10/16/2021; Week 5: Response to "Culture Paradigms"

Culture Paradigms

by Aranza Garza

During all of our lives, we have believed in what our society and parents taught us. As children, we do not question what we see, we just absorb the information, and we hope to fit in; and when we meet with people from other cultures, sometimes we find unfamiliar types of behavior or traditions they may conduct. I didn't realize what this midset might cause or affect in the view that I have from the world.

For example, what in the Cultural Clashes in Defining Beauty video said, sometimes what is beautiful in one place may not be in the other (taking the case of "being thin is beautiful?"), and we can see these cultural differences in the video Cultural Differences National Geographic, where we can observe the struggles and confusion African boys from Sudan have coming to the United States, and all of these because of the Paradigms we have in our amazing brain.

To support my ideas I would like to share the thoughts, that I got from the video "Cultural Paradigms Video." In this video, we learn that Paradigms "cause us to interpret the world around us." and how they "force you to interpret reality differently." This got me thinking that the things I might have believed my whole life, may not be entirely right or the only truth in this world, the ideologies we get from our cultures, may just be one more for the pile. 

This as a teacher can affect the way you see your students, and their behavior, the teacher has to be an example in many ways, and knowing that perhaps our thoughts are not exclusive ones (or the only correct ones) can open the eyes in teaching, some students may be used to be treated differently than other, or they may have different holidays than others, etc.  

As a teacher, you should respect all of these differences, and try to understand them. You should not expect to know everything about a students' culture, but to try to have an open mind and do not criticize is an important part of the job. 

Every student is different, in their learning, in their growth, and many other areas. We are all defined by different experiences, and teachers should provide a safe space for all of these differences. Understanding this will make a teacher more perceptive, understanding, and empathetic, and this will improve both their teaching and their relationship with their students.

Questions to reflect: 

What cultural differences have shocked you the most?

Why do you think they shocked you so bad?

References 

Cultural Paradigms, uploaded by BYU Idaho, (n.d) Link

Cultural Clashes in Defining Beauty, TED, uploaded by Delali Bright (November 2013), Link 

Cultural differences National Geographic, Youtube, uploaded by fsali89 (October 23, 2009) Link