Education and Culture

In their article “Understand Culture” Shelley Zion and Elizabeth Kozleski (2005) define culture as “the system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that members of society use to interact with their world and with one another” (p. 3). Continuing in an anthropological direction, culture is a powerful tool for survival, but it is a surprisingly delicate phenomenon which is constantly changing. For example, consider how the attitudes and values of a school may change when a new principal is hired, this new individual may make specific changes to shift the culture of a school in a different direction. But culture, as a noun with a concise definition like the one provided by Zion and Kozleski (2005), is easier to understand than its tremendous effects in the classroom.

We are all members of various cultural groups which influence how we shape and develop our personal identity. And it is arguable that culture is never more influential upon shaping our sense of self than during the time period we spend in schools– from elementary, middle, secondary, and even through our post-secondary education. These various cultural identities then come together in larger groups, creating diversity, or multiculturalism, in our communities.

There have been many calls throughout the education world in the United States for the complete embrace cultural differences in the classroom. But more often than not “cultural difference” has been in reference to race (Sleeter and Grant, 1987, p. 436). I would assert, as Zion and Kozleski (2005) have, that culture is more extensive than race. It may be true, our history as a nation has landed us in a ditch caught between a goal of diverse, well integrated, fully funded academic institutions, and segregated, poorly funded, under preforming schools. And yes, we are experiencing a growing amount of diversity in the classroom with mostly white professionals who have learned few constructs to understand, let alone appreciate and promote, multiculturalism in their classrooms. But, usually this idea is then juxtaposed with non-diverse, well funded, suburban schools, who are performing at higher standards supposedly because of their lack of diversity, more qualified teachers, and better funding. However, I would disagree and claim multiculturalism is a construct which exists in all communities throughout our nation. We all belong to unique cultural groups, and although a community may not seem diverse in one way (i.e. racially) it may be incredibly diverse in another (i.e. financially).

Nonetheless, however you may argue culture exists, it is clear educators must become aware and considerate of cultural differences in their classrooms, as well as plan for how it may impact instruction. This is a process which should start with identifying personal culture and critically examining what it may mean identify ones self in a particular group. Gary Howard (2006) in his insightful book We can’t teach what we don’t know: White teachers, multiracial schools elucidates this concept. Howard (2006) invites us to consider the following idea:

It is essential in this inner work of multicultural growth that we listen carefully to the perceptions others have of us, particularly students, parents, and colleagues from other racial and cultural groups. They can help us see ourselves in a clearer and truer light. (p. 6)

Our personal transformation as educators to more completely understand our own cultural identity, is just as important as our goals to appreciate diversity and similarity in our classrooms.

Certainly racial diversity has dominated the academic conversations regarding this topic throughout the last several decades. But I would like to encourage the consideration of the complete definition of culture described by Zion and Kozleski (2005) and the idea that cultural differences exist between some of the most racially homogenous areas. Teachers have the choice to act to maximize the benefits of a multicultural classroom through becoming more aware of their personal culture and look for creative ways to connect to the various cultural backgrounds of their students.

References

Howard, G. (2006). We can’t teach what we don’t know: White teachers, multiracial schools.  New York: Teachers College Press.

Sleeterm C.E., Grant, C.A., (1987). An Analysis of Multicultural Education in the United States. Harvard Educational Review, 57(4), 421-444.

Zion, S., Kozleski, E. (2005). Understanding Culture. Denver, Co. National Institute for Urban School Improvement.

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