Week 6 Intercultural Interactions Mike Harrington

         People from other countries all have different cultures, obviously.  They are no different than we are except they may have different ways of doing things.  People from different cultures should be treated no different than anyone else.  They are not inferior, just different.

         Understanding other people's culture is very important to treat them respectfully.  The best way to gain understanding is just to talk with them and get to know them.  Invite him or her to dinner at a restaurant that serves food from their culture.  Ask about the food and about the decorations and whatever else might help understand their heritage and culture better.  It can be very interesting to find out how other people live and what traditions they have.  All in all, people of different cultures should be treated with respect and no different than we treat our friends.

at AMIS children learn to be culturally competent

         I would say I am not very culturally competent in the sense that I do not know very much about other cultures.  I know enough to not appear stupid when speaking with those of different cultures, but I am no expert. I have grown up in the United States and have never left the country.  I know about cultures only by what I've seen and maybe learned in school.  I can successfully interact and speak with those of different cultures, but I don't know any other languages or much about other countries.  An easy way to make myself more competent would be to research other cultures or simply talk to someone who is very culturally oriented.
      
         Culture is everywhere in the United States and cultural competence is a big deal and something most people can't claim to have.  Being able to interact with people of other cultures is something that is growing in necessity and should be enforced.

I do my best to understand my mentees' culture, but because of the language barrier and our limited time together I haven't been able to learn much from them about their cultures.  But as we get closer of course we will learn more about each other, and I hope that this will make me a more culturally competent individual.  I consider the Joses to have a better world view than me, given the fact that they have already experienced differing parts of the world than many of their peers.  I hope that this will at least rub off on me a bit and lend me some cultural competence.

Week 6: Intercultural Interactions

Me with my mother(left), uncle(right), and his family.
I also realized smiling in pictures isn't exactly universal.

When you interact with someone from a different culture, I honestly have never seen it as all that big of a deal. Some people do see it that way, and it is partly true, because simple cultural differences like greetings and sayings can be awkward at times, like for example, when I went to Sri Lanka to stay with my mother and her brother/his family over the summer, I greeted everyone with a hug, because personally I’ve always felt that’s how you greet those you care about, just the way I was raised. They however, clearly felt a bit awkward about it at first, given somewhat of a surprised body language, and that amily there doesn’t feel the need to kiss and hug one another in general, because they are family, they love one another and that’s just the way it is generally. Given time though, everyone was actually really accepting of the way I’ve grown up, and they all kissed me on the cheek when saying goodbye and became just generally more accepting of the way I did things. I actually experienced the same thing- when my aunt saw I was playing a video game with one of my cousins during lunch, she went over to feed me herself, and I saw and sort of flinch, because that isn’t exactly something you’d consider normal….in America. My aunts explained to me that they really don’t see it as a big deal at all, again, you do it for those you care about, with family comes total familiarity and comfortability, to an extent at least. No locked doors or “private time” ever. And now, I see both sides and feel no real preference anymore. Personally, I feel that everyone has something in common, regardless where they might come from or what they particular story happens to be. Take, for instance, Kevin and I. We don’t even speak the same language, yet we actually have been able to get along perfectly fine, albeit after a bit of an awkward patch at first. All my life I’ve been interacting with people from a different culture, whether it was American or Sri Lankan, because I simply don’t have an incredibly vast amount in common with wither- yet, it’s never been an issue for me. Though I admit, I might be a little more apathetic about these things than some others out there. The thing is, some people really do live what you might call “polarized lives” in terms of culture. I think for people like this, for example, a Sri Lankan family who might tend to make friends and attend events exclusively with other Sri Lankan families, and not altogether expose themselves or their children(at home, at least) to other cultures, may have a harder time getting along with someone growing up in a different climate, exposed to all different aspects of life- be it interests, language, religion, or whatever the case might be. I, on the other hand, have always been somewhat of a mixed bag in terms of the cultural influences that are prominent in my life, so I feel that yes, I am “culturally competent” enough to fill out the basic definition of the word, or the ability to communicate or just get along with those from other cultures and backgrounds. Someone like my mentee Kevin, on the other hand, may not have as easy of a time getting along with just anyone, and might seek out people that he considers to have interests/background similar to his own, simply because what might be deemed his “comfort zone” is considerably smaller than, say, someone like me, who was raised as a young child in a completely different eastern cultural scene, and grew in up the “world” we know today, seeing and perceiving things the way one might say an “American” does, because of nothing other than the prominent influences exerted on any given person on any random day in our cultural climate. Like I said, a mixed bag. 

