I spoke to two friends and one relative about their meaning about culture and diversity.
The first one I wrote to on face book and he is an African American Male in is 50’s. Cecil comment was short and to the point. He said, “People is your culture.” In addition, “Diversity is how you deal with the culture.”
The second person I spoke to was my cousin, she is a African American female in her 40’s. Tammy stated, “That culture is what you wear, how you talk, where you live, and how you do things.”
On diversity she said, “It is the difference in people such as race, religion, social and economic status.
The third person I spoke with lives in Spokane, Washington and She is Caucasian. Heidi has been my friend since 7th grade. She said, “Well...it is teaching different cultures... like Native American, Chinese, African American...etc... Their life styles. Like some Native American’s children think it is rude to look at an adult in the face... but as teachers we want them to so we can see they are listening.” As far as diversity she said, “To me it is how people are different and learn in different ways because of their back ground.
It is like a multiple of differences.”
My friends and cousin meaning of culture and diversity reflects the same thing I learned in the course so far as that culture is unconscious. For example, Cecil spoke about culture as though people make up culture and diversity is how we deal with culture and in our studies about learning about culture. A quote by Wade Davis, an anthropologist said,
“ The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you:
They are unique manifestations of human spirit.” By Wade Davis (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010)
This shows that what Cecil spoke about is true that people are our culture and diversity is how we deal with it. Whereas my cousin Tammy said, that culture is what reflects your identity of the way you live. According to Sparks and Edwards culture identity influences how we live. (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010) However, when she described diversity she focused on the inner self whereas in the video, Janet Gonzalez-Mena spoke about how culture and diversity is the unconscious parts of people. In addition, when Heidi explained her view, I recognize it from the article by Ngo on discourse, by understanding a person history, ideas, and images of who we are to represent our lifestyles. (Ngo, 2008)
The interviewers omitted the individual identity, such as the holidays, celebrations, backgrounds, and languages. (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010)
Thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity influenced my thinking about culture has meaning meanings to all. Before I took this course I had very little awareness of culture being invisible. I have always defined it by celebrations, languages and holidays until I learned that there is more to culture than what we see. It has helped me identify my own culture and diversity values.
References:
Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves Chapter 5, “Learning about Culture, Language, & Fairness” (pp. 56–60). NAEYC.
Laureate Education, (2011). Culture and diversity. [Video Program]. Retrieved from: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com
Ngo, B. (2008). Beyond “culture clash”: Understanding of immigrant experiences. Theory into Practice, 47(1), 4–11 Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database.
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