I must certainly agree with you Alison. American culture is unique and warrants study by adult ESL students in particular. Their very reason for immigrating was to learn more and succeed in the American culture. Too often we take for granted "they" already know the culture but in my own experience have found this untrue. So while extolling the virtues of our "multi-cultural" classroom, let us never forget the primary culture to be studied is our own. Dr. Clark, Texas

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From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Heehee0617 at aol.com
Sent: Wed 1/31/2007 11:19 AM
To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 845] Re: Help! Teaching tolerance inteacher PD


I think some of my colleagues may have my mistaken my comment about saying "we" in a classroom when discussing culture in the United States.  Yes we are a country of very different cultures and practices - I am not denying that.  However, there is an American culture that also dominates.  It is the culture that recognizes July 4 as Independence Day, has ridden the fashion trend of denim jeans, mini skirts and the like, has a school system based on free education up to a certain age, where polygamy is generally illegal, and is a culture associated with the American English language.  All of these are part of a culture.  So when my students want to know "American culture,"  I cannot tell them that one does not exist.  It may not be spoken or written day, but it is there, and why should it be ignored?
 
Alison Cochrane    
 
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. " 
~ Kahlil Douglas Adams
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