Student Teacher 36 | - ✏ Freelance Writer
Jul 31, 2014 | #1
Write a Critical Summary that demonstrates an understanding of the selected chapter by stating the main point, argument, or thesis of the chapter, and then presenting a brief discussion, analysis, or evaluation of its contents.
Also answer the following based on your own opinion:
Employ your understanding of the chapter and its major points, arguments, or concepts to critically reflect on your own educational experience and your future thinking or practice as a teacher in an urban context. Your reflection must specifically address the following two questions:
1) What does one of the reading's major points, arguments, or concepts make you think or help you to understand/explain about your own experience in school?; and,
2) What does one of the reading's major points, arguments, or concepts make you think or help you to understand about your future practice as a teacher in the socially and culturally diverse context of urban schooling?
Book: Cultural Nature of Human Development (Author: Rogoff) Chapter 9: Cultural change and relations among communities
Cultural Changes - Point I
This chapter made it clear that people are functioning within several cultural contexts and traditions. Many people are living as immigrants, or have families that have lived as immigrants or minority group members with lives that have many different cultural traditions. Of those who have a cultural heritage that matches the dominant one of the nation, they still may live in neighborhoods or schools that are culturally diverse. Some families rely on children to serve as translators, which can help children develop. This can help encourage children in one way, allowing children to serve as a bridge; at the same time, children may be conflicted as to whether to serve or act in the American way, or according to their cultural heritage. Children benefit by learning various cultural traditions. This helps them value their own background, and understand diversity better. This can encourage confidence within the community, at school, and in the future workplace. I find all of this to be true.
Growing up in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, I witnessed firsthand children translating for parents that had no ability to speak English. Sometimes this was frustrating for children that had to be dragged away from games or other activities to serve as a translator for their parents. At the same time, one of the best paying positions in the workforce presently is to serve as a translator. Thus, many of these children are learning skills that may serve them well into the future. It is also important that as a community and in schools, we learn to value the diversity that is inherent in our cultural traditions. It can be conflicting learning to embrace cultural heritage, but also the American heritage.
Cultural Changes - Point II
As a teacher, I think it is important to teach children to embrace their diversity, and personal heritage, while also thinking in terms of national culture. Learning to help children embrace diversity, and learn to take pride in their personal traditions, and see the value in this, can be rewarding and help children learn to be confident, self-aware, and confident individuals as students and community members. I do not see why it has to be one way or the other. Rather, it is important for students to intermingle and develop friendships with individuals from multiple cultures. The text notes that diversity is present, but can also present challenges including hostility and resentment, resulting from multiple reasons including stereotypical behaviors or cultural misunderstandings. However, working with children and schools to adopt behaviors that teach cultural awareness can improve the odds that children in academia will learn to embrace cultural differences rather than engage in hostility or cultural blindness. Teaching cultural awareness can help prevent cliques from forming, which can be segregating and spread into stereotypical behaviors.
It is common for friendships to form around similar bonds. I would encourage friendships to form around common bonds. However, rather than encourage students to bond around a minority bond or something similar, I would rather see students bond and find common strengths like strong communication skills, reading skills or other academic strengths, rather than see students form rivalries because of cultural conditions with other groups based on cultural factors. As the text pointed out, it is important that groups in school and in communities learn to respect one another. Mutual respect can be formed for many reasons. One way that respect can develop is by discouraging negative stereotypes that often form of individuals based on ethnic or cultural reasons and stereotypes.
Cultural Changes - Point III
My own experience in school has taught me that cultural differences are commonplace and school, and often a cause for misunderstanding and cause for miscommunication. People tend to want to compete for resources. Social arrangements however, can easily be made when people reach for a common goal. I have been successful at making very good relationships in school, largely because I have learned to relate to other students based on the want to promote respect, and the want to build friendships with people. This has taken considerably effort and a desire to meet other people, and a desire to want to learn about other cultures. If there is support for this, and a forum for people to have an opportunity to do this, as I have found there often is depending on the school environment, then friendships can more easily form. In the event there is friction, normally mediation or collaboration can take place with third parties in a neutral environment where individuals have an opportunity for shared growth. One difficulty that can present is a lack of resources. This can breed fear for scarcity.
When there is a competition for resources, if a means to develop greater resources can be found, then students and communities are less likely to argue over getting what they need. Instead, the common goal can be acquiring the resources that everyone needs, rather than fighting over the few resources that exist. People can learn to relate to one another, and work better together to find a mutual benefit in this regard. The key is finding strong people to communicate this common purpose, and finding initiators that will take the first steps toward realizing this goal. Typically, influential people work best, or members of the community that already carry influence among their common culture or party, that can influence people to work together among people that might otherwise might not be inclined to do so. Breaking down barriers including fear may take time, but in the end, it is very much worth the effort. Students are as much a family as one's natural family. When people begin realizing this, then much power and possibility is realized for radical reform.
