Should ones culture play a bigger part in our education at college? When at home, our parents of the Native American culture don’t understand the importance of some of the things we learn verses what they think is cultural/ethical, and of moral importance to learn.
Introduction
Culture is well defined by describing people’s way of life and behavior portrayed by different people at a particular place. Cultural diversity is rampant in many schools since students integrate together from different societies with different cultural backgrounds. Cultural diversity should be encouraged in schools since it enables students learn several things from different cultures. Cultural diversity promotes interaction and enhances more experience in students. Culture is therefore seen to play a major role in many colleges in term of education and interaction. Many values and virtues differ in many societies. Some societies encourage virtues which are not supported in other societies. Children upbringing depend on the cultural background the child is exposed to. There are many cultures in different schools but schools often have a major culture to follow in running its education activities. Culture is dependent on the beliefs, values and commitments. This beliefs are followed by people of that particular culture which in one way or another shapes the mode of education. Native American Indians in American schools are seen to perform poorly as compared to Americans. This cultural diversity is not helpful in schools since children can perform better regardless of the cultural background. Races should not be a determining factor to success. The education system should support children of all cultures regardless of skin color since intelligence is not based on the cultural background of students. There are Native American Indians students who perform excellently regardless of their culture and skin color though most of them perform poorly in mathematics and history.
Importance of cultural diversity in schools
Many schools are becoming diverse in terms of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. It is therefore important for students to learn on how to exist in a diverse school environment. Rich students from high social class should assist the poor ones who are disadvantaged. Most public schools practice cultural diversity which is important since poor students tend to work extra hard in order to achieve their goals and becoming successful thereby eradicating poverty. Cultural diversity is encouraged as it helps teachers make universal decisions not in favor of a particular race (Long et al, 290). Majority of teachers from a research carried out by Public Agenda together with National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality portrays that the new teachers are trained on ways of coping with students from different cultures. Though it is challenging to teach students from different cultures teachers have undergone the necessary training in order to cope up with most challenges. Teachers and students should respect each others cultural backgrounds as one way of promoting success in the education sector. Parents should encourage their children on the need to respect other people’s culture. Cultural diversity involves teachers to extend their teaching skills and base examples according to different cultures as a way of showing respect to every student’s culture. Favoring certain cultures can make some students feel inferior thereby resulting to poor performances and failure in life. Teachers should form group discussions in classrooms that are diverse in terms of culture as a way of making students of different cultures interact accordingly (Long et al, 290). This enables students to listen to their fellows and learn that everybody has a right to an opinion regardless of the cultural backgrounds. This reduces cases and chances of racial discrimination since students will earn the importance of others cultures. Most parents believe in racial discrimination. Taking children to public schools will enable them learn importance of others cultures and learn to respect others regardless of cultural background (Long et al, 290). Children can end up putting values to many parents who practice racial discrimination as a result of ethnic and cultural differences.
Respect is the key to success. Teachers should teach the students on importance of practicing respect. Native Americans are seen to learn slow which should be respected. Teachers should punish those disrespectful students. Opinions should be respected in school environments as one way of promoting unity. Culture should therefore not play a major role in learning since learning is possible regardless of the cultural background. Cultural diversity is important in schools but should not be the key to better education (Long et al, 290). Cultural diversity if misinterpreted can result to chaos and failure of some students belonging to certain low regarded cultures. It is important for teachers to make it possible that all students should remain successful in life regardless of the cultural backgrounds. Culture involves different skin color as well as language. Skin color should not prevent success and achievement in a student. Language difference in most cases causes misinterpretations and misunderstanding resulting to conflicts. Language difference should not be a contributing factor to failure and poor performances in most schools. Students should respect languages of other students (Long et al, 290). Students who are financially unstable as well as disabled students should not be denied rights to get better education services. The approach to solve these challenges is known as the abroad approach which aims to enhance success and achievement in all students regardless of their cultural background. Social events should be made possible at all schools in the fight against discrimination on cultural bases where students should be taught on importance of respecting others cultures. The events should be continuous and should make students understand the value of different cultures (Long et al, 290). Schools where all cultures are well valued and respected have successful students of different cultures. The environment for learning to take place should be pleasing and peaceful. Principals should follow up the teachers to ensure that none of the students violates the rights of other students on bases of cultural and ethnic differences. Teachers should be keen to observe and punish those students who make learning impossible in schools by harassing students since they belong to certain cultural backgrounds.
Role of parents and culture in students’ motivation
Most parents who are financially stable and earn more income teach their children on how to remain independent. Parents whose educational levels are high are not keen on teaching their kids the importance of cultural diversity (Tchibozo 42). Parents play an important role in contributing success to their kids. They contribute to motivation of their children and teach kids on importance of maintain the American culture as opposed to the issue of cultural diversity. Achievement in academics is based on type of background and type of school the child is exposed to. Rich students are taken to the best schools with necessary facilities unlike Native American Indians students who learn in poor conditions and end up remaining failures in life (Tchibozo 42). To some extent, the family background is a contributing factor to success of a child. Different organizations both governmental and non governmental have come up with an idea of helping the needy students achieve their dreams. Parents who encourage their students are likely to motivate them compared to those who do not. Families have an influence on the moral behavior of a child. Respectful kids are taught the morals by their parents. Kids tend to follow the actions of their parents. Parents are key contributing factor to students remaining disrespectful to cultures of fellow students (Tchibozo 42). Most American parents encourage their kids to maintain the American culture which is one way of disrespecting other cultures. Kids follow the teachings of their parent and end up harassing Native Americans especially and disrespect them. Native American Indians are regarded as unsuccessful and inferior people with a weird culture. Rich Parents readily provide resources for their children unlike poor parents who depend on the government for support and assistance (Tchibozo 42). Parents play a major role in adding value to the kids and enhancing success to the students. Parents influence teachers to some extents who end up collaborating together in maintenance of the American culture thereby disadvantaging the students who belong to other different cultures. Cultural differences mainly in parents are a major contributing factor to motivation of the students.