Me and Kevin...he's probably happier than he looks.

Week 6- Intercultural Interactions- Maureen Rooney

    Personally, I believe a person should be slightly guarded and polite when meeting a person from another culture. I believe this is because many cultures have different characteristics which makes everyone unique, as noted in Professor Vaughn’s novel. Therefore, a person does know what is socially acceptable in another culture unless they have had previous experience or have researched the culture. It is difficult to know how to act at times because a person does not know what new culture they will experience on a given day. This is because we have multiple spontaneous interactions with others because American is a “melting pot” of cultures. Therefore, it is best to act as yourself and in a polite manner, what your culture accepts as polite, when meeting a person from a different culture. This is because the other person will most like question how they should act as well.  

Because of my nature, I typically hug a person or greet them with a warm smile. I understand that this might be deemed as “inappropriate” to some, but it is part of my family culture’s influence on me. However, I make sure that I act respectful and considerate of the other person’s customs if I notice they appear uncomfortable by my personal interactions. I believe that I am culturally competent but I could improve and expand my knowledge. I know this because I went to a diverse high school with students from all around Cincinnati. 

However, the students were only from the local city. I have not had very many interactions and connections with people from outside of America. This is because I have never traveled out of the United States. Also, I have lived in the same house my whole life which is located in Ohio. Although America has many different cultures, many immigrants and minorities do not settle in Ohio as a place to live compared to California, New York or Texas. I plan to continue my education of other cultures and hopefully travel to another country in the near future.

I believe that immigrants feel intimidated by the people in the United States when they first come to America. Because of this, immigrants may try to adapt to the mainstream culture in the United States to “blend in”, leaving their old culture and customs in the shadows. A new citizen may not understand if it is appropriate to shake hands, begin their meal or even how interact with another person walking down the street. Therefore, even though the immigrant has a strong understanding of cultures in other countries, they may not be culturally competent in America if they have never traveled here before. “Cultural Competency is often viewed synonymously with cultural diversity, cultural sensitivity, and cultural awareness” (Vaughn 102). Thus, the immigrant could be in the same situation that I am in. They belong to and understand culture with the awareness of different types of customs that are present but have not had the opportunity to personally experience the culture. Sojourners can have a better understand of another culture because they are “temporary visitors to another country who eventually return their home country” (Vaughn 95). Even though many immigrants, and myself, have not had to opportunity to be sojourners, it does not prevent a person from being culturally competent. There are always opportunities to experience and learn about other societies right here in America, “the great melting pot.”

Week 6- Intercultural Interactions- Dominique Lawson

My Intercultural Interactions
     There are many intercultural interactions that I go through on a day to day basis. Because culture is so broadly defined, I can encounter and interact with various cultures in one day. When intercultural interactions are thought of, race is the first thing that comes to mind. This class has taught me that culture is based on much more than race and ethnicity. It can be based on language, on religion, on gender, sexual orientation and much more.

