Learning About Culture

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Learning About Culture
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Definitions
What is Culture? Culture is the relatively
stable set of inner values and beliefs generally
held by groups of people in countries or regions
and the noticeable impact those values and
beliefs have on peoples outward behavior and
environment it is not something you are born
with but something you are born into and learn
through imitation or teaching software
programming for out human self the story we tell
ourselves about ourselves what people need to
know to function in any society. Culture is the
total accumulation of beliefs, customs, values,
behaviors, institutions and communication
patterns that are shared, learned and passes down
through generations in a indefinable group of
people. Culture is the shared assumptions ,
values and beliefs of a group of people which
result in characteristic behaviors.
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Definitions
Cultural Values Principles or qualities that a
group of people will see as good,
right or
worthwhile. Example Hard work leads to
success. Stereotypes Usually a negative
statement make about a group of people they
emerge when we apply one behavior to a whole
group an over simplification. Example All
Hispanics are illegal aliens. Generalizations
Looking at a large number of people and drawing
certain conclusions from what we see of ten an
oversimplified view becomes damaging when it is
too broad, out of date or the information we use
to form the generalization contains
biases. Example All Asian students are good at
math.
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Definitions
What Culture is Not Universal Behavior Those
behaviors which apply to everyone, regardless of
culture. It is sometimes called human
nature. Example All people eat, sleep, use
language, seek shelter, raise children. Personal
Behavior Personal experience guarantees that no
two people from the same culture will behave in
identical ways. This factor can make
cross-cultural understanding a bit difficult
because it means that the behavior you might
predict or expect from someone, based on what you
have learned about a specific culture, may not
run true because personal behavior may override
cultural behavior. Example Some Hispanic
individuals are very punctual. Personality A
peculiar set of traits or characteristics that a
person is born with that set him or her apart
from all others. Example My friend enjoys
crowds and loud parties I prefer a quiet
environment.
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George Bernard Shaw wrote The single biggest
problem in communication is the illusion that it
has taken place.
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Culture is like an iceberg
Above the waterline Explicit Culture What we
observe about others.
Behaviors
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Under the waterline Implicit Culture What we
cannot observe about others.
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Culture is what makes us all human.
The items listed below are all features of
culture. Keeping in mind that observable
behaviors belong above the surface of the water,
while the invisible aspects of culture belong
below the surface. Circle the features that you
can observe. "above" or "below."
Facial expressions Gestures Paintings Values Holid
ay customs Food Concepts of beauty Eating
habits Music Concepts for fairness Child raising
beliefs Religious beliefs Language Courtesy Defini
tion of obscenity
Importance of time Concept of self Literature Gene
ral view of the world Work ethic Rules of social
etiquette Concept of personal space Style of
dress Ideas about modesty Religious
rituals Dance Games Tone of voice Understanding
the natural World
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• We do not see things as they are, we see things
  as we are.
• Anais Nin

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Use the Iceberg Outline
Write five specific items that tell about your
explicit culture.
Write five specific items that tell about your
implicit culture.
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What is Culture?
Working individually draw a pictorial
representation of what you think culture looks
like. Be prepared to share your drawing and whet
is represents with the class.
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Instructions Take ten minutes to write a
poem called "Who I Am." The only rule for the
piece is that each line must start with the
phrase "I am..." It is open to your personal
interpretation. You can include statements about
where you are they're from regionally,
ethnically, religiously, etc., memories from
different points in their lives, interests and
hobbies, mottos or credos, favorite phrases,
family traditions and customs, and whatever else
defines who they are.
Whats In Your Cultural Suitcase Who I Am Poem
Activity
From Multicultural Pavilion Awareness
Activities http//www.edchange.org/multicultural/a
ctivityarch.html
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I Am Me Poem Example by Martha Green I am
quiet and determined. Dont back me into a
corner. I fight back.I am storyteller. Thats
how I put my world together.I am technology,
computer, video, Internet, digital storytelling.
bloggingI am mom Foster, Audrey, Melissa,
Jason, Alec, Shanna, Olivia Phoebe I am
graduate student, EPSY, research, reading,
writing, wanting to finish.I am education,
teacher workshops, intercultural communication,
World RoomI am photographer, videographer,
looking for the unexpected.I am friend, helper,
listener, driver, wife, cook.I am pizza, steak,
shrimp, guacamole and chocolate pie.I am post
structural. I dont believe in truth, only
multiple perspectives.I am curious, flexible,
independent, tolerant.I am Houston, Navasota,
College Station, New York, and California.I am
Bruner, Bandera, Vygotsky, Friere.I am Aggie,
Longhorn, Couger, Owl. I am Martha.
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Who I Am Poem I am I am I am I am I am
I am I am I am I am
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Almost Paradise
The digital story tells the story of how a Korean
students mother brought her family from South
Korea to America, in search of a better life.
It outlines the difficulties
of growing up in a different culture, as well as
the clashes between a mother and
daughter. http//www.coe.uh.edu/digitalstorytelli
ng/almostparadise.htm
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Whats in Your Cultural Suitcase?
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References A Community of Respect Participant
Workbook http//bcsrespect.tamu.edu/ Awareness
Activities EdChange Multicultural
Pavillion http//www.edchange.org/multicultural/ac
tivities/poetry.html Building Bridges A Peace
Corps Classroom Guide to Cross-Cultural
Understanding http//www.peacecorps.gov/wws/public
ations/bridges/ (donwloadable pdf
booklet) Culture at Work http//www.culture-at-wo
rk.com/iceberg.html Fish Stories Teaching
Childrens Literature in a Post modern
World, Karen Coats,. Fish Stories Teaching
Children's Literature in a Postmodern
WorldPedagogy - Volume 1, Issue 2, Spring 2001,
pp. 405-409 Learning to Respect, Pieter Batelaan
Intercultural Education, Volume 12, Issue 3
November 2001 , pages 237 245. Melting Pot
Theater Teaching for Cultural Understanding http
//www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1990/2/90.02
.11.x.html My Blue Puzzle Piece http//bluepuzzle
.org/intro Multicultural Pavilion Awareness
Activities http//www.edchange.org/multicultural/a
ctivityarch.html Peace Corps Worldwise Schools
Culture is Like an Iceberg http//www.peacecorps.g
ov/wws/educators/lessonplans/lesson.cfm?lpid347g
id2overview Peace Corps Whats Up With
Culture http//www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/pub/1.1
.1_Activity_The_Iceberg.htm Teaching Cultural
Awareness http//members.tripod.com/warlight/ZEY
NEP.html Triangles Are Not Bad! Lesson Plan
http//www.education-world.com/a_lesson/00-2/lp21
61.shtml
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Learning About Culture
Martha Green MEd. The Office of International
Outreach Texas AM University Visit the World
Room http//worldroom.tamu.edu