Culture is a big aspect in today's education. Schools are full of diverse students from different backgrounds, experiences, traditions, beliefs, language, ideologies, and so on. I had the experience to share with children of Pre-K 4 and Pre-K 3 in bilingual classrooms. I noticed that the Hispanic kids were more affective and socials than the other kids in the class, maybe because the second group belongs to American race, and some of them were influenced by religious issues.
In one of my other past classes I read a Ronald Takaki book, A Different Mirror, where he clearly explains these issues of culture and identity. He discuss the topic how the teacher needs to integrate students from different ethnic groups in classrooms surround them and characterized by a monoculture society. He points out the fact of "how to make students feel part of the society", and "how to value their culture". With this in mind, I think teachers must prepare their students to act as informants of their own culture. Sometimes teachers do not value what students bring to the classroom and, therefore, students neither appreciate themselves nor their family’s culture, leading to a negative image of their own ethnicity.
Educators shall have in mind that students from a variety of cultural backgrounds have challenges with their own identity. Pride and shame are a striking combination these students feel about their culture. For these reasons teachers need to stimulate students to share different topics about their culture, and create activities where the students feel free to participate.
Juanita A.
3 comments:
Juanita,
I agree with you. I think it's teachers "responsibility" to also learn about the students' culture (if they don't know anything about it) and then show interest in it and ask questions, be a "learner". I had a student from Haiti and she was impressed when I mentioned to the class some facts about Haiti geography and history (it is the only American nation that gained independence ( from France) thanks to the revolt of the slaves, etc). During the course of the year, she brought haitian music to class and danced, and she made me a CD. She turned out to be one of my best students. Something similar happened to my two students from the Philipines.
Teachers should be a model to their students, so we need to model openness to other cultures and languages and our willingness to learn and appreciate other cultures and languages.
Ana
Well said Juanita! :-)
"I think teachers must prepare their students to act as informants of their own culture."
Bien dicho! That is exactly what we as teachers should do. We must try to always implement cultural background and ensure that our students are proud of their heritage.
Polo
Yes Juanita, taking in consideration all cultures and languages, aknowledging sutdents' identity will create an atmosphere where everybody feels confortable and at ease to learn. Valuing lang. and culture in the classroom is the beginning step to acquire respect and appreciation from whole school, and community.
Erika
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