Transcript 2 - Northside Middle School

Multi-Cultural Awareness
What is Culture?
How do we define it?
Keep reading to learn more . . .
A melting pot . . .
In the past the United States has commonly been
referred to as a “melting pot”. What do we mean
when we say a “melting pot”? In the past when
people came to the United States they were
expected to adapt their ‘old world’ values and
culture to fit the values and lifestyle of the ‘new
world’. Their differences where metaphorically
placed into a pot and melted into that of the
mainstream culture. Under this philosophy one
would expect everyone in an “American” culture
to have the same language and lifestyle, however
this is not the case.
(2) page 4
A melting pot no more . . .
“Today the terms ‘mosaic’ society and ‘tossed
salad’ are replacing the ‘melting pot’ concept. In a
‘mosaic’ society, individuals maintain their own
cultural patterns, such as language, lifestyle, and
religious practices. Differences are valued and
appreciated, as when countless colored stones join
together to form a mosaic, or when carrots,
lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers, and tomatoes
maintain their shapes, color, and taste in a tossed
salad. As a result, individuals can be proud of their
cultural heritage and uniqueness instead of being
ashamed of their differences…. ” (2) pg. 4
How do you define culture?
Culture is . . .
Culture is the totality of values, beliefs,
and behaviors common to a large
group of people. A culture may
include shared language and folklore,
communication styles, and ideas and
thinking patterns—the “truths”
accepted by members of the group.
Members of a culture have similar
expectations of life.
(2) pg.6
Culture is . . .
Culture can be further defined as the
body of learned beliefs, traditions,
principles, and guides for behavior
that are shared among members of a
particular group. Culture serves as a
roadmap for both perceiving and
interacting with the world.
(2) pg.6
Culture is . . .
Another way we can define culture is to
say that culture is the behavioral
software “that programs us all.” We
interpret other people’s behavior
through our own “cultural software.”
(2) pg.6
Remember . . .
• Culture determines our behavior and
attitudes.
• No one is culture-free.
• Most cultural rules are never written.
(2) pg.6
A well cultured person . . .
• “4 a : enlightenment and excellence of
taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic
training b : acquaintance with and taste in
fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of
science as distinguished from vocational
and technical skills.” (8)
A Multi-Dimensional Definition . . .
• “5 a : the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief,
and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning
and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations b
: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits
of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the
characteristic features of everyday existence (as
diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or
time <popular culture> <southern culture> c : the set of
shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that
characterizes an institution or organization <a corporate
culture focused on the bottom line> d : the set of values,
conventions, or social practices associated with a
particular field, activity, or societal characteristic
<studying the effect of computers on print culture>
<changing the culture of materialism will take time —
Peggy O'Mara>.” (8)
Six General Features of Culture
1. Culture includes concepts, habits, and institutions.
2. Culture not only involves behaviors, but also attitudes.
3. Culture is dynamic – constantly changing
4. Culture is defined by group members, not outside
observers.
5. Culture is transmitted from generation to generation.
6. Culture is learned…you are not born with culture.
(1) pg. 68
Read the following except from The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
Act III Scene: I
Shylock to Salarino
“I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt
with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the
same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a
Christian is? If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not
laugh? If you poison us do we not die? “
What do you think is the cultural significance of this quote?
The main message that we are concerned about conveying here is that
all humans are the same, even though they may be of different race,
heritage, or in this case religion, we are essential all the same.
Why understanding diversity is
important?
What exactly is diversity?
“Human diversity means
differences among people.
It’s all of us in our rich and
infinite variety.” (2) pg.2
Why diversity?
As we look at the present day society of the
United States we notice that the current
makeup of the population is a dramatic
change from that of the past. Furthermore,
we notice that individuals have started to
celebrate their differences instead of
compromising their uniqueness to ‘fit in.’
(2) pg.2
Diversity’s Importance
• Young people in today’s society are more
likely than previous generations to face the
challenges of interacting and working with
individuals who are different from
themselves.
• It is vital that as our communities become
increasingly more diverse, we continue to
understand the ever growing perspectives
of diversity.