Not only are they boys, they're French. But we still managed to make an amazing picture despite the cultural differences

      As a woman, I feel that my biggest intercultural interaction is with men. When contemplating just how different men are from women it's kind of amazing that we can live in the same world and even have relationships with one another. In my classes, in the cafeteria, on the sidewalks of campus, and in my dorm I encounter men. There's no escaping them. The man I find it hardest to communicate with is my boyfriend. In arguments it seems as if I'm talking to myself sometimes. We have completely opposing views on so many things that it's amazing we've even made it the three years we've been together. But we get along even through the many obstacles and communication barriers. It's hard at times, as with many other intercultural interactions but we get through it. :)  

     Another aspect of intercultural interactions is through religion. There are so many differences between religions and so many misconceptions that sometimes it's hard to even find similarities with people of different religions. It becomes hard to have a conversation because you're afraid to say something that may be against their beliefs. I believe that it's good to take a step back and realize that while religions may be different in big ways there are always huge similarities as well.
       And of course being African American has its cultural differences from the other races of America.But those are so obvious, I don't even want to talk about them.  
Book Time!! 
     For immigrant children it is hard to adjust to a new culture. They are thrown into intercultural interactions in every aspect of their lives besides their home life, and even then there may be some. Friends come in hand in a school environment because they can help bring a piece of the old culture to an uncomfortable place and make it more comfortable for the immigrant. The peers help teach language skills and help them learn unspoken things about the new culture (Suárez-Orozco p. 142). In order to effectively communicate between cultures you must be culturally competent (Vaughn, p. 102). Cultural competence is defined through awareness of one's own assumptions, values, and biases, an understanding of culturally different people in a world view, and strategies and techniques that can be used during the interaction that are appropriate (103). 
       Cultural competences requires an understanding of one's own culture and and understanding of others' cultures. I believe that in some areas I am culturally competent and in others I am not. In the cultural aspects of gender, race, and religion I feel competent because I have studied areas surrounding the cultures that are not specific to me in these areas and I feel that I have applicable knowledge within these areas. I do not feel that I am culturally competent when it comes to sexual orientation because I have not taken the steps to understand the other cultures in this area. I intend to, I just have not reached that point yet.
 

Week Five: Cultural Practices

While reading Igoa's book, I found it hard to relate her message to Jose. While he was shy during our first meeting, he opened up a great deal upon my second visit and has remained sociable ever since. Therefore, I believe that Jose is a shy boy who approaches new situations with a little bit of caution, but is not in the silent stage. Since he has been here for seven years, it makes sense that he has fully, or at least partially, assimilated into our culture. In regards to cultural interactions and maintaing practices, Jose and his family retain a sense of his culture at home. Spanish is still spoken in the home and it seems as though Jose still identifies as culturally mexican.

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Culturally I consider myself American. While I do not have a strong ethnic background (my family identifies as "mutt") we participate in all of the activities that are associated with American culture. Superbowl Sunday is a house-wide holiday complete with wings, chips, and chili. Every memorial day we drive to our lake house to install our dock, put in our boat, and celebrate the start of the summer. Thanksgiving is always a feast and the Fourth of July is never without red, white and blue pyrotechnics. This is my family's culture and we embrace it.

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Week 5- Michael J Harrington

Immigrants have very different educational experiences than us.  I grew up in America, and my parents did too.  I did not experience many cultural practices distinctive to my ethnicity.  I went to a predominately white school and had the typical life of a suburban American.  Therefore I never had a chance to know anything remotely like an immigrant's childhood.  But my mentees continue to tell me about their life and experiences thus far I will continue to learn about other countries and ethnicities.  Jose1 has told me a fair amount about himself and his native country.  But Jose2 has remained pretty quiet.  In an effort to entice him into opening up Alex and myself used google translator on my iPod to converse in Spanish with him, and we also drew pictures of each other.

This is my mentee's picture of me

This leads me to believe that if conversation and fun activities such as drawing or doing crafts were used in schools with a student base with a limited knowledge of English then they would be more successful and possibley learn English better and be more involved in school work.  I will continue trying to integrate fun activities and bilingual studies into our times together.

One cultural holiday my family celebrates is easter.  On Easter we all have fun dying eggs and performing an egg  hunt.  My family has a huge egg hunt, we invite over 200 people and hide almost a thousand eggs in my backyard.  It's a blast, and quite entertaining for all involved.  But my favorite part of the day is the Easter egg dying.  Me and my sisters each dye 5-6 hard boiled eggs in various colors and designs.  This is part of our Catholic culture, and part of my families traditions.  Because my grandfather is a pastor religion has always been a big part of my family, and no doubt will always be.