Cultural stereotypes are rampant in many homes as a result of upbringing by parents. Parents are keen to support their native culture and therefore have no room for cultural diversity. Students whose culture is disrespected in most cases remain unsuccessful since they do not have motivational factors (Fox et al, 56). Rich parents motivate their kids and encourage them to remain successful unlike poor parents who lack the time and resources to motivate their kids and show them importance of their culture. American Parents tend to protect their culture from any influence be it positive or negative. Native American Indians parents do not teach their children to maintain their culture since they view themselves as well as the culture as inferior and end up being manipulated and harassed by Americans (Fox et al, 56). Indian American students fight with the American ones and at the end of it all the American Indians are the one to suffer since the school officials cannot support them on the bases of their race. Parents collaborate with the teachers in disrespecting Native American Indians culture. The students wear some attire that support racial discrimination in schools thus influencing their peers in treating other students unfairly. The attires are bought by their parents suggesting that parents support disrespecting of Native American culture. The education system is not fair enough and promotes to failure of innocent students (Fox et al, 56). The physical building in most schools is not good and thus the government according to my views should intervene as a way to encourage learning an enjoyable process in the schools. Rich parents do not associate their children with such low class schools and instead teach their children on importance of maintaining their culture by taking them to the best learning institutions where whites are the only students found there.
The targeted people are students in the institutions who should learn that culture disrespect is a bad influence in their lives and justice should always be maintained at any given institution. The minority people who are the poor children receive the least education opportunities and their curriculum is governed by segregation, separation and culture disrespect which should be stopped especially in public institutions which should act as good and key examples in the fight against discrimination (Thijs et al, 49). Discrimination is mainly on basis of culture and ethnicity. The environment in schools should be the most pleasing ever thus making learning possible and encouraging success of the students so as to make the nation more successful. Most of the students suspended and expelled in American schools are the Indian Americans who are given bad treats in schools thus making their lives problematic. Out of 100% of students in American schools 63% of the students expelled are the Indian Americans as a result of their race which is unfair and unjust (Thijs et al, 49). This becomes a problem to those affected students and hinders their success which is not an ethics in the schools. Parents violate American laws which emphasize that every culture should be respected and that discrimination should not take place failure to which consequences will be followed by responsible people. Positive policies on discipline are being put into measure as a way of reducing the cases of discrimination based on cultural differences as it affects learning of students negatively and eventually leading to failure of the students. The government is seen to segregate and abandon the issue of discrimination in schools and is seen to abandon schools and subject them in to very bad conditions therefore paralyzing learning process.
The government has neglected its duty as it is supposed to give funding to the schools as a way of supporting needy students who come from humble backgrounds. The needy students are mainly Indian Americans as one solution to the discrimination problem (Gonzalez 193). This will reduce the cases of discrimination by cultural bases since students will learn and later on educate people on importance of respecting people’s culture and importance of cultural diversity. Indian American culture is undermined by the American culture (Gonzalez 193). Asian American parents advise their students to remain focused as they are known to perform well academically as opposed to Indian Americans. Parents teach their children on different stereotypes making them spread hatred and disrespect of other people’s cultures. The most successful Indian Americans are accused of behaving like the whites making them feel frustrated. Parents should take a major step in teaching good values in regard to respecting ones culture regardless of color difference (Gonzalez 193). Indian American students undergo many challenges in their learning experiences where they are despised by the whites and regarded as unsuccessful people. Arab Americans are the most affected since the American culture portray them as people who always commit crimes. This demoralizes such students since they are harassed at public schools and viewed as criminals.
Conclusion
From the above discussion culture is seen as a factor in education. Though it is not a major contributing factor to success, it causes impacts to students to some extent. Cultural diversity should be encouraged in American schools as one way of enhancing cooperation and interaction amongst students. Students should learn to respect other students’ culture and should guide their parents in respecting the different cultures. Parents, teachers and students should be taught on the importance of respecting different cultures. The government should enact policies such that people causing discrimination are punished as an example for others to follow. Culture should be respected by all.
Works Cited
Fox, Mary Jo Tippeconnic. "Voices From Within: Native American Faculty And Staff On Campus." New Directions For Student Services 109 (2005): 49-59. Professional Development Collection. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Gonzalez, Laura M., et al. "Parental Involvement In Children's Education: Considerations For School Counselors Working With Latino Immigrant Families." Professional School Counseling 16.3 (2013): 185-193. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Long, We-La-La, et al. "Assessing Cultural Life Skills Of American Indian Youth." Child & Youth Care Forum 35.4 (2006): 289-304. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Tchibozo, Guy. Cultural and Social Diversity and the Transition from Education to Work. Dordrecht: Springer, 2013. Internet resource.
Thijs, Jochem, and Lizzy Eilbracht. "Teachers' Perceptions Of Parent-Teacher Alliance And Student-Teacher Relational Conflict: Examining The Role Of Ethnic Differences And 'Disruptive' Behavior." Psychology In The Schools 49.8 (2012): 794-808. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
