Culture and Education

We've talked a lot about this topic in Language and Culture in the Classroom classes. How the ethnicity and the cultural background of a student can affect his academic success? Most people think that if a child has a different culture at home that the one used in the class, has all the chances to fail; but some studies show that it isn't true.

Teachers have to build a bridge between the two scenarios (home environment and school environment) in a way that each one complements the other instead of replacing it.

To be able to do it, the educator has to research about the child's culture in order to know important facts of his daily life, such as: how do children learn (through watching, doing, listening...), which status has a teacher in his culture, if both genders are accepted in teaching roles, which ideas are taboo…

Being aware of the differences between the two cultures will allow the educator to choose the best methodology that fit with the student's needs, as well as it'll provide him clues about how to plan the classes.

As I said, adapt to the new culture doesn't mean leaving the own.

When a child is young isn't aware of the importance of the cultural facts, so he only desires to fit in the society at any price, even though if it means to lose and forget his roots and family history. Unfortunately that's what happens most of the time and it's a shame because then, when the child has grown he realizes all he has lost because of his previous ignorance.

I could experience this fact in the Refugee Parent's Panel, when Brigitte talked about his son. I observed that here in the US most people adapt themselves to the culture in order to not being socially marginalized.

I really think that diversity is a beneficial fact, and that everyone should hold affirmative views about it. In this way the world will be culturally richer and we'll be able to consider other points of views about a topic.

As I said before, an educator must be socioculturally conscious, I mean, he must be aware that the majority culture isn't the only one, because if not, he will rely on their own personal experiences to make sense of students' lives and it leads to misinterpretations and miscommunication.

Providing feedback and having high expectations for the newcomers are some of the most powerful tools to enhance their achievement. The students must feel that they have someone to rely on and that cares of them at any time.

Here in the US I've experienced that the kids who have a different culture receive many support; the school provides them the opportunity of being in a separate classroom during one semester to learn the language and adapt their selves to the new culture, and I think that's a really good idea, because in this way, after a short period of time they're prepared to understand the mainstream class content.

Spain doesn't have many problems about this topic because most of the immigration we have is from Europe. That means that they have a very similar lifestyle and they don't have many problems to fit in the society or the school environment because its culture doesn't differ very much from ours. However, they receive help and special classes from school if they need it.

In the near future, all the classrooms will be multicultural due to the travelling facilities and globalization, so as I teacher I'm aware that I must be prepared to front this situation. I hope to use all the practices that are in my reach to overcome the student's cultural barriers and prevent this from being a problem to reach academic success.