These are my eggs. Yeah that's right, be jealous.

Psychosocial Experience of Immigration



Me with one of my favorite teachers from high school



An immigrant faces many challenges when they try to assimilate into a whole new culture. This transition can be especially difficult for immigrant children in school. The may face many developmental challenges as they try to become accustomed to new ways of thinking and learning. in The Inner World of the Immigrant Child, Igoa presents a story from a child who had difficulty becoming accustomed to American schooling. This particular child was having a difficult time in school because she did not understand English that well. This caused her to become discouraged because she thought she was not smart enough, when really, it was just going to take some time to learn the language. Other excerpts from the reading describe children who were having a hard time in school because they were not sure what grade level  they belonged to. Since other countries have educational systems that are very different, it was hard to pinpoint where that child belonged. In cases like this, it is extremely important to have teachers that are connected to what immigrant children need. I know that even for me, having teachers who were understanding was very important. Teachers, especially teachers of younger students, help the children get through developmental stages as they grow. The teachers at AMIS are especially effective in this regard because not only do the teachers have to help the students get through their developmental stages, but they must also help the students become comfortable in an unfamiliar culture.

I think that being immersed in a culture helps to socialize people. This is especially true when it come to immigrants. Finding people who have similar interests as you is what helps people to connect. Although I am not am immigrant, I have still experiences culture as a way to socialize people. Coming to college is a great example of this. College is a whole new environment, and most people start off in a similar kind of place, looking for a fresh start and a new group of friends. This environment is very conducive to meeting new people who may or may not have had similar experiences as you so far. I have met people who are very different from me, however we get along extremely well. Being in a similar environment helped us to connect and come together as great friends.

Cultural Practices

I believe that education is one of the most important things a person can gain. I think that this is especially true when it comes to immigrant children. AMIS is a great place for these immigrant students to gain knowledge for the future in a setting that is more comfortable to them. In The Inner World of the Immigrant Child, Igoa approaches the idea of educating immigrant children from many different angles. Igoa describes that certain criteria must be met in order for an immigrant child to be comfortable in their educational setting. Some of these ideas include having the teacher be more knowledgeable about the student's home country, having the teacher be knowledgeable about the educational system in other countries, and make sure that the immigrant children feel valued and accepted. I think that this last point is very important. Igoa mentions that a great way to make an immigrant child feel valued and accepted is simply by talking to them. That is why I think that we as mentors, are doing such a great thing. Coming to AMIS to talk to my mentee is really one of my favorite parts of the week. I know that I am helping a student feel more comfortable, and I am also learning a lot myself.

It is really a great experience being able to talk to my mentee Adama. I think that when we meet, he feels comfortable and able to be himself, which Igoa points out, is a very important key to a good educational experience. Adama is very aware of his surroundings, and I believe that he fully embraces the American lifestyle. His interests reflect that of many other 4th grade boys his age. He is sometimes shy and quiet, but that is natural when talking to someone who is quite older than you. I think that Adama is a great kid and is really adjusting well and succeeding at AMIS.

My own cultural and experiences are very different from Adama's. Although I consider myself a Caucasian American, my family continues to recognize our Italian roots. We do this by celebrating our Italian heritage regularly. We have many Italian traditions like have Italian meals on all major holidays and putting a strong emphasis on family. I love that I have an Italian background and I am proud to be Italian. I know that having an Italian background is very different from being an immigrant child, but like an immigrant child, I like to recognize where my past comes from, and I hope that I will be able to keep my family traditions alive for a  long time.

