It was very interesting to read about how other cultures may view the American classroom based on their own cultural paradigms in this week’s lesson. I often found myself nodding and agreeing with Brother Ivers’ description of how our students, generally, do not give their teachers the same level of respect, as those in other parts of the world are afforded, due in part, to our country’s strong belief in equality. It was very easy to relate to his comparing and contrasting example concerning how a person with an Asian perspective would not dream of leaving the classroom during the lesson as something that is not usually viewed as an issue here. In my own high school classroom, this behavior is considered the norm and students who need to use the restroom or get a drink are well practiced in the procedure of signing out and taking a pass quietly to avoid interrupting others. This, from our perspective, is seen as respectful and not unlike, how in later situations, we will follow our American cultural expectations and excuse ourselves when we receive an important call that cannot wait, however, in other parts of the world, it is the act of leaving that would be considered inappropriate.
In the TESOL classroom, it is important to know our students to have a more complete understanding of how their own individual views will affect not only their learning but how they will interact with their peers and teacher. This knowledge can help reduce misunderstandings and encourage more social interaction within the classroom in order to facilitate language acquisition. Knowing why a student may react as they do can eliminate personal bias as well and help us, as teachers, to appreciate our students on a more global context. While there is not a one-size-fits-all way to view cultural norms, seeing the world from our students’ eyes can help us to become better teachers and disciples of Christ.
https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/multicultural-characters_766824.htm (Image)