(2) pgs.5 - 6
“Dealing with diversity can be daunting. It
will help to keep in mind the Seven
Underlying Principles of Diversity”
See The Next 3 Slides
(adapted from Diversity: Just What Is It
Anyway? Dimensions in Diversity, Vol. 3
(3). Southeast Community College).
(2) Pg.10
“1. Diversity is an inside job, meaning that diversity is not
about “them.” Rather, it is about each person coming to
terms with his or her attitudes, beliefs, and experiences
about others and gaining comfort with difference.
2. Diversity goes beyond race and gender. The diversity
tent is big enough to include everyone—young and old,
homeless and affluent, immigrant and native, white and
black, rural and urban, gang member and corporate
professional.
3. No one is the target of blame for current or past
inequities. All human beings have been socialized to
behave in certain ways, and all of us are at times both
perpetrators and victims of discrimination and
stereotypes. The idea is to move forward in creating
more opportunities.
(2) Pg. 10
4. Human beings are ethnocentric, seeing the world through
their own narrow view and judging the world by their familiar
yardstick. This is not bad in itself, but it can be a source of
conflict if other ways of being are not accommodated and
valued.
5. The human species resists changes, continuing to seek
homeostasis. This makes the constant adaptation required
by diversity difficult for people already overwhelmed by
staggering transitions in today’s communities and
organizations.
6. Human beings find comfort and trust in likeness. We
have a tendency to seek the company of those most similar
to us in a variety of ways… age, gender, and ethnicity being
just several of many.
(2) Pg.10
7. It is difficult for people to share power. History shows
us that we rarely do it voluntarily. Understanding this
last reality helps clarify why there is sometimes a
backlash associated with diversity from people who
may believe they will lose in this experience. All of
these truisms about the human species do not make
people mean-spirited or cruel. It just makes us humans.
Nevertheless, these realities make dealing with
diversity a challenge.”
(2) Pg.10
Culture Influences Our Lives
“Psychologists say we are, to a large extent,
“culturally programmed” by the age of
three! Let’s look at this simple symbol.
What does this symbol mean to you?”
Pages 6-9 (2)
“Some thoughts that came
To your mind may have included
• happy
• smile
• good
• correct
• satisfaction
• pleased
These meanings are a part of your cultural
programming. Culture plays a big influence in our
lives.”
Pages 6-9 (2)
What If You Belonged To A Different
Culture?
Pages 6-9 (2)
“Take a few minutes to imagine that you
woke up tomorrow morning and found that
you belonged to another culture, another
ethnic group, or some other dimension of
diversity. You might be Hispanic, Asian,
African American, or White. You might
have a physical or mental disability. You
might belong to a different religious
group—perhaps you are Jewish or
Moslem. You might be a teenager or a
very elderly person. You might live in the
deep south or in Alaska. Consider the
(following items) with your new
culture/group in mind. These are just some
of the areas in your life that might be
affected.
Pages 6-9 (2)
• The friends you associate with
• The social activities you enjoy
• The foods you prefer
• The religion you practice
• The clothing you wear
• The neighborhood you live in
• The job/position you hold
• The vehicle you drive
• The music you enjoy
• The language(s) you speak
• The political party you belong to
Pages 6-9 (2)
Now ask yourself the following questions:
What parts of my life would remain the
same?
What parts of my life would be different?
Are you surprised to see how many
things in your life would change if your
culture changed?”
Pages 6-9 (2)
Where Did We Receive Our
Cultural Programming?
Pages 6-9 (2)
“Where did we learn our values, beliefs,
attitudes, and patterns of thinking and
acting? Each of us is born into a culture.
Our beliefs begin with those of our family,
but they continue to be shaped by all of
our experiences after birth. For the most
part, family attitudes, beliefs, languages,
and other behaviors are accepted without
question. Where did you receive your
cultural programming? Take a few minutes
to list on a sheet of paper the various
influences on your cultural programming.”
Pages 6-9 (2)
Pages 6-9 (2)
“You probably listed some of the
following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
family
economic status
ethnicity
neighbors
church
media
travel
age
education
work
spouse
friends
geographic
other relatives
location”
Pages 6-9 (2)
What are some examples of
your cultural programming?
