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Overcoming Cultural Biases
February 26, 2007
Kind words conquer.
-Tamil Proverb
-Tamil Proverb
Understanding culture and cultural differences is not easy even when you have the best intentions and you and families are each invested in their child's well-being and learning. Here are some strategies that can help you get beyond barriers of cultural differences and build trusting relationships:
- Be aware of how your culture �" your attitudes, beliefs, and expectations �" shapes you as a person and teacher. This will give you some insight into the deep influence culture has on others, including the children and families with whom you work.
- Observe to discover similarities as well as the differences between your culture and those of children and families. Like most of us, you may find similarities easier to deal with than differences. But remember, differences exist, and recognizing them is necessary before we can bridge them. Be open to and try to accept and acknowledge both.
- Seek more information to understand what culture means to each family and the ways in which it is reflected in their behavior. Continue to observe and listen; as trust grows, share some of your questions and your own experiences and beliefs.
Cultural collisions and tensions between teachers and family members are part of life. If parents of the same child disagree, for example, about the right way to respond to a child's challenging behavior based on how they were raised, it is no surprise that caregivers and parents are caught short by differences not only between their own cultures but between the cultures of home and child care or school. The challenge is to get beyond asking what is right and wrong to being able to see another person's point of view and to communicate openly, always keeping in mind your common goal of supporting the child.
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Comments (1)
Displaying 1 CommentWheelock College
Lincoln,, MA, United States
I'd add: Be aware of your own culture, rather than thinking culture is something other people have. You have a culture,
as an American, as the culture of your heritage, and also the culture of your profession. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking your culture is 100% the right
culture.
You don't have to give up your values and
abandon your knowledge base. A child can adapt to living in two cultures better than a parent can, and better than you can. But it does mean you have to explore these issues with the child's parent, explain how things are done in your program, why that is better for the child while at the program, and that the paren'ts way may be better at home or on the street; or at least the parent is in a better position to judge that.
You and the parent need to explain yourselves to each other, and partner in the child's best interest. You can adapt by explaining to the child that we don't do this at school, or even finding some other middle ground with the parent.
Never think you have the answer.
Keep thinking about it, reflecting on your own responses, and dig deeper.
Your task is to care about the child, and
his status and identity in our society,
and not always to promote the profession.
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