Works Cited
Rogoff, B. The Cultural Nature of Human Development. Oxford University Press.
Also answer the following based on your own opinion:
Employ your understanding of the chapter and its major points, arguments, or concepts to critically reflect on your own educational experience and your future thinking or practice as a teacher in an urban context. Your reflection must specifically address the following two questions:1) What does one of the reading's major points, arguments, or concepts make you think or help you to understand/explain about your own experience in school?; and,
2) What does one of the reading's major points, arguments, or concepts make you think or help you to understand about your future practice as a teacher in the socially and culturally diverse context of urban schooling?
Book: Cultural Nature of Human Development (Author: Rogoff) Chapter 9: Cultural change and relations among communities
Cultural Changes in Communities
Cultural Changes - Point I
This chapter made it clear that people are functioning within several cultural contexts and traditions. Many people are living as immigrants, or have families that have lived as immigrants or minority group members with lives that have many different cultural traditions. Of those who have a cultural heritage that matches the dominant one of the nation, they still may live in neighborhoods or schools that are culturally diverse. Some families rely on children to serve as translators, which can help children develop. This can help encourage children in one way, allowing children to serve as a bridge; at the same time, children may be conflicted as to whether to serve or act in the American way, or according to their cultural heritage. Children benefit by learning various cultural traditions. This helps them value their own background, and understand diversity better. This can encourage confidence within the community, at school, and in the future workplace. I find all of this to be true.
Growing up in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, I witnessed firsthand children translating for parents that had no ability to speak English. Sometimes this was frustrating for children that had to be dragged away from games or other activities to serve as a translator for their parents. At the same time, one of the best paying positions in the workforce presently is to serve as a translator. Thus, many of these children are learning skills that may serve them well into the future. It is also important that as a community and in schools, we learn to value the diversity that is inherent in our cultural traditions. It can be conflicting learning to embrace cultural heritage, but also the American heritage.
Cultural Changes - Point II
As a teacher, I think it is important to teach children to embrace their diversity, and personal heritage, while also thinking in terms of national culture. Learning to help children embrace diversity, and learn to take pride in their personal traditions, and see the value in this, can be rewarding and help children learn to be confident, self-aware, and confident individuals as students and community members. I do not see why it has to be one way or the other. Rather, it is important for students to intermingle and develop friendships with individuals from multiple cultures. The text notes that diversity is present, but can also present challenges including hostility and resentment, resulting from multiple reasons including stereotypical behaviors or cultural misunderstandings. However, working with children and schools to adopt behaviors that teach cultural awareness can improve the odds that children in academia will learn to embrace cultural differences rather than engage in hostility or cultural blindness. Teaching cultural awareness can help prevent cliques from forming, which can be segregating and spread into stereotypical behaviors.
It is common for friendships to form around similar bonds. I would encourage friendships to form around common bonds. However, rather than encourage students to bond around a minority bond or something similar, I would rather see students bond and find common strengths like strong communication skills, reading skills or other academic strengths, rather than see students form rivalries because of cultural conditions with other groups based on cultural factors. As the text pointed out, it is important that groups in school and in communities learn to respect one another. Mutual respect can be formed for many reasons. One way that respect can develop is by discouraging negative stereotypes that often form of individuals based on ethnic or cultural reasons and stereotypes.
Cultural Changes - Point III
My own experience in school has taught me that cultural differences are commonplace and school, and often a cause for misunderstanding and cause for miscommunication. People tend to want to compete for resources. Social arrangements however, can easily be made when people reach for a common goal. I have been successful at making very good relationships in school, largely because I have learned to relate to other students based on the want to promote respect, and the want to build friendships with people. This has taken considerably effort and a desire to meet other people, and a desire to want to learn about other cultures. If there is support for this, and a forum for people to have an opportunity to do this, as I have found there often is depending on the school environment, then friendships can more easily form. In the event there is friction, normally mediation or collaboration can take place with third parties in a neutral environment where individuals have an opportunity for shared growth. One difficulty that can present is a lack of resources. This can breed fear for scarcity.
When there is a competition for resources, if a means to develop greater resources can be found, then students and communities are less likely to argue over getting what they need. Instead, the common goal can be acquiring the resources that everyone needs, rather than fighting over the few resources that exist. People can learn to relate to one another, and work better together to find a mutual benefit in this regard. The key is finding strong people to communicate this common purpose, and finding initiators that will take the first steps toward realizing this goal. Typically, influential people work best, or members of the community that already carry influence among their common culture or party, that can influence people to work together among people that might otherwise might not be inclined to do so. Breaking down barriers including fear may take time, but in the end, it is very much worth the effort. Students are as much a family as one's natural family. When people begin realizing this, then much power and possibility is realized for radical reform.
Works Cited
Rogoff, B. The Cultural Nature of Human Development. Oxford University Press.