Think about the family or personal beliefs
or values you hold, or rituals you
perform based on the cultural
programming you received. The
following are a few examples that others
have shared:
Pages 6-9 (2)
• “The marriage will be more successful if you say your vows
while the clock is on the upside of the hour, not while it is on
the downside of the hour.” Pages 6-9 (2)
• “Your hair will grow back if you cut it on the full moon.”
Pages 6-9 (2)
• It is common for people in China, Korea, and Japan to eat
food with chopsticks.
• In Scotland men and women both wear kilts for special
occasions.
• In England the clocks in the Underground, or what we call
the Subway, are set in military time.
• “In most Middle Eastern countries, the left hand is
associated with bodily functions, and it is taboo to use it
in any social setting for any reason.” (3)
• “[I]n many parts of South America, schedules are
followed much more loosely than in the United States.
It's not uncommon for meetings to start 30 minutes to 45
minutes late.” (3)
• In certain countries many numbers are associated with
particular meetings. For instance, in the United States
the number 13 is considered to be an unlucky number.
While China the number 8 is considered to be a very
lucky number. In Japan the number 4 is pronounced very
closely to the word for death, so 4 is considered to be an
unlucky number.
Do have any other ones that you can add to the list? If so,
what are they? In this course we will explore many
differences instances of cultural programming.
Most of us can finish the statements
below.
– You can’t teach an old dog. . .
– Big boys don’t. . .
– You can lead a horse to water, but. . .
– The early bird …
– All good things …
– Where there’s a will …
These commonly recognized statements represent cultural
attitudes that are, in some cases, inaccurate.
Pages 6-9 (2) & (9)
Cultural Filters—“On Automatic”
“Because each of us is different, we see and interpret
behavior through our own cultural filter. One effect of our
cultural programming is that it puts us “on automatic.”
When we were children learning about the world, some
of the messages we received about people who are
different from us were misinformation. Some of these
messages came from our parents, friends, teachers, and
others. These people did not intend to feed us
misinformation. They were simply passing on the
messages that had been passed down to them. Some of
the messages we received came from people. Some of
the messages came from media, such as television and
textbooks. Some of the misinformation constituted
stereotypes, like the sentences you finished a few
minutes ago (“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”).
These stereotypes became “mental tapes” that affected
what we thought and how we felt about people who were
different from ourselves. Those tapes also affected how
we responded to people who were different from us.
Those responses became automatic. As adults, most of
us are still on automatic. Let’s look at some examples of
being on automatic.”
Pages 6-9 (2)
Read each word or phrase on your
handout and on the next slide one at a
time. For each one, note the first
thought that comes to your mind. Don’t
spend a lot of time thinking—just note
the first thing that comes to mind.
Pages 6-9 (2)
• politician
• homeless person
• lawyer
• black male teenager
• professor
• police officer
• man in a wheelchair
• farmer
• Californian
• 300-pound woman
Pages 6-9 (2)
“Some of your responses will
likely represent stereotypes.
You did not take time to
think about them; they were
automatic responses. Some
of the responses that have
been given by different
groups with different cultural
filters include:
Pages 6-9 (2)
• politician: liar, government, white male
• lawyer: evasive, expensive, snake,
someone who compromises
• professor: absent-minded, intelligent,
educator, lifelong learning
• man in a wheelchair: weak, helpless,
dependent, pity, suffering, asexual
• Californian: surfer, physically fit, blond,
tan
Pages 6-9 (2)
• homeless person: irresponsible, dangerous,
drug and alcohol addicts, unfortunate
• Black male teenager: good athlete, drug dealer
• policeman: power hungry, helpful, trust, fine,
beater/ abuser, risk-taker
• farmer: hard worker, unsophisticated, country
bumpkins American
• 300-pound woman: motherly, lacking in
discipline, lazy, greedy, unattractive, jolly”
Pages 6-9 (2)
Ethnocentricity
• “Recognize your own ethnocentricity - the
ways in which you stereotype, judge, and
discriminate, and your emotional reactions
to conflicting cultural values.” (2) pg. 9
Stereotyping
What is a stereotype?
