Culture Reflection Kiel

Review:

“Culture is a way of seeing, perceiving, and believing” (Noel, 11).  In the book Developing Multicultural Educators, Noel explains that culture is like a tree.  This image allows us to better understand that culture goes deeper than laws, art, linguistic patterns, art and clothing.  These ideals are just on the surface as a result of the roots of beliefs, perceptions, and language.  The roots of culture are built through social construction.  Culture is influenced by family, community, religion, schools, and even media (Noel, 9).

Noel further explores the three components of culture (communication style, organization, and intellect).  These pieces influence how people interact with each other.  The organization component impacts how we view time as well as personal space.  Intellectual style determines whether oral or written language is more valuable.  Noel goes on to explain than certain styles are “privileged,” meaning that they are the styles commonly accepted in our schools.  She calls attention to some common expectations from the classroom: direct answers, speaking one at a time, doing your best, and the use of written text (Noel, 15-22).

Teachers and schools have a role in the socialization of students into the dominate culture.  There are two views of this socialization.  The functionalist view is that we are preparing them to function in society.  The critical view argues that those who are in power use socialization through the schools to maintain their power. Regardless of the perspective taken, students will experience social discontinuities.  The students, their peers, and their teachers will experience times when there are disconnects between the culture of school and the culture of home (Noel, 29-31). 

Reflect:

            Culture is much deeper than what you wear, eat, or do.  This chapter has helped to create a deeper definition of culture for me.  The things once thought of as culture are merely the result of culture.  It makes me think of “Multicultural Night” at school.  How often did we just serve the “cultural food” and dress in traditional clothes without exploring the deeper meanings that lie beneath the surface? 

            Noel’s discussion of organizational style and intellectual style reminded me of some experiences I have had with parents and students in the past.  The concept of time is one difference between my own culture and that of many of my students that often causes some frustration for me.  Parents may have an appointment for a conference and come in half an hour late or a day early.  Personal space is also an issue that has caused me some discomfort in the past, but I had never thought of it as a cultural issue.  I had just perceived the parent that kept stepping in close as being pushy.  The idea that some cultures value written and oral communication differently was also interesting.  I had not realized that how or the amount that we communicate with others may vary based on our culture.  For example a student that I have this year has trouble forming sentences.  I have recently come to understand that there is very little conversation between adults and children in the home.  I am now exploring whether this is a cultural issue. 

Refine:

            This chapter has made me aware that sometimes I rush to the wrong conclusion.  For instance, a student that I had a few years ago had trouble forming sentences in English and in her own language.  I talked to the parents through an interpreter and tried to encourage them to engage her in conversation at home.  They looked at me like I was crazy.  Their family had a tradition that education was focused on the boys in the family.  The fact that their daughter needed some help was of less concern than helping their son excel.  My personal reaction was to be appalled, but in their culture the man has to provide for the family, while the woman takes care of the home.  I still have difficulty accepting such ideas, but I hope to become more patient when dealing with such differences in cultures.  Noel cautions that culture does give us our identity, but that it can also create a strong feeling of “us” and “them” (Noel, 14).  As I continue to meet children and parents of various backgrounds, I will look for ways to appreciate and respect our differences while striving to create a sense of community and belonging in the classroom.

References

Noel, J. (2008). Developing Multicultural Educators (2^nd Edition)

Reflection 1-Chapter 1 Culture

Review – What did you learn?

            In reading chapter 1 I learned that the meaning of culture has significantly changed since I learned its meaning in elementary school. I remember reading about culture in my Social Studies books and it was defined as the beliefs and customs of a particular group. As time has evolved, culture has taken on a whole new definition. Jana Noel defines culture as “a way of seeing, perceiving, and believing” in her book, Developing Multicultural Educators. Culture is more of people’s beliefs and understanding of the world around them. Culture is what helps each of us develop as a person and provides us with a sense of belonging.

            I learned that there are three needs that a person requires to be met by their culture. These needs are known as Maslow’s hierarchy according to Noel. In the lowest level we have the lowest level of the hierarchy which are the basic needs that we need as people; physiological needs and safety needs, which I take to mean our basic needs of food and shelter. Then there is the second level in which one needs love, a sense of belonging, and a sense of esteem that is developed when one realizes that there are others that share our beliefs, views, and perspectives. The top level is the need for self-actualization. Here is where our culture develops our sense of what is important in society, what is acceptable and unacceptable.

            There are also different components of culture that include communication styles, organizational styles, and intellectual styles. Each of these styles influences the culture that students bring to school and how one interacts in social and professional groups. Edward T. Hal also mentions that cultures view and interact differently in their environment, social surroundings, and organizational networks. 

Reflect – What did it mean to you?

            I definitely think that culture is how one sees and perceives, and one’s believe in the society that he lives in. To me culture starts at home with how one is/was raised and what one learned from his parents and family.  Culture develops over time and can even change over time. “In Hall’s concepts of high and low context, cultures can be described based on how they interact with their context- their environment, their social surroundings, and the organizational networks within their setting” (Noel, 2008). It is my opinion that one’s culture can change based on the context that one is in. Many times our actions are different depending if we are in a social setting verses a professional setting. One has different cultural actions depending on one’s context. It is also important to value and accept the beliefs of other’s culture. That is how one continues to change and reflect on one’s own cultural beliefs.

Refine – How will you use the information in your classroom?

            It is hard to think of each student’s culture in my classroom and I think that is why there are such huge discontinuities between home and school cultures. I think that as a teacher it is very important to know our student’s culture and to learn to value and accept each student’s different believes. I think that the best way that I can use what I have learned about culture in this chapter is to allow my students to talk and share things about their cultures, whether it is what he eats, the language he speaks, or the traditions that he has with his family. I think that through speaking, sharing, and being opened to different things my students will be able to learn many new things and their beliefs can be expanded to different levels. I want my students to know that there are different things in the world and that not one way is right. Just like we learn in math that there is more than one way to get to the right answer; there is more than one way of life.

Culture Reflection Rice

Carrie Rice

Thursdays ISC

September 6, 2012

Chapter One Reflection

Review- What did you learn?

            Prior to completing the assigned reading of chapter one in Developing Multicultural Educators by Jana Noel, my view on culture was flat and without depth. Perhaps this was caused by never taking the time to develop my thoughts and views on the subject. Nevertheless, my perception was that a person’s culture was their background, or family history, plain and simple; while some people are interested in knowing about their own culture, others do not take an interest in learning about it. After completing the reading, my view on culture is revamped. I realize that there is more to a person’s culture than just a history. Culture is an active entity that influences a person daily. It continually forms perceptions, views, and beliefs. Once culture is looked at beyond surface level, it can be seen as a survival tool, a motivator to be one’s best self, and an instrument in bringing a person their sense of belonging.

            Organization, communication, and intellect are components of daily life in addition to being components of a person’s culture. This connection between daily living and culture being intertwined resonated with me. Although I find a person’s history interesting and am eager to learn about it, I never before thought of being able to see the components of a person’s culture in how they carry out their everyday life.

Reflect- What did it mean to you?

            After gaining this new insight on the components of culture, what it involves, and how it affects everyone, I began thinking about my own culture and how it has contributed to making me the person I am today. I enjoyed reflecting on how my own culture has taught me survival, a sense of belonging, and the endeavor to achieve my best self. For example, although a bit simplistic, there’s a joke in the primarily Dutch community where I was raised that you could go into any of my friends’  cupboards and find  a stack of margarine containers waiting to be reused for other purposes (leftovers, knickknacks, etc). Even something as simple as that example shows a way in which my culture has created a way for a need to be met and created a sense of belonging for my friends and I.

 In addition, since gaining this new perspective on how culture affects my daily life, I consistently contemplate why I do the things I do and analyze how my culture has contributed to the process of how I carry out these actions.

Refine-

            Currently I am a push-in ESOL teacher for grades first through fifth. This schedule gives me the opportunity to interact with many diverse cultures every day. In the past, I may have let the amount of objectives needed to be taught in a school year overwhelm and override my consciousness of the culture of my students. However, after having a refreshed perspective on how culture truly contributes to the make-up of a person, connecting with my students, discovering and being more aware of their culture, this will lend to me being a more effective educator.

Culture Reflection Ellis

Review of Chapter 1 Culture

Review- What did you learn?

            This chapter on culture challenged me to think a lot about my own views on the subject while I was reading. I found it very interesting that the author talked about culture being made up of so many different aspects of a person’s life from their family to location to even literature. All of these different parts of our lives shape who we become. I realize how important it is to understand my own perspective on culture so I can understand how it relates to my views of the world and how that translates to my classroom.

            I also learned that culture includes the way people communicate. Some cultures are more relaxed about this process than others. For example, some cultures tell stories and have discussions while others listen more before they speak. This is something that needs to be shared because it helps explain more about how students and even parents interact within the school. Cultures can be characterized by these aspects and many others. These characterizations are not meant to stereotype. They are supposed to help understand different culture groups.  As Noel (2008) says, “ a major role for schools, including the teachers who work in them, is to recognize the cultural socialization of students, to understand the effects on students’ identities, and to determine the steps to take to provide an educational and social experience for students that does not harm student’s socially constructed identities” (p.37). I think this all boils down to being aware of not only your own cultural identity but of the cultural identities of your students.

Reflect- What did it mean to you?

            When reflecting on this chapter, I thought about how much has changed since I was in school. I was not in a culturally diverse area and because of that I was not challenged to think about people and ideas that were different from my own. I think that is why I chose to work in a more diverse school. I think it is more fun and definitely more challenging to teach children from diverse backgrounds.  As schools are becoming more diverse, we need to redefine culture and how it applies to our schools and our classrooms. To accomplish this, we also need to think about what we are teaching our children and how we expect them to behave and act in a classroom. Just because something worked in the past does not mean that it is right for the future. I also enjoyed reading the case studies. They really made me think about how important it is to get to know as much as we can about our students. As educators, we need to be more understanding of our students.

Refine- How will you use the information in your classroom?

            What I have taken from this chapter is that I need to understand my own views of culture as well as my students. I need to make sure that I am considering their backgrounds and beliefs before I make decisions in the classroom. I cannot just focus on what I think is “normal” or right. I need to become more aware of what students are bringing to the classroom and how my choices are making them feel. Doing this will help me become a better educator. I think that one way to embrace the different cultures in my classroom is through literature. I need to make sure that my classroom library represents the different cultures of my students. I should include books where children speak different languages. I have started trying to add to my classroom library in this way and love seeing my students get excited when they find books that they can relate to.  This chapter taught me that in order to teach students to embrace and accept different cultures that I must set an example for them to follow.  I need to encourage students to be themselves. We are all unique and it is important to celebrate these qualities. I need to make sure that I find ways to do this as often as possible.

References

Noel, J. (2008). Developing Multicultural Educators. Long Grove: Waveland Press, Inc.

Chapter 2 Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Racism

Post your reflection of this chapter as well as sending a copy to me via e-mail.
Comment thoughtfully in about 100 words on two other reflections from this chapter.

September 6, 2012 Question:

Why is it  important as teachers for us to continually examine our beliefs, attitudes, and biases?

August 30, 2012 Class Notes

Tonight we shared 5 meaningful items with the class.  I thought it was insightful and gave us a chance to bond together.  I love the fact that some participants were able to gather their object from their cars and purses!

We spoke about our upcoming Eluminate session and made plans to have a "test" run on Saturday September1.  Well, with all of the problems with the portal, only four of us participated.  We tried writing on the whiteboard and chatting.  It was great to answer some questions and just have some fun.

The "real" Eluminate session will be on Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 6:00PM.  Notice that it is an hour later than our usual meeting time.  I wanted to make sure that everyone has enough time to get home at set up.

I will send out invitations to join this Blog so that we can all post on it.  I will also send out the invitation to the Eluminate session.  Please make sure that your e-mail at school has enough room to accept e-mail.  A couple of my Eluminate invitations bounced back to me.

The group work on the article from Teaching Tolerance, I Don't Think I Am Biased, was fabulous.  Some great questions were generated that we will be able to use here on the Blog and in class.