Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id JAA19040; Sun, 8 Nov 1998 09:27:19 -0500 (EST) Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 09:27:19 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <3645AB27.82A76A87@stic.net> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Ute A. Hall" <magyar@stic.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:2488] Re: : effective teacher - cultural X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.01 [en] (Win95; U) To Chris-- I must agree with Nancy. I, too, was born and grew up in another country, and I consciously chose to live in the United States, precisely because of the cultural diversity! I find your attitude regarding other cultures biased and demeaning. Is only western (translate "American") society "worthwhile" society? Your knowledge of other cultures seems to be limited to topless women, loin cloths, wife and child beaters, women who make pottery, and men who go off hunting. In your writing, you demonstrate the very behavior and attitude you proclaim we must eradicate: stereotyping and ethnocentrism. An effective teacher aims to introduce the student to the new culture by explaining the culture, including the "undesirable" aspects of it (and we have plenty of those), its laws and mores, while permitting the student to retain some of his or her own cultural identity until he or she is ready to accept our way of life. Of course they must be made to understand that wife-beating is unacceptable in our society and carries grave consequences. However, it is possible, you know, to explain your own culture without cutting down theirs! Ute Hall Chris wrote: > I agree that the west should not interfere in the internal > politics of > foerign countries. However, when a foreigner chooses to live in a > country > like the US, he should be prepared to bevave appropriately. As it > would be > wrong of a westerner to bring pork, oe prostitutes into an Islamic > country, > it too is wrong to expect to be able to bring sexist or racits, or > "homophobic" behavior to the US. We do have national culture in the > US. We > believe that people have certain rights, and we have laws to enforce > them. > in some countries, slavery is accepted; in theUS it is outlawed - in > Kentucky (East, West, and Central), as it is in California, as it is > even > to the territories and posessions of the US. We believe that it is > wrong > for men to beat their wives, and that a boss has no right to demand > sexual > favors or create a sexually oppresive working environment for his > female > employees. > > If your home-culture is incompatible with these beliefs, you > should be > prepared to modify your behavior, live in a country more consistent > with > your world view, or be prepared to suffer whatever legal, financial, > and > social hardships your behavior exposes you to. > > At 08:34 AM 11/8/98 -0500, you wrote: > >Hi to all. I have always been a lurker on this list, but when I read > this > >message (excerpt below) this morning, my heart hurts. We are not > about > >conforming this world to be just like us. We are about sharing our > culture > >and language with people who want to learn our language. We are, I > believe, > >to be sensitive to our differences and enjoy that we are all unique. > How > >dare we English speaking people think "our ways" are better than > others. > >Perhaps the Somali woman could teach us a lot as well. > > > >I grew up in Nigeria and those English speaking non-natives who tried > to > >"make" the Nigerians like us were not appreciated and were laughed at > behind > >
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