Monday, May 4, 2009

Multicultural Action Plan

Multicultural Action Plan

All cultures share certain hidden values, beliefs, and attitudes that can interfere with a student’s ability to function in the classroom and the teacher’s ability to reach the student. Teachers need to be aware of the essential cultural characteristics that affect their students. Whether they are able to tailor their lessons and content areas to each culture represented in their class or not, teachers can go a long way toward engaging students and connecting with them by showing empathy and cultural sensitivity.
We would try to achieve these ends by considering the following elements of culture in our instruction and lessons:

1) Ceremony: What people are supposed to say and do in certain situations. Example: always kissing upon greeting another person.

2) Gesture and Kinesthetics: Forms of nonverbal communication or reinforced speech (use of hands, eyes, and the body).

3) Grooming and Presence: Differences in personal behavior and appearance (laughter, smile, voice quality, walk, dress, cosmetics, etc.).

4) Precedence: Accepted manners toward elders, peers, and younger persons.

5) Rewards and Privileges: Attitudes towards motivation, merit, achievement, service, social position, etc. For example, does the culture value individual or group achievement?

6) Space and Proxemics: Attitudes about oneself and the land. Acceptable distances between individuals.

7) Concepts of Time: Attitudes towards being on time, early, or late.

8) Religion: Common religious beliefs, customs, or values.

9) Family Values: Family organization, size, obligations, and entitlements. For example, does only the immediate family live together? Or do extended families cohabitate?

10) Language: What is the native language? Is English taught in native country? In what (if any) circumstances is English used? Are there words that have different meaning?

5 comments:

  1. I liked how you incorporated the deep culture into your action plan. It is important for all teachers to understand these aspects in all cultures because it is different. Especially the concept of time. It could be in the student's culture to arrive late to class, but it is our responsibility to tell them that in this culture, it is important to arrive to class on time, and let them know the consequences. Every teacher should have this in the back of their mind. Great job on your presentation!!! See you in class!!

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  2. I like your multicultural action plan. You really have thought a lot about elements of deep culture that are important for us as teachers to recognize in the classroom. the idea of deep culture is not understood by many, but if we can impart further cultural understanding among our students that is real progress for society.

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  3. I really felt that I learned a lot from your presentations and your blog. The concept of deep culture is so vital to gaining any kind of knowledge and empathy about and for our students.
    I had never even thought of Fijiians as a refugee population. You look at Fiji and wish you could just go there and never come back.
    And yet this is the real world and the pressures of capitalism have reached many indiginous populations with devastating results.
    Your presentaion was very engaging, I loved all of the music styles. i do find it very disconcerting that south pacific island popuations insist on being so separate from each other. Samoans, Tongans, Fijiians,it just seems odd how much they despise each others identities...

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  4. Your presentation of deep culture brought up many important points that could easily be overlooked by teachers. I think aspects of deep culture should be included in any multicultural action plan. I also liked the way you struck a fine balance between talking about Fijians and talking about culture in general. I think it's sad to see how globalization (Americanization) has negatively impacted Fijian views on body image.

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  5. the fiji music was cool too

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