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Addressing Cultural Diversity in the Classroom
Addressing Cultural Diversity in the Classroom
Addressing Cultural Diversity in the Classroom
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Over the years I have been very involved in my community and school. Being a part of something helps to define who you are as a person and the principles and values you hold as important. A personal experience that helps to show my talents and skills can be illustrated by my trip to Italy last April with the MHS Language Department.
Over the past ten years, I have had the opportunity to travel extensively around the United States and Canada with my family so traveling abroad to Italy seemed like a natural adventure. I anticipated that my journey to Italy to be very similar to my previous experiences, with the addition of seeing some of the most beautiful landmarks and paintings in the world. When I arrived, I discovered an entirely different culture and attitude towards Americans. Conversation was difficult and I felt out-of-place. Italians were able to tell me apart even before I said a word. Anti-American graffiti were written on the stone walls of Rome which made me feel very unwelcomed.
On the other hand, some Italians were very helpful in assisting our group with directions and landmarks to visit. Being able to read their body language and gestures helped ease communications problems.
Problem solving and flexibility helped the members of our group to agree on our travel destinations such as Rome, Venice and Florence. I quickly realized that compromise was the best method if the group was going to enjoy each other.
As I look back on my trip to Italy I learned several important lessons. I believe I have developed a greater empathy for those immigrants new to our country. Marlborough High School has students enrolled from other countries but I now feel an obligation to try and help them fit in. I believe I can make a greater difference through my school activities by having an appreciation and sensitivity to others of different cultures.
My leadership and group problem solving skills have also been strengthened by my trip. When faced with decisions I feel I can look at both perspectives. My ideas seem to reflect a broader dimension by having experienced a different culture. On my next journey to Italy I believe I can promote a better understanding of Americans.
When Americans greet one another a handshake and smile will do, this is similar in Italian culture, when meeting a stranger or business acquaintance. However, when family and friends greet each other, a hug and kiss is usually in order. In American culture, it is very rare to see two gentleman hug, even if they are related; in Italian culture, that is the customary greeting between male family members and friends. Air kissing is another tradition in Italy, in America, no one air kisses, and most kissing is only done in intimate relationships (Reavis, 2014). It is also a part of the Italian culture for many households to take a nap between the hours of 1 PM and 3 PM. The Italian culture is also laid back, and most Italians are not in a hurry. It is the Italian way to slow down and enjoy life (Miller, 2015). This is definitely not the American lifestyle, maybe we should slow down and pay attention to the
Living in Italy showed me how much I had to be grateful for. I saw firsthand another culture’s day-to-day lifestyle. Italian culture isn’t as fast-paced as American culture. Their slower pace forces you to appreciate a little more of what each day offers. My job was as an Au pair which is a live-in nanny/teacher for the family’s children. Most
Wild, Fiona, et al., eds. Dorling Kindersley Travel Guides: Italy. 1996. London, UK: Dorling Kindersley, 2000.
Italy is effectively working with The United States to promote stability, rule of law, freedom, and economic growth worldwide through national security, and Globalization. The United States relationship with Italy began after World War II in 1945. Prior to a good relationship between the two, Italy was a part of the axis powers resulting in an unfriendly relationship between them and the United States who was a part of the allies, that fought against the axis powers. After the war, the United States helped Italy switch from monarchy to republic. Ever since then, Italy has become an ally of the United States and has helped protect against the spread of communism in Europe. The United States and Italy still have a strong and friendly relationship to this day.
volunteering is a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task. In this report i will talk about the different types of volunteering in the:
These experiences have helped me to see and embrace the differences of others. My Hispanic culture has allowed me to become a collectivist, family oriented individual. I put others first and care about what will benefit the majority. My previous volunteer experiences within my community has also shaped my choices. I participated in Flip for Autism, a gymnastics event for those with physical and intellectual disabilities. This event opened my eyes to the many great accomplishments and limitlessness of those with disabilities and furthermore confirmed my professional
Wild, Fiona, et al., eds. Dorling Kindersley Travel Guides: Italy. 1996. London, UK: Dorling Kindersley, 2000.
