Dear Deb and LM_Netter's,
I am very interested in expanding this discussion also. I am moving to a school of
incredible diversity and will be in the minority (not the first time of my life). I
need specific information on Kurdish families, Lebanese, Pakistani, and central
America. I do have every other group out there so it's like a mini-UN, but these
are the groups I need to learn the most about.
Since I am asking for help, I'll contribute cultureal incidents that happened to me
with Chinese families on Taiwan.
When I lived in Taiwan for a short time, I understood the concept of "losing face."
Late students had to stand in front of the entire school, other kids' parents would
confront the late child's parent, students wouldn't raise their hands in older
elementary if they didn't know the answer, and if someone answered incorrectly, no
one would want to show up that child by raising their hand and triumphing with the
correct answer. That was nearly 20 years ago and I'm sure attitudes have changed,
but that was a direct application to the classroom.
Also, the concept of family is often misunderstood world-wide. When I taught at
private English language schools with 40 elementary students in the class, I also
had the majority of their parents sitting in the back taking notes, planning
homework, and joining in. When I taught the older group 16-70 year olds,
discussions on society and family often cropped up. We discussed crowded houses
with many generations living in one apartment (there were 9 adults in my 3
bedroom). When I explained that many children in America turned 18 and were adults
so they moved out on their own to begin careers or go to college, the class became
EXTREMELY agitated. They were horrified that parents and grandparents were
abandoning family members when they needed the most help beginning a new life. It
totally changed how I view our own culture of independence.
--
Diane R. Chen, Library Information Specialist
John F Kennedy Middle School
2087 Hobson Pike
Antioch, TN 37013
Personal Email: dianerchen@comcast.net
Blog: "Practically Paradise" at www.slj.com
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/practicallyparadise
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