your response. I think that speaking with Aisha about how the rest of her education and professional life with be conducted with both males and females is important. During the explanation though it would be important to explain to her as well that you aren't discounted her or her religious beliefs. It would be tricky thing to handle, but I think that handling it with the parents as well as the student could help.

I agree that having her go against her religion would be wrong. The teacher should possibly learn more about Aisha's religion so he better understands her reservations and reluctance to work with males.

I also agree that having her go against her religion is wrong. An analogy would be to try and coerce an animal to leave their usual watering hole to go water elsewhere. The animal would not comply or even consider moving elsewhere due to its comfort level at its currents pot. Aisha has been born and raised in a culture that believes certain things about the interaction of boys and girls. To ask them to do anything different will merely confuse and undermine the beliefs that her life has been founded upon since her birth.

I disagree with your statement that she is learning to cooperate. In school, students are taught to work and cooperate with several different types of people. Sometimes we see a problem with students working with different races, but learning to work with another gender is just as important. Since Aisha has been in the states for a while now, surely she has become accustomed to how group work and cooperation occur in the schools. I think it would be a better idea to place Aisha in a group with mostly females where she is able to feel like the majority. This way, she will still be cooperating with a group but might also have a better chance to work with a male as well.

I totally agree. Many times the struggle to make people conform is not worth the fight. You are right that the law is on her side. The bottom line is that our country is based on individual freedoms which is why many risk their lives to come here.

I like the idea of allowing Aisha to explain her culture to the class so that the students know how she feels. Hopefully this leads to a better understanding in the differences of others as well as non-judgmental treatment. Researching her religion and having an understanding her beliefs is something that I would do before meeting with her so that I can make her feel like I respect her beliefs but also want to look out for her when I inform her of the possibilities and probabilities for her future interaction with males in this society.

Since Aisha has been in the States for two years now I'm surprised that she is still taken aback by working with boys at all, but I agree that speaking with her is very important. I would be interested in finding out more information about her religion as well.

I think that is a good idea to explore Aisha's cultural background and get a sense of why she feels the way she does. Understanding where a student comes from and the reasons behind their actions can prevent many misunderstandings, and produce a more efficient line of communication between the student and teacher.

I agree that it does the biggest injustice to Aisha in the short term to put her in a group that she feels she cannot work in. I think further dialogue with Aisha, and her parents if they are willing, would be most beneficial. It is insensitive to refuse to dialogue and to refuse to consider her beliefs.

Although Ashia has been in the United States for two years I do not think that her faith which is instilled in her since birth she will ever be comfortable with the American ways of life, even in the classroom.

Susan, I would also approach this situation as an open communication between Aisha and her parents and try to find out what is the root of the situation and see if a compromise could be reached. If not, I would respect the parent's religious beliefs and allow Aisha to work only with females. If it is because of religious purposes, I do not think there are deeper issues.

Susan, I agree with the need for communication and lots of it. I like your idea of speaking with Aisha's fellow teachers to determine how they handle the issue. Considering her future, you're right, it will be very difficult for her to interact with a female only population. I'd like to think that Aisha's words are truth, however you can't be sure. Speaking with her parents and other teachers will allow you to be more certain of her intentions and possible ulterior motives.

I think your approach is very good. Being in the middle and supporting the student while also standing your ground is important and also encouraging. It's important for students to be pushed academically at school, but not pushed emotionally/spiritually. I would do my best to accommodate Aisha's needs, but I would need more information on her religious beliefs to support the cause as well.

I like your approach and it may work in helping the student feel more comfortable working with make students. It is important to understand as a teacher that students have very strong beliefs when it comes to religion and even an incremental change may make the student feel uncomfortable

I feel this is a good solution, only if Aisha is comfortable with the situation. In this particular case, I do not see that accommodating her would create much of a problem and would only create more issues if you tried to force her into working with males. If she is not agreeable to the solution, I do not see how anyone comes out of the situation as a winner, whether it be the teacher, the other students in the group, or Aisha.

Excellent ideas! I really like your idea of adapting her lesson to include observing other groups and writing her observations down. I also agree with letting her work within an all girls group until more information can be gathered.