Week 5 : Cultural Practices - Emma Shreve

The Group at the Big Pig

Immigrant children almost always have a different educational experience than a typical American student does. Often an immigrant’s education is focused on learning to read, write, and speak English. For my mentee, Dayana, this is no different. Even after these past few weeks that we’ve spent together, language is still something we struggle with. It is hard for Dayana and I to understand each other even when we are talking about something simple like her homework. I can’t imagine how challenging it is for her to understand her teachers when she has to learn something, and be tested on it, in a language that is not her primary one. Dayana’s educational experience is twice as intensive as an English-speaking student’s. This past week, Dayana brought a book with her. We read a short piece, around five sentences long, about parrots. It was cool to see how well Dayana can read English. She may not recognize words right away, but she can sound it out and figure out what the words are. As we moved through the paragraph, Dayana would recognize words she had just read and would shout it out when she realized what it was. She looked so excited when she stumbled across the repetition and even though it took a while to get through those few sentences, I have to admit I was pretty proud of her. This weekend at the Little Piglet kid’s marathon, I learned more about Dayana’s past. When I asked her about her family and where she came from, I often got very different stories. After talking to her teacher though, I learned that she grew up in an orphanage in Peru. Dayana was born with a cleft palate and that was corrected and has left her with a scar and a slight speech impediment. She was adopted and moved to Cincinnati about a year ago. Her mother is Peruvian and her father is American. Since Dayana is the same ethnicity as her adoptive father, I hope that she will be able to celebrate some of the same traditions that they may have celebrated in the orphanage. I definitely think that going to AMIS gives Dayana an advantage and allows her to connect to other people who may have similar heritages.



One of the walkers with her medal!



Week 5 - Cultural Practices - Sarah Arriola

 "Intercultural schools emphasize intercultural knowledge and competence in tandem with the social and emotional aspects of interacting with culturally different people. Intercultural schooling is the closest to the ideal of multicultural education because it contains both cultural maintenance and participation" (Vaughn 172). From what I've seen the last few weeks at AMIS, this seems to describe the school pretty well. There are children from several different cultural backgrounds at AMIS, and they are all learning to interact with one another. Hawa, my mentee, and her twin brother, although being born in the U.S., have spent much of their lives living in Africa. At AMIS, they interact with other students from Africa, as well as students from places such as Mexico and Asia. Had the students at AMIS gone to different schools, they may not have had an opportunity to interact with students from their own cultures, or students from so many other cultures different from their own. Schools like AMIS are important for that reason -- because it's important for all people to interact with and learn about people from other cultures, and the younger that happens, the better.

Some of the AMIS kids at the Flying Piglet this weekend!

At AMIS, the children speak many different languages. They are taught English, but children that speak other languages often talk to other children in their home language. In Vaughn's book, it says that "Culture and language are inseparable since both have a reciprocal relationship with each other. Many believe that a culture cannot be understood without understanding its language and vice versa" (162). This is interesting to me because I know my that my mentee currently speaks both French and English, and on top of that, desires to learn Spanish. This means that not only is she able to understand her own African culture, but she can understand American culture as well, and someday, will probably understand things about Spanish culture too. 

This week, Hawa and I talked about several things. One of the things we talked about was Easter. I asked her whether or not her family celebrated Easter, and she said yes they did, and that they had a nice dinner of ham and mashed potatoes and green beans. She also said she got to play with her friends. She didn't mention finding eggs, so I'm not sure if she just forgot or if that isn't something that her family does, but regardless, they did celebrate Easter in a fairly American way.

I also asked Hawa if there were any traditions or holidays that she celebrates in America that she also used to celebrate in Africa. She mentioned one thing, which she called Tebuski. I couldn't find anything about it online, but that's probably because I'm butchering the spelling. She told me that to celebrate this, her family and friends cook a goat and they dress up in African clothing. When I asked her how she likes the African clothes, she said that she likes most of them, but sometimes the ones her dad picks out aren't very pretty.

One thing that I found that was interesting in Vaughn's book was that "Culture strongly affects the acceptance of conflict. Some cultures tolerate and expect conflict in everyday interactions with arguments, insults, and negavitve feelings all viewed as acceptable...whereas others try to avoid conflict" (163). I thought this was interesting because Hawa often talks about how much she and her twin brother argue and fight. I don't know if culturally this kind of thing is acceptable in Africa where she grew up, but I know in America, it is pretty common to hear about siblings arguing with one another. I didn't realize that different cultures looked at conflict in different ways, so it was cool for me to learn that through the reading.

