The significance of education and its impact on our culture is often discussed, but the oversight of culture’s influence on our educational system is frequent. It is crucial to acknowledge that ethnicity, customs, and traditions have a major effect on education. Culture and education are intertwined and inseparable. Before exploring how culture affects children’s learning and education, it is important to comprehend the definition and elements of culture. Webster’s Dictionary presents six definitions associated with human activities: 1. Artistic and intellectual pursuits and products. 2. A quality of enlightenment or refinement based on an appreciation for excellence in arts, letters, manners, etc. 3. The development or improvement of the mind through education or training. 4. The collective ways of living established by a group of individuals and passed down across generations. 5.A specific form or stage of civilization within a nation or time period.
6.The behaviors and beliefs that characterize a particular social, ethnic, or age group.
According to Wikipedia, the term “culture” originally referred to the improvement or refinement of individuals through education. It later came to encompass the realization of national aspirations or ideals in the 19th century. Culture has a rich history intertwined with human learning, education, and development in areas like language, tradition, and religion. Just like language learning, a child’s initial encounters with their family, community, and surroundings shape their understanding and acquisition of culture.
Children typically internalize the values, beliefs, and rules of their culture by the time they start formal education at age five or six. This early socialization process also influences their ability to learn. Child-rearing practices vary across cultures and can greatly impact later learning outcomes. Some cultures are more lenient towards child behavior, while others enforce strict control. In Native American communities, for example, physical punishment is generally avoided. Instead, discipline may involve teasing, ridicule, fear, or indirect examples from folklore.
The learning of physical tasks by Native American children is often done through observation rather than verbal instruction. However, social and religious lessons are also taught through storytelling. Several studies indicate that Native American children raised in these communities have higher visual perception and visual memory compared to their Anglo counterparts (Kleinfeld 1970, Lombardi 1970, Cazden and John 1971). Another illustration of culture’s impact on a child’s learning is the Puerto Rican differentiation of sex roles from an early age, which significantly influences educational attitudes and performance.
Puerto Rican girls exhibit a higher level of anxiety compared to boys when faced with potential failure, such as during a test. The lower anxiety levels in boys may be attributed to the cultural perspective that discourages them from expressing anxiety openly (Siu 1972). Researchers have observed and compared the behaviors of three and four-year-old Anglo and Puerto Rican children while they were engaging in a challenging cognitive task (Hertzig, et al 1968).
There were differences in the study that were not attributed to variations in socioeconomic level, although this factor was not specifically controlled. These differences were instead related to aspects of the home environment: emphasis on social interaction rather than completing tasks, expectations for independence at different ages, and regarding toys as a source of entertainment as opposed to education. These variations raise important questions about cultural disparities in values, different stages of the life cycle and role acquisition, and perceptions about work and play. Additionally, another contrasting factor is the involvement of Hispanic parents in their children’s education.
According to Valdes (1996), parents from certain Hispanic cultures tend to see teachers as experts and typically rely on them to make educational decisions. In contrast, European American parents are often more engaged in their children’s classrooms and offer support through volunteering and assisting teachers. These differing values and beliefs may lead educators to make incorrect assumptions about the importance non-European American families place on education.
It is crucial to consider that different cultural groups generally have their own language and interaction styles, but there is a wide range of variability within these groups (Gutierrez & Rogoff, 2003). Therefore, educators must grasp the personal histories and ideologies related to education and learning, as well as the cultural patterns and beliefs of these groups. Numerous research studies have been conducted to demonstrate the systematic connection between differences in cognitive styles and specific social group membership and cultural practices (refer to Cazden and Leggett, 1976).
Research studies have indicated that the visual modality is a stronger learning style for Chinese and Native American students compared to Puerto Ricans and Anglos. (Stodolsky and Lesser, 1967; Cazden and John, 1971; John-Steiner and Osterreich, 1975). Additionally, there is significant evidence suggesting that Mexican American students tend to be more field dependent, relying on the overall context for learning and processing information, whereas Anglo students tend to be more field independent (Witkin, 1967; Cohen, 1969; Ramirez and Price-Williams, 1974; Ramirez and Castaneda, 1974).
There are differences in teaching styles due to cultural variations. However, educators are trained to acquire specific teaching skills that align with the school’s subculture. It is uncertain whether teachers from the same cultural background as the students will be more effective in teaching them. Limited research exists in this area, preventing definitive conclusions from being drawn. Nonetheless, it is evident that all teachers would benefit from a better understanding of variances in learning styles and a greater acceptance of differences.
Language education should not make definitive statements about the best methods of learning or teaching, as this often occurs in teacher training. For instance, the claim that “children learn best by doing” does not universally apply to all children. To promote cultural sensitivity and respect, teaching styles must be relative and adaptable. This approach, which incorporates a blend of teaching methods, is not new in education but becomes essential rather than optional when instructing students from diverse sociocultural backgrounds.
The impact of cultural attitudes and values on learning is evident, as it affects the motivation and attitudes of students and their parents. These factors can vary depending on culture. For example, students from economically disadvantaged families with less educated parents are more likely to have lower academic performance due to their parents’ beliefs about education. Consequently, this may have a detrimental effect on children’s education, potentially leading to long-term consequences that can be inherited in certain situations.
Culture plays a crucial role in education, exerting both positive and negative effects. The values, morals, and principles upheld by a culture are mirrored within its educational system. For instance, a culture that places importance on righteousness and respectful interactions will give priority to instilling these values in individuals. Nevertheless, societal disparities can impede education and result in adverse outcomes.
Education rights for women are denied and hindered in many cultures, with discrimination against those who seek to enter certain fields of study. Similarly, men face discrimination when trying to enter fields dominated by women. Education is also negatively impacted by race and religion-based discrimination, which requires re-evaluation or abandonment. The United States, as a nation with diverse ethnic backgrounds, has been greatly influenced by various cultures in its educational system.
Formal education in the United States is a cultural invention designed to prepare middle-class children for their own culture. In the past, students from different cultures and lower social classes were considered “disadvantaged” or “deficient” if their cultural experiences differed from middle-class norms. To address this, compensatory education programs have aimed to provide these children with middle-class cultural experiences. Critics have expressed concerns about the traditional educational system’s failure to adequately cater to culturally diverse backgrounds and lack of respect for them. However, this criticism has also been instrumental in promoting and implementing multicultural education today.
References:
Culture. (1997). In Webster’s universal college dictionary(199,1997). Gramercy Books. Saville-Troike, M. (1978). Culture in the Classroom. National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education, 1-48.
The Impact of Culture on Education. Retrieved November 17th from http://www.education.com/
Society’s Influence on Education. Retrieved November 17th from http://www.buzzie.com/
Understanding Society Influence on Education. Retrieved November 17th from http://influence.bafree.net/ www.wikipedia.com