...elopment of diverse understanding through my life. I found that The further you explore and understand your own culture, you will be better prepared to face counseling issues in other cultures while avoiding possible pitfalls like bias.
At my previous institution, I was the Volunteer Management Intern in charge of, planning, coordinating, creating, and carrying out volunteer events, both on and off campus. Success of the volunteer events depended on successful marketing strategies and effective communication. And at a school where a large majority of the students were international, I found myself constantly learning from their cultural backgrounds, and applying my knowledge towards improving on my overall communication skills. Now, having the chance to study a summer in Italy, I can expand on my perspective even further, first-hand, in a way where I am not only learning about the culture through other’s experiences, but through my own, as well. I will be actively engaged within the culture, living, seeing, hearing, and breathing every sight and experience, improving my social skills in the long run, as well as furthering my multicultural approach towards real world professional life I intend to encounter in my
My knowledge of not only myself but of my friends and others has greatly increased due to the past marking period projects. As I reflect, I believe I learned the most about myself as well as my friends during the first marking period project with comparing my culture to someone else. For that project I chose one of my best friends from Ireland as a way to understand her culture more. The cultural information I learned from my friends allowed me to open my eyes to actions and traditions I never knew about her before. For example, when I asked a question about Gaeilge, the Irish language, her passion and emphasizes on the importance of the language and the wide-spread belief that Irish is the cultural foundation of Ireland shocked me. I never seized the opportunity to learn and understand the language; her information about the language further enlarged my regret.
Negotiating with Italian people can take a lot of time. Especially for people from North Europe and the United States, this can be very frustrating. Therefore, patience is very important and will eventually pay off. Although the distance between these countries is minimal, the cultural difference is huge. Italians tend to combine business and personal life, because family is very important to them. Personal relationships are very important for Italian people. They want to get to know you before they start doing business with you. In Italy it is all about who you know, not what you know. This is sometimes confusing for their out of country partners, who judge on qualifications, level of education and achievements. Another important thing to remember is that
A reflection of my volunteering experience can be summarized in two words: Life-changing. It is hard to explain the feelings that occur when you involve yourself in selfless acts for your community, such as volunteering. There is a feeling in your heart that you cannot ignore, maybe it is the happiness you feel or the overflow of emotions in helping others. In other words, it is a feeling in which you want to share with others. Maybe with a friend, maybe a classmate, maybe a family member, or maybe even a stranger. Either way, spreading how life-changing volunteering can be is a great start to making a positive change in your community by simply by involving others.
...tion, but most importantly my volunteer experience along with the numerous other students have made university lives strongly connected to current events and the rest of the world. Therefore, not only are the student activities valuable to students themselves, but also to the overall society.
In the words of Giuseppe Verdi, “You may have the universe if I may have Italy” (Brainyquote.com). Italy is one of the top hotspots for vacation, and there is a plethora of reasons why. Immediately upon arriving, you can smell the aroma of fresh, home-made foods. The beauty of the architecture in even the average buildings is overwhelming. The culture is unique and fascinating; unlike anything you will ever see anywhere else. There are so many places you could visit in Italy, you could spend a lifetime there, and it would never be enough. Rome, Tuscany, Pompeii, Pisa, Florence, and Venice are must-sees, to name just a handful. (http://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com) Italy is in essence, a paradise unlike any other, that everyone should have the privilege of enjoying. (pathos)
There are many reasons why I would like to visit Italy. First of all, I am really interested in Italy’s ancient history and architectural heritage. Rome, the capital city of Italy is one of the most significant cities in history ruled by the famous Roman kings such as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Vespasian and many more. I have heard and learnt the history of the Roman Empire since I was young and it made me want to visit Italy. I have also watched many Roman historic movies and it motivated my desire to visit the...