Members of my family at Thanksgiving.

Sometimes I struggle to explain exactly what my cultural practices are. Because I grew up in a predominantly white area with people that had similar cultural practices as I did, I don't always think of the things that I do as a part of my culture. However, I suppose they are. Part of my cultural practices include celebrating Christmas and Thanksgiving with my family. My mom cooks an elaborate feast and several of my family members come to the house and we sit around and catch up and just generally enjoy each others company. I really look forward to the holidays because I don't sit down and talk with some of those family members very often throughout the rest of the year. It is always just really nice to find out how everyone is doing. I can't imagine not celebrating these holidays with my family.

Week 5; Jonathan Hilton

Week 5: Cultural Practices
Jonathan Hilton

Guatemalan flower petal arrangements
are used alongside U.S. ones.
This is "adaptation."

Igoa states on page 39 of The Inner World of the Immigrant Child that culture shock can be mitigated by holding on to certain cultural traditions and not assimilating too completely and too rapidly. In my work with immigrants from Guatemala in downtown Cincinnati, I see immigrants carrying their cultural practices with them into their daily lives all the time. Take, for instance, the Easter celebration of Guatemalan immigrants at my church. Although their "new" form of worship here in the United States (which is significantly more Protestant than they would have in their majority-Catholic Central American nation) has many liturgical differences, these immigrants have managed to integrate their own tradition of making flower petal arrangements around the altar into their new service. This level of cultural competence--combining elements from both cultures to form a unique cultural product--reflects the "adaptation" and "acceptance" levels of development relative to intercultural interactions (Vaughn 178):

But is this kind of connection to the homeland really enough for Guatemalan immigrant children? Does their ability to adapt to their surroundings increase in the presence of these kinds of cultural connections? My observation has shown that the immigrant children have indeed managed their cultural transition well. They have all come out of their "shells" and have passed through (and have completed) what Igoa refers to as the "Silent Stage" (page 38). Because they see that the members of the dominant culture around them have adapted and accepted their own cultural practices, these children interact freely with members of the dominant culture. Those between the ages of four and ten have no problem working with native English speakers to learn to speak and read English. The fact that members of the dominant culture in this environment make some attempt to speak Spanish to them--even if they only know a little--also seems important to them. Knowing that their home culture is respected helps provide them with what Igoa calls "a warm and nurturing environment" (page 38).

In other news, at WorldFest this week on campus (Thursday, April 28), I had another chance to see some immigrants--actually, Exchange Students in this case--in action working to share and preserve their culture. Using a thick brown paste, they painted Indian designs on the hands of students. I took a picture of my friend Alison getting her hand painted with this amazing floral design. Flower patterns seem to be a popular cultural item to preserve!

Week 5: Cultural Practices

Me and my little cousin Abi.

