There were several points throughout these readings that I was able to relate back to my own experiences with culture. One of my ultimate goal as a teacher is to help students understand who they are (their identity), to be comfortable with who they are, and to also accept others for who they are. In order to I so, I will have to get a better understanding of what culture is. These readings really made me think about concepts i had never gave much thought to before. For example, I had never thought of different generations within the same family as having different cultures. If you think about it, it makes sense considering the ways in which one was raised are considerably distinct depending upon when you were born and raised. I definitely agree that cultural norms maintain order in a society. Individuals within a society follow cultural norms that go without being said. These rules are considered to be "normal" because everyone within that culture abides by them. It was interesting to read that culture provides individuals with a basis for identity formation which helps create solidarity with other members. I could relate to this because I identify with 2 cultures, the Mexican and American culture, however; because most of the time I am immersed in the American culture I feel as I'd though I am seen as "other". On the other hand, when I am around other Others who are apart of the Mexican culture I feel a sense of solidarity, I feel as if they also know what it feels like to be labeled as "other". I definitely influence think cultures influence one another. For example, my parents immigrated to the United States about 30 years ago. They brought with them culture rich experiences that were then shared with the individuals they have came in contact with ever since. Their life's have also been altered and shaped by the influences of the American culture over the past 30 years. It has become part of out family culture to celebrate Halloween; although my parents had never celebrated it before while living in Mexico. I also think about how my family's culture has influenced the culture of our friends and Family in Mexico. When we visit we occasionally take gifts (usually clothes) to our cousins. Consequently we are influencing their way of life by the clothes they wear. If you think on more broad terms, the media plays a large role in how effectively clutters can influence one another. For instance, when I go visit family in Mexico I am shocked to hear that my cousins who speak only Spanish are listening music in English that is popular here in the United States. Also, the way they dress is also Americanized. They watch tv shows that are American. All of these ideas and concepts are in turn influencing their culture. When I hear the term "cultural otherization" I think of teachers having the potential to give students the idea that their culture is inferior to that of the teacher's self culture If the teachers to not make students feel that their culture is valuable. Having students articulate their own definition of culture is a great start to get an idea of what prior knowledge your students have. Maybe they know a lot about culture in general, but they struggle with their own culture and their own identity. I think that teachers should build awareness about stressed caused by cultural adjustments. Not only should the teacher be aware, but also he or she should make his or her students aware of how stressful making a cultural transition can be. Teachers can and should share their own stories about experiencing new cultures. They can talk about how they felt and how they worked through that experience to learn from it and make it a positive one.
No comments:
Post a Comment