How should teachers handle inappropriate comments from students?
In her post, Heitin shared the story of Heather Wolpert-Gawron who, after explaining she’d be off to celebrate a Jewish holiday, was asked by a student: “”So, if you’re Jewish, does that mean you’re going to hell?”
Wolpert-Gawron responded, ===> “So I thought about my goal as a teacher to ===> create independent learners and thinkers <===, and I responded the only way I could. I said, “I’ll let you decide that, Eduardo.” <===
He crossed his arms, nodded at me thoughtfully and … [w]e continued on our merry way” (qtd. in Heitin, L. 30 August, 2012).
The debate Heitin sparked was over how to handle such incidents. Did Wolpert-Gawron do the right thing, or should this have become a teachable moment? Should the student have been reported under the school’s disciplinary policies?
Read more, a MUST READ: