Cultural Thoughts

It could easily be said that culture is the fingerprint of human social existence. When it comes to the components that make up one’s culture (i.e., race, class, gender, sexuality, language, and/or religion) every person on this earth is completely unique and nothing molds our every day lives more. This statement especially holds true when it comes to discussing culture, its components, and education, for the two almost go hand in hand, each helping to shape the other.

Race, class, gender, sexuality, language, religion, and other components play a major role in shaping one’s culture. They can determine how one views other individuals, events, and the world, how one is viewed by others, what resources are or are not available to them, what type of education they may or may not receive, or something as “everyday” as what one likes to do in their spare time. However, one’s culture has a correlating effect on these components in return. It is what gives us our perception of how the world works…it is what creates our mindset.

When thinking about my own culture, I immediately view myself as someone who has been greatly influenced by reading and writing my entire life, it having been stressed by my father, and for a few years, my step-mother. I also view myself as someone who is family oriented, despite all the complications it has brought to my life.

My culture shaped me tremendously as a learner. It taught me that education is a value and a high importance. I have been a learner for as long as I can remember, most particularly when it came to reading and writing. One of my earliest memories is sitting down with my father, sounding out and learning to recognize the word “the”. I would also use the margins of my coloring books to spell out words. As I grew older, towards the end of my elementary school years and into middle school, writing became the forefront of my learning, as a way to cope with how my culture was changing outside of school.

My attitudes and beliefs about culture in the classroom are that every single student is unique in their own way. When I am designing my lesson plans, I need to keep in mind that every student learns differently. Some are text-based learners, some are audio learners, some are visual learners, and some are vocal learners, all of which are influenced by one’s culture. For example, I am a text-based and vocal learner, based on my own culture, whereas one of my brothers is an audio learner, based on his culture. Each learner is shaped by their experiences both in- and outside of school. As an educator, it is my responsibility to keep that in mind while dealing with student issues (i.e. not handing an assignment in on time or perhaps the student wrote it green ink or pencil as opposed to blue or black ink). With some students I should just be grateful that they turned in anything at all, due to the fact that there may be extenuating circumstances at home or because they simply did not know any differently. Maybe the reason that paper they handed in was hand-written instead of typed because they do not have a computer at home, and maybe their parents cannot afford one.

These beliefs may differ for someone from a different culture because their own culture shaped them, including their attitudes and beliefs in the classroom. A teacher from a middle- or upper-class family may take points off of a paper that was handwritten instead of typed, because they believe that every home does, or should, have a home computer. And, if that student did not have a computer at home, then they should have budgeted extra time outside of class to go to a computer lab and type it. What they may not take the time to realize or understand is that this student could be from a poor or working-class family. Consequently, not only could the student’s family not afford a personal computer at home, but the student could not take the extra time away from school to go to the school computer lab because they have to get home and take care of five kids and clean the house while their parents are both at work.

Culture plays a huge role in the classroom and how teachers and students may view one another. In most cases, issues or cultural differences go unnoticed or unaddressed. For example, during one semester of service learning, I learned that in Vietnamese culture, it is considered disrespectful for a student to speak out, to look someone in the eye, that talking for the sake of it is considered conceited, and that they should never challenge their elders or figures of authority. I also learned that they are rarely on time for things, because they do not want to seem too anxious. A teacher who is unfamiliar with these cultures may not know that these are culture norms, and may view an Asian student in their class as quiet, struggling, non-participating, lazy or disrespectful, which could jeopardize a student’s grade. The student in return may feel confusion and resentment towards not only the teacher, but school in general.

All in all, one must realize the great role that culture plays in shaping everyday life and education. In order to do this, one must first determine his/her culture, and its components, and then look beyond. A student, who seems to stand out in their behavior or learning, perhaps is not flawed, but simply has a different fingerprint.