What interesting things we learn when we delve into family backgrounds! That’s something I haven’t been doing very often with my students, and I think it’s because I have felt that my intrusion into their private family lives has really been none of my business. Nevertheless, I am becoming more aware of the need to understand cultures and family values in order to connect more fully with my students.
This article could have been written about me, even though I’m not an Asian American. Jeff’s words describing himself as having an internal control that “restrained [his] mouth from talking too loud, forbade [his] mind from questioning established ideas, and encouraged a calm countenance” paints a picture of me growing up in a family of seven children with a father who was a school principal and a mother who was an elementary teacher. We lived in small towns where everyone knew the local school principal, and we were expected to be seen and not heard, and not embarrass our parents. With the exception of my “firebrand sister” who was outspoken and feisty, we were all quiet and obedient. The difference here is that my reluctance to take risks in talking is shaped by my family background and is not a widespread cultural phenomenon.
I can identify with the need to have protocols for speaking in class with designated leaders who ensure that everyone has an equal chance to speak, even if they choose to “pass.” At my school, we have begun having formal class meetings with our students in conjunction with a bullying program our counselors have brought to us. This article emphasizes for me the need to make certain that everyone in my class is given an opportunity to practice these linguistic and social skills.