• “A stereotype is an exaggerated belief
associated with a category, person, or
object. . . . The function of a stereotype is
a means by which we can justify our
behavior or conduct in relation to the
category, person, or object.” (1) pg.90
“When we stereotype, we place a person in a
particular “mental file” not based on information
gained through knowledge about or personal
experience with the particular person. Rather,
we assign the person to a “mental file” based on
what we believe about a group to which the
person belongs. Once learned, those
stereotypes are called up instantly by our brain’s
Reticular Activating System (RAS). Stereotypes
exist for every group of people imaginable. Even
though we may not like to admit that we
stereotype people, we all do it. Stereotyping
makes it easier to function in a world filled with
unknowns. Stereotypes help us organize our
thinking and manage massive amounts of
information. We classify the infinite variety of
human beings into a convenient handful of
“types.” Once in place, stereotypes are difficult
to undo. It’s hard to get off “automatic.” ”
Pages 6-9 (2)
Prejudice vs.
Discrimination
What is a prejudice?
“2 a (1) : preconceived judgment or
opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or
leaning formed without just grounds or
before sufficient knowledge b : an
instance of such judgment or opinion c :
an irrational attitude of hostility
directed against an individual, a group,
a race, or their supposed characteristic”
(7)
Prejudice Acts
“You commit a prejudice act when you judge
people based on their characteristics
before you know them. Prejudice usually
comes form either not having enough
information about a person or group
(ignorance) or fear of the group or
individual. These attitudes are learned, but
can also be eliminated through
acceptance and education.” (1) pg.82
What is discrimination?
“3 a : the act, practice, or an instance of
discriminating categorically rather than
individually b : prejudiced or prejudicial
outlook, action, or treatment <racial
discrimination>” (4)
What does discriminating mean?
“1 : making a distinction : distinguishing <a
discriminating mark> 2 : marked by
discrimination: a : discerning, judicious
<discriminating buyers> b : discriminatory
<accused of discriminating practices>” (5)
What does distinguish mean?
“1 : to perceive a difference in : mentally separate
<so alike they could not be distinguished>
2 a : to mark as separate or different <a policy
that distinguishes him from other candidates> b :
to separate into kinds, classes, or categories
<distinguish words by their part of speech> c : to
give prominence or distinction to <distinguished
themselves in music> d : characterize <recipes
distinguished by simplicity>
3 a : discern <distinguished a light in the
distance> b : to single out : take special notice
of” (6)
Prejudice & Discrimination
• A prejudice refers to a preconceived
judgment or opinion while discrimination
refers to an act or a practice. So one may
say that a prejudice can lead to
discrimination.
Contracts
“Students should be made aware that many
times the ignorance of discrimination goes
unchecked because people are too fearful
of doing something that would correct the
situation. Students must understand that
to stop prejudice and discrimination, hard
and unpopular contracts must be made
with oneself.” (1) pg.84
Your Challenge
• Recognize differences as diversity rather than
abnormal behavior or inappropriate responses to
the environment.
• Respect the benefits of diverse values and
behaviors to people and to the organization.
• Accept that each culture finds some values
more important and some behaviors more
desirable than others.
• Understand the effect that historic distrust has
on present-day interactions.
(2) pg. 9
• Have a clear sense of your individual culture.
• Recognize your own ethnocentricity—the ways in which
you stereotype, judge, and discriminate, and your emotional
reactions to conflicting cultural values.
• Understand how the culture of your organization affects
those whose culture is different.
• Recognize the similarities that are shared across the
“human culture,” regardless of the differences that exist
among individual cultures and groups. These include, but
are not limited to: desire for safety, good health, education
and well-being of our children, love and belongingness, selfesteem (feeling of worthiness), and the ability to pursue and
achieve our potential.
(2) pg. 9
Works Cited
Works Cited
(1) Multicultural Education: Raising Cultural Awareness
and Reducing Prejudice among a Middle School
Population by Bernier, Christopher. © Jan 1995
(2) An Overview of Diversity Awareness by Patreese D.
Ingram, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Sciences at
Penn State College
< http://pubs.cas.psu.edu >
(3) Cultural taboos: On global playing field, strategy starts
with avoiding offense by Michelle Cater Rash of The
Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area
<http://triad.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2007/10/01/fo
cus1.html >
Works Cited (continued)
(4) http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/distinguishing
(5) http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/discriminating
(6) http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/distinguishing
(7) http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prejudice
(8) http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture
(9) http://thinkexist.com/common_sayings/