As an extremely monochronic person (always early and dependable), it was very interesting to read about the different outlooks of polychronic societies. Having not ever been farther out of the country than a day trip to Mexico and a couple of nights spent in Canada, it was a real eye-opener to read this week’s material regarding the cultural paradigms concerning how time is seen by other countries and the reasons behind those views. “Family is everything” is a phrase that is often said in America, however, as Brother Ivers stated in his classroom lesson, this is not a concept that is actually put into much practice in our society, as jobs, obligations, and responsibilities seem to be the watchword of the average citizen, regardless of what may be going on at home. In our defense, how often have we wanted to take that time off to care for a sick child, attend a class field trip, or go to that family reunion but our place of employment either penalizes or rewards those who are on the job and doing their work, as expected? Time, to us, is something we never have enough of, cannot waste for a second and is something that is always at the forefront of our day.
In contrast, polychronic societies place the needs of the individual above the clock and may even tell a falsehood to avoid hurting the feelings of another. Time, for them, is not the ultimate goal and they would likely find our hustle and bustle as confusing as we see their willingness to not live or die by its measurement. These differing paradigms can have a significant impact on the ESL educator who may be teaching those students that are entering the workforce of a monochronic minded society. Just this year, my place of employment let go of a teacher who was chronically late for work, however, it may very well have been the case where his views were not in sync with our expectations. I believe understanding and learning from others is a significant step in the direction of avoiding these misunderstandings and this concept is reiterated in the July 2007 issue of the Liahona where it states, “sometimes our culture and the Western culture are very different,” said Seung Hwun Ko, a Church member from Seoul, Korea, “but when we talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ, we meet” and illustrates how communication can be the key to foster love of one another. As an educator, I will endeavor to always seek a way to serve without judgment and celebrate the uniqueness of all our Father’s children.
References
Church Diversity Breaks Stereotypes. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2019, from https://www.lds.org/liahona/2007/07/news-of-the-church/church-diversity-breaks-stereotypes?lang=eng
Home. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2019, from https://www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk/ (Image)