I agree! I feel that it's important to value student's beliefs but some things can be accommodated for. I feel that this is doing more harm than good. Working with male students on a project shouldn't alter her personal beliefs in the long run. Setting up a parent conference is something that I would personal consider doing myself.

I agree with honoring her cultural differences. It is extremely important that the teacher full respects her students and their cultural differences and beliefs.

This is a very valid point. Her education is the main goal and until a satisfactory solution can be thought of, it may be most wise to allow her to work with only females so that she is a willing participant.

I have had a similar experience with a student that was a Jehovah's Witness. The family supplied me with materials to inform me about their cultural beliefs. I worked very hard to be respectful of their wishes. The student was given alternative activities, as he was not allowed to participate in any holiday celebrations (birthday parties, Christmas parade, and Valentine card exchange). The student handled the situations very well, but I always felt disappointed that I had to leave him out of these fun opportunities. Towards the end of the year, I could see that the religious choices were enforced by the parents much more than the student's choice to practice the religion. I felt like he wanted to sing "Happy Birthday" to his friends and find eggs during our Easter celebration, but his parents made the choice for him not to participate. I think exposing students to the different cultures will help them make their own informed decision about the beliefs they would choose to uphold.

You make a valid point. She needs to understand that in America, she will have to work or collaborate with males when she is in the work force. Unless she is not going to seek higher education or employment after high school.

You made a great point when you said no one should have to choose between making good grades and their religious beliefs.That would send the wrong message to the student that schools are against their religious views and would have a negative impact on the students entire academic future. If she went against her religion she would be endangering her religious identity. If she gets bad grades then she may not be eligible for scholarships, acceptance to colleges and potential employment. As a result the students long term socioeconomic success could be jeopardized. The teacher needs to find a better solution to enable the student to honor her religious views and complete assignments.

I agree that it would be important to research her religion. This might provide more insight to her beliefs and help you to better accommodate her beliefs. I think the goal of the activity is to just teach cooperation among students and should not be influenced by male or female. I do however think it would be important for her to understand that real world situations require interaction among all genders and groups. With all of this said she is interaction and cooperating on a daily basis with all students in the everyday classroom setting.

Doing research would be great to understand more about her culture and beliefs. Teachers have to be considerate of everyone's culture and religious beliefs that are in their classroom. After talking to the parents, as well, I think that the teacher should gain a better understanding of how the child was raised and why Aisha feels this way.

Religious beliefs within a family are concrete until the children grow into adults. As adults, they may make a different choice according to their life experiences and possible change of beliefs. As for Aisha, I don't think I would even try to later incorporate a male as her partner because her religious beliefs will still be the same.

I see both sides of the situation, like you. Each side has pros and cons when making this decision. I believe no one solution will solve the problems for everyone involved. I think Aisha should be motivated to work with students of other cultures, with permission from her family. Your idea of having students divide into different religious groups to discuss choices would be a great lesson on appreciating diverse cultures. In my opinion, as long as Aisha is working with other members productively in the classroom…she is meeting the needs of a group dynamic. Her social skills will develop by working with others, despite the gender or race of the group members.

I can see both sides as well. I like that you would create a learning opportunity for all students because in my experience (the past couple of years) most don't know much, if anything, about other cultures.

I completely agree that we should be teaching all students about diversity and other cultures, and that goes for the students who have really protective religious believes. They too should be exposed to ideas of other religions and cultures.

I agree with you, that she should feel comfortable in her environment. If she is not comfortable and becomes distant in the classroom setting then you would be doing her a disservice. I think cooperation comes from interacting with any person (gender or personality).

I agree that she should not be forced to work with males just because this is what the professor thinks is the "norm" of society. What is normal in today's society? There are so many different cultures in America today that what was normal in the 50's or 60's is not necessarily normal today. I think that the professor should respect her wishes and allow to to work with all girls. The purpose of the assignment is to see if she can produce the desired work and she can show mastery of the skills no matter what gender her partners may be.

I agree with you. If would be more of big "deal" if you said no to her than to allow her to only work with girls. I would let her work with females if she wished. Also, I would definitely take the time to talk to her about the injustice that she could create for herself by only working with females. Great post!