Socio-cultural learning

Students come from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures. It is this medley of students that makes our schools rich with diversity. Though, despite the varying backgrounds of students, the norm is for all students to adapt/ assimilate into the social norms and processes of Canadian society, school, and daily life. This is not to say that students cultures are not embraced, just that the social processed common to Canada remain consistent with Western values.

I think what may be deemed normal here, can be difficult for some students to accept if there background or culture reflects different ideals. For example, the other day I was conversing with a Japanese friend of mine who claimed that looking at the teacher was disrespectful, whereas in Canada it is considered disrespectful not to look at the teacher. She admitted that, when she moved here at age 8, she felt there was a big adjustment. She felt that her new school and friends seemed to respect and celebrate her culture, but had little knowledge and acknowledgement for the way in which her social norms and behaviours differed from others. I think this reflects something about the diversity of our students: diversity in students is not limited to merely the culture from which they came, but the social processes and norms that accompanied that culture. We must be sensitive to both these things when respecting the diversity of our students.

For me, in my practicum experience, I had a class that was rich in multiculturalism, where there were over twelve different countries of origin with the class. It became a personal goal to help students both understand and celebrate the diversity in the classroom. The school had a multicultural day, but I wanted to do something more within the classroom. I created a family book where students wrote about the uniqueness of their family, and their family’s background and culture. Students accompanied their writing with a family photo. Students each had a chance to take the family book home for one night to share with their family. I also did a writing activity where students wrote compared their experiences in their home country to experiences in Canada (both positive and negative musings were welcome). Students were encouraged to share their writing with the class. Most students were eager to share, while the other students attentively listened to the others. I was so surprised to hear the honesty in the students and realized how this exercise allowed students to learn a lot about one another and gain a greater appreciation for the differences of each student.

These types of sharing experiences allow others to understand the social context from which a person has come. These are important in promoting understanding, respect, and empathy between students. As a teacher, understanding students in this way, allows me to understand how these characteristics may affect their needs in a learning environment. I strive to understand my students so I can understand how to care for them and teach them.