For this weeks assignment I chose three different individuals to talk to about Culture and Diversity. All three of these people come from different and diverse backgrounds, which also contain their own unique set of beliefs, customs, and ideals, and how they all relate to their own culture.
The three people I chose to talk to about Culture and Diversity were all teachers that I work with here at Head-start.
Lucy: Definition of Culture
Response: Culture means to me where I come from, and what my parents taught me. Celebrating certain Holidays, eating certain foods. And to me when celebrating Holidays it's also very important to me to remember my morals and values. I often look at it as a chain, what may parents taught me, and then what I will in turn teach my own children. My hopes are for this family chain to continue to go on for many more future generations.
Definition of Diversity:
Response: Diversity means the race I come from. I was born here in the U.S, but I was raised in Mexico. Even though I did learn to speak English, i was still able to also keep my home language of Spanish. I was raise as a catholic all my life, but I grew up and got married I chose to change my religion, and that was something that my family did not agree with at all, and that was because to them being Catholic is about of our Culture just as much as being Mexican Americans.
Teresa: Definition of culture:
Response: To me my culture is everything I do, everything I believe in, and everything that is important to me in my life. And it has been my culture that I base my life on, as well as how I live my everyday life.
Definition of Diversity:
Response: To me Diversity means my ethnicity, and my cultural heritage and background. I am a Hispanic, Spanish speaking woman, who has very strong beliefs and convictions when it comes to my religious and Catholic beliefs.
Claudia: Definition of Culture:
Response: When I think of Culture, I immediately think of my family and how I was raised, my upbringing. To me personally I think it is my culture that defines who I am, and why I an the way I am. And it is also my upbringing and my family's culture and beliefs that I got all my values and customs that I follow in my life.
Definition of Diversity:
Response: I guess if I was to define Diversity, at least for me it would have to be my heritage and my ethnic background. So besides being a person who is Hispanic. I am also a person is of Italian decent. Growing up as a child, I came from two very diverse backgrounds. My mother's family is from Italy, and most of my father's family is from Mexico. I have always appreciated both my heritages, as well as the beliefs and values, and especially the languages I have received from both my family's cultures. I consider myself very lucky to now be able to pass those down to all three of my young sons.
In reviewing all three of the answers and definitions I received from all three of my participants, I definitely see a lot of similarities, as well as differences in what we have learned in regards to culture and diversity. But I would have to say that one important similarity that definitely stands out for me in regards to cultural and diversity is that each one's cultural plays an important role in who they are today. And even though all of their culture's are very diverse, and based on their own unique beliefs and environments, they are still similar in dedication and importance.
In conclusion I would have to say after talking to all three of these individuals about their various cultures and very diverse backgrounds, I have definitely gained a stronger perspective on Cultural and Diversity. And that is because it has caused be to really reflect on my own definitions of these two very important terms, and helped to re-affirm at least for me, what I have always believed and appreciated in regards to Cultural and Diversity. And that is that we as a society, especially in the Early Childhood field, we need to always remember the importance of Cultural and Diversity for every person, especially when dealing with children. And that is because as educators and teachers in the field we will come across children of many colors, beliefs, and origins, and it is our responsibility to first respect those things, then learn as much as we can about them, and finally incorporate them into our everyday classrooms for each and everyone of the children.
The three people I chose to talk to about Culture and Diversity were all teachers that I work with here at Head-start.
Lucy: Definition of Culture
Response: Culture means to me where I come from, and what my parents taught me. Celebrating certain Holidays, eating certain foods. And to me when celebrating Holidays it's also very important to me to remember my morals and values. I often look at it as a chain, what may parents taught me, and then what I will in turn teach my own children. My hopes are for this family chain to continue to go on for many more future generations.
Definition of Diversity:
Response: Diversity means the race I come from. I was born here in the U.S, but I was raised in Mexico. Even though I did learn to speak English, i was still able to also keep my home language of Spanish. I was raise as a catholic all my life, but I grew up and got married I chose to change my religion, and that was something that my family did not agree with at all, and that was because to them being Catholic is about of our Culture just as much as being Mexican Americans.
Teresa: Definition of culture:
Response: To me my culture is everything I do, everything I believe in, and everything that is important to me in my life. And it has been my culture that I base my life on, as well as how I live my everyday life.
Definition of Diversity:
Response: To me Diversity means my ethnicity, and my cultural heritage and background. I am a Hispanic, Spanish speaking woman, who has very strong beliefs and convictions when it comes to my religious and Catholic beliefs.
Claudia: Definition of Culture:
Response: When I think of Culture, I immediately think of my family and how I was raised, my upbringing. To me personally I think it is my culture that defines who I am, and why I an the way I am. And it is also my upbringing and my family's culture and beliefs that I got all my values and customs that I follow in my life.
Definition of Diversity:
Response: I guess if I was to define Diversity, at least for me it would have to be my heritage and my ethnic background. So besides being a person who is Hispanic. I am also a person is of Italian decent. Growing up as a child, I came from two very diverse backgrounds. My mother's family is from Italy, and most of my father's family is from Mexico. I have always appreciated both my heritages, as well as the beliefs and values, and especially the languages I have received from both my family's cultures. I consider myself very lucky to now be able to pass those down to all three of my young sons.
In reviewing all three of the answers and definitions I received from all three of my participants, I definitely see a lot of similarities, as well as differences in what we have learned in regards to culture and diversity. But I would have to say that one important similarity that definitely stands out for me in regards to cultural and diversity is that each one's cultural plays an important role in who they are today. And even though all of their culture's are very diverse, and based on their own unique beliefs and environments, they are still similar in dedication and importance.
In conclusion I would have to say after talking to all three of these individuals about their various cultures and very diverse backgrounds, I have definitely gained a stronger perspective on Cultural and Diversity. And that is because it has caused be to really reflect on my own definitions of these two very important terms, and helped to re-affirm at least for me, what I have always believed and appreciated in regards to Cultural and Diversity. And that is that we as a society, especially in the Early Childhood field, we need to always remember the importance of Cultural and Diversity for every person, especially when dealing with children. And that is because as educators and teachers in the field we will come across children of many colors, beliefs, and origins, and it is our responsibility to first respect those things, then learn as much as we can about them, and finally incorporate them into our everyday classrooms for each and everyone of the children.
Hi,Sylvia
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. And it's true their is a lot of similarities and differences when we think about culture and diversity.
Sylvia,
ReplyDeleteI agree, the key is to incorporate the learning gained into our classroom so that each and every child feels valued.