There will always be a discussion around the topic of culture in schooling. With today’s globalization and the huge number of immigration we have to include everyone. This is a challenge for the schools worldwide as we do not know yet how to get all the ends to meet. There will always be different ways of trying to include everyone, but it will take years to find the answers we are looking for, and by that time the rate of multicultural students will be increased. Either way we have to learn and know about other cultures, otherwise we will have problems communicate with one another. This has been made clear in many texts, and Wadham, Pudsey and Boyd notes that “although there is very little genetic differences between human beings, there are huge differences in their beliefs, activities, and the way they live.” Later in the same text they say that” if we don’t understand culture, we really don’t understand human beings” (Wadham, Pudsey, Boyd, 2007). Also Christina Ho has been writing about this, where she says that “These initiatives, which bring together members of different religions or cultures to ‘get to know one another’, assume that the only way of managing cultural difference is to aim for ‘harmony’ through discovering ‘what we have in common’” (Ho, C. 2011). It is true that we must learn to know other cultures to be around them, but to what extent?
Tamara Baluja wrote an article for ‘The Globe and Mail’ the 13th of October. In this article she explains how schools work for the Aboriginals so they can be a part of their culture in school as well. The rate of Aboriginals who drops out of school is higher than the rate of non-Aboriginals. She writes how some schools have made hunting a part of their curriculum, and how the Aboriginals get to share their knowledge of hunting with others. They have also developed a culturally responsive math curriculum. This means that for example students learn to count using ravens which is a Haida clan symbol. Is this necessary for other students to know? At least this is a way to get the Aboriginals attention in school, and maybe this will help them stay in school rather than dropping out. Rod Allen, who is superintendent of learning at one of the schools says, “Their students come to us with a sense of belonging and pride in their aboriginal identity. And since they feel valued and appreciated at their schools, they are generally more open to learning” (Baluja, T. 2012). Also an aboriginal student points that the best thing about going to one of these schools was all the culture stuff. We cannot teach everyone every little detail about each culture, but we have to find a place where everyone get to learn something important to keep the students interested and included.
~~~
Kenway, J. & Bullen, (2001). Consuming children: Education-Entertainment-Advertising. Buckingham: Open University Press. Chapter 5: Designer schools, packaged students.
Ho, C. (2011). Respecting the presence of others: School micropublics and everyday multiculturalism. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 32(6), 603-619.
Tamara Baluja (13.10.2012). First nations school teaches ‘all the culture stuff’http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/first-nations-school-teaches-all-the-culture-stuff/article4610998/
I personally think it is a good idea to get Aboriginal students involved by using specific clan symbols and adding hunting classes. Even though they have very little application within society, it is getting children interested in education and that the first step to repairing the current situation in Aboriginal communities.
ReplyDeleteWhen the current students grow up and have children of their own they will pass down their positive experiences of education which will help in keeping their children in school, creating a culture of education within the communities helping to stop the circle of poverty.