10/24/17; Lesson 07: Response to “Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom”

People travel very much in our days. Many of them relocate with the hope to have a better life for themselves and their families. USA is a conglomerate of nationalities. The information provided by the video “Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom” and my previous readings indicate that there is a diversity of students in schools. Students come from different cultures. In Romania we do not have such a diversity. There are people from Turkey and China. Lately, from India and England too.

Professor Ivers teaches about the difference between various cultures including the Asian culture and American culture, about the respect students in the former category show to their elders and teachers. In Romania, people used to have the same behavior but we began to lose it. Western culture brought good things and bad things to us. Asian students may not volunteer to speak in the classroom due to the influence of Confucianism’s concept of formalism. Formalism emphasizes accuracy, rather than fluency. In most Asian cultures, being talkative is not valued. The students need to be sure that the answer is correct, otherwise they may refuse to speak.

Should cultural diversity not be taken into consideration when teaching? My answer to the question is the following:

Teachers need to take into consideration the cultural and social background of students. They need to relate with them, to understand them, and be empathetic with them. They need to be aware that students are human beings who have their own lives, experiences, difficulties, and challenges. Knowledge about students’ socio-cultural environment helps teachers to better understand the diversity of students, the diversity of behavior, of maturity. The lessons should respond to the needs of all students in the classroom, to help them acquire the needed knowledge.

I have a question for you too:

Is the socio-cultural consciousness needed in order to be an effective teacher?