Reflection 1 - Reynierson

Reflections Journal

Developing Multicultural Educators: Chapter 1 – Culture

Definition and Functions of Culture

          “Culture is the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular society, ethnic, or age group” (Dictionary.com, 2012). Culture defines how a society’s basic needs are met, describes who individuals are within the group, and how members can evolve to their potential (Noel, 2008 p. 11).  There are over two hundred countries in the world today which house over 1500 different cultures (Yahoo Answers, 2012).  In the current international world, communities and schools can have diverse populations made up of children and parents from many different cultures.

Components and Characteristics of Culture

          The activities and customs, a group’s outward components, and beliefs and ideas, a group’s inward components are a culture’s make up.  In schools today, outward components, the differences seen each day with the human eye like skin color or dress do not account for the most influential differences between cultures as compared to the inward components such as discipline or participation practices.  These inward components are defined as styles of human interaction including communication, intellectual, and organizational (Noel, 2008 p 15-22). Schools are finding there are many different styles of human interaction and each embedded by tradition and passed down to the students in America’s schools.  These style differences in the classroom today can threaten a student’s learning potential if educators ignore or do not respond to student diversity.

Culture in Education

           A school’s function is to educate its students in math, science, social studies, language and liberal arts and to this end to create an atmosphere where all students can learn to their potential. American schools to date characteristically use a rule and student/teacher interaction system based upon the dominate population’s culture (Noel, 2008 p. 29).   Therefore, all students are expected to follow a cultural system not their own and sometimes very foreign.  Student potential has a better chance to be fulfilled when all students feel ownership and partnership in their education.  Creating this type of classroom is the charge of an international world which needs to educate its students in a culturally sensitive and responsive classroom.

Summary

          How should educators consider the unique needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in the classroom? Educators should complete need assessments to determine the ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds of the school, students, and community of all students.  Educators can then create positive socio-cultural influences on classroom instruction by keeping classrooms student centered, utilizing cooperative learning groups, independent learning centers, and increasing classroom unity through acceptance and use of cultural pluralism.  Educators should endeavor to create open and accepting classroom environments to ensure that students from all cultural and linguistic backgrounds feel comfortable in the classroom and by keeping expectations for all students and ensuring students are aware of these expectations; American schools will benefit from this enriched school environment.