socio-cultural learning [Patrick]

As a native English speaker and third generation Canadian with European roots, I really was able to just fit into the school system as easily as a hand to glove. I went to a small school in a farming part of a larger community where there was one class per grade, and sometimes split grades if there weren't enough students. For elementary, there was no problems. As I went through high school, it was more a case of small fish in a big pond, and there was the first taste of what it would be like for somebody from another culture. A farm kid in a city school, taking a long bus trip and not understanding pop culture for the most part, there was a new system to learn for socializing. It wasn't until the last couple years of high school that I had figured most of it out, but even then that learning curve left me far behind compared to many others who came from bigger elementary schools closer to the city. There was no way for my teachers to notice that I was different or would have any trouble adjusting. My elementary teachers may have noticed, but I "looked and sounded like I fit in."

We had a lesson in my Designs for Drama class on Role Drama last class. In it, we took on the role of a 10 year old student in class during the second world war. Our instructor spoke to us only in Japanese, and took on stern tones of voice when we didn't reply in Japanese or write properly. It was painful, but amazing. The experience really left me with an empathy for any student who had come from a background that wasn't exactly homogenized into the culture of the school. Which was why I included the story above, to remind myself, and others that socio-cultural learning isn't just for the obviously out of place. There is a struggle to learn so much more than curriculum content. We must be as aware as possible to the needs of our learners.

As a teacher, I've come to really be cognizant of the many layers of understanding a student, from Mamchur's type-theory, to Gardner's Muti-Intelligence Theory. I really feel that in each case of working with a student, different parts will stand out from each theory that will help guide me to guide them. Looking back on myself as a young pre-high school student, I really could have used some of this information to figure out just how I worked and where my strengths were, as I look back now and think "Oh, well that makes sense why I liked this activity and not that." Mostly it could have helped me accept the way I am as a gift instead of a challenge. [this above inspired by Niomie's post]