The Influence of Culture in Education
Regardless of the level of education, understanding and communication, cultural diversity is integral to the growth and development of both students and educators. Yes, most western countries have embraced multiculturalism in recent years and continue to do so, which allows people to experience day to day interaction with those from different cultures, ethnicities, and religious backgrounds. Teaching students about the importance of cultural diversity will benefit them in the future; they will be able to better integrate and communicate in further education or future workplaces.
Cultural identities in the classroom
Teachers bring their life experiences, histories, and cultures into the classroom along with their personalities and teaching styles that are shaped by their own personal cultural and social interactions. Their experiences, culture, and personality are just a small part of who they are. With this in mind, each and every student also brings something different to the classroom. These small idiosyncrasies include behaviors and characteristics that make each individual unique. Ultimately, this will affect and contribute to their academic achievement.
Banks and Banks (Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives, 2005) said, "Behavior is shaped by group norms...the group equips individuals with the behavior patterns they need in order to adapt." This essentially means that students integrate with certain groups to feel a sense of belonging. And according to Campbell (Choosing democracy: A practical guide to multicultural education) “There are a number of reasons as to why students may identify with certain groups. These include race, social class, and religion which make up some of the social constructions of culture, providing a sense of cultural identity. In the classroom or learning environment, academic success can be improved when an educator teaches in a learning environment that recognizes the cultural contributions of students within the classroom. This can be anything from introducing music from different countries to learning a new word of a different language every day.”
Introducing culture to the classroom
There are a number of ways in which an educator can successfully introduce culture into the classroom. Using a selection of methods, a teacher can really bring students together and teach them about aspects of the world they may not otherwise have access to. The following is a list of a few examples of how to introduce students to different cultures when it comes to a younger demographic.
Hobbies – Often, people from different cultures enjoy different hobbies and activities in their free time. A good way to encourage students to interact while learning something new is to ask for activity suggestions. As a teacher, you could start it off by suggesting an activity that means a lot to you and your culture.
Food – Yes, everyone eats, but usually, the meals vary between individuals, particularly cultures. Inviting your students to share their culture through food is a great way to open their eyes to the small differences in the world – especially when it comes to food. However, always be aware of any food allergies.
Cultural calendar – Create a cultural calendar and fill it with events from all around the world. On certain days, celebrate the traditions that others around the world would also be celebrating. If any of your students are from a different country, ask them to talk about a traditional holiday from their culture.
Clothing – As a way for your students to learn about different styles and traditions from around the world, introduce them to the various clothing that’s worn in other countries. Again, if you have any students from other cultures, ask them to bring in an item of clothing and explain the history/story behind it.
Music – Traditional music varies significantly from country to country. Therefore, introduce new styles of music and ask your students to join in and discuss their favorite types of music no matter where in the world it’s from. Enquire if anyone in your class plays a traditional instrument, and if so, ask them to bring it in and share the music of their culture.
Traditional Stories – Most cultures will have some folklore or traditional stories. Research some of these and have a story time session with your students. Invite them to talk about any traditional stories from their cultures and share with them stories from others. This will provide your students with particular insight into how different nations work and the some of the history behind them.
The list could go on and on, but by now you’ll have a good understanding of ways in which to engage your students effectively. Now it's your turn to have a think about what would engage your students with the different cultural identities in your classroom and beyond.
The Importance of Cultural Education
Learning has never been as dynamic as it is now, especially for minority students from other countries. Over the last 30 years, cultural identity has become far more visible and has had a huge impact on students across the board. Nowadays, teachers have to move beyond basic classroom knowledge and expand their knowledge and skills in order to effectively support the increasing cultural identities.
By using a multicultural teaching approach, teachers can help students feel comfortable with theirs, and others, cultural identity. Embracing the different cultures of the classroom is very important for each individual student and how they are shaped. Campbell (2004) said, "Multicultural education should assist students as they learn and explore their changing identities." Teachers with a multicultural education perspective can assist students through culturally relevant teaching, which Gay (Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice.) defined as "using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them." Culturally relevant teaching can only work if the educator gets to know their students on a personal level. Taking each student's interests, hobbies and goals into consideration helps to form a bond and enhance the classrooms learning-centered approach. This is so important when it comes to learning about students’ cultures and helps to shape the minds and understanding of all students collectively.