I’d imagine that for immigrant children, especially those who are moved here at some point in their young lives as opposed to being born in this country to immigrant parents, saying that school here is an adjustment would be an understatement. And a large one at that. For one thing, the language barrier is probably the most immediate and obvious factor requiring getting used to for a young child from a foreign environment. To see most of your new group of peers as completely separate from yourself isn’t exactly easy to deal with at a very young age. However, a lot of kids, especially the younger children, seem to adjust very well. Take, for example, my 7 year old cousin Abicsha, who lives in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. When I stayed with my uncle’s family this past summer, she was at first definitely scared of me ( We hadn’t met before as it had been something like 8 years since I had visited), and over the course of one or two weeks, had actually picked up a good amount of English from talking to me more and more, and even was teaching me some Tamil, one of Sri Lanka’s native languages, though I wasn’t nearly as adept a student. The rapidness of her becoming very familiar and even close with me showed, in my opinion, that at times younger kids can adjust to new factors very well and accept them fully, even develop preference for new things learned over old concepts. Some kids, however, seem to retract for the most part, mainly because, in my opinion at least, they have no window of reference for anything they observe and seem to see everything as completely foreign, and this can even be synonymous with bad at times. My mentee, Kevin, in particular is very quiet, but as the weeks go by its clear that even though I don’t speak Spanish very well at all, he’s becoming increasingly comfortable and familiar with me, waiting for me to walk back to class and waving any time we see each other in the school. He obviously mocks my poor grasp on his language, but like I said, he seems to be adjusting to the situation he’s placed in. At first, there was very little communication from his side, as he always kept his head down, nodding or shaking his head as an answer, and mumbling. The last two times we went to AMIS he seemed a lot more personable and opinionated about a lot of things, indicating a building level of comfort. We’ve talked(to an extent, obviously) about what he thinks of his school and the new environment, however, and he doesn’t hesitate at all in making it known that he prefers his home culture to that of his current environment. Though he’s in a class with other Spanish speakers, I never have seen him interacting with other kids his age, but this could also just be because he’s very new to the school, according to members of the staff I’ve spoken to. His interactions, though limited as I just said, seem to be primarily with other Spanish speakers, mainly teachers, and not by choice but by obligation, though he never seems angry or visibly upset in any way. I think because of his relative lack of time spent in this environment, his home culture is very much kept alive, because his lack of exposure in rarely interacting with others would mean that’s probably still the only influence on his particular “culture.” In my case, when I was very young, as in birth to the age of 5 or 6, I was still involved heavily in my homegrown Sri Lankan culture, because my mom still lived with us and she always brought me to play with other Sri Lankan kids, those of her friends, as there was (and still is) a pretty tightly knit Sri Lankan community in Cincinnati. But when she left to Sri Lanka, as my dad was forced to pretty much work around the clock and take care of my sister and I, we started to lose touch with that side of ourselves. I was fluent in Tamil at that age, but as my dad had to prioritize our education and happiness, he didn't have time to reinforce a home culture and so I lost touch with it gradually. Because after all of this I grew up not being around any of my peers, meaning Sri Lankans aside from my father and sister, and grew very close to my predominantly white friends, I really never had a chance to keep any of my cultural practices alive over the years, and so my home culture has faded over time, something I’ve always regretted. For that reason, I think it’s a good thing Kevin is so attached to that very home culture, because it really is an important part of his identity and something he should hold onto as he gets older and older, as opposed to my approach, trying to recapture it now.

With my sister(middle), my aunt and uncle, when home culture was a central part of life.

Week 5: Cultural Practices--Jamie Nickell

Ashton and I celebrating Halloween at the Zoo, 2010. Yes he is a dinosaur! He loves Dinosaur Train.

Since I have worked at AMIS as a tutor, I have noticed many different ways in which students relate to one another. Similar cultural practices, language, religious beliefs, etc. I find that bringing together students with similar beliefs, and also culture is a genius idea. These children share so many different aspects in common with one another. Things as drastic as even culture shock. In education however, having other peers whom you can talk with and share your feelings with that might have similar feelings helps to make transitions easier. "Culture wields a large effect on human behaviour within the context of teaching and learning and can make intercultural interactions in this context challenging." ( Vaughn 166) When there is a miscommunication between teaching and learning amongst the teachers and students, effective learning can be difficult. At AMIS, I feel that the school eliminates this altogether or at least as much as possible. There is an understanding between the teachers and students and communication between them is strong. Having personal experience on how hard miscommunication can be when teaching a child (i.e. my mentee Jenny) I can not imagine the struggles and challenges these students would have to face if they were to be broken up and mixed into Cincinnati Public Schools. The idea of taking away AMIS, and intertwining these students with the other schools is ridiculous.


Personally, in my home, celebrating our culture is very important. Around the holidays the families get together and spend time with each other celebrating that particular holiday. I find that incorporating culture into our everyday lives is critical as Ashton is growing up. Teaching him about our culture, beliefs, religion and so on helps him to have an understanding of his background and where he comes from. Even though he is only 3 1/2 years old now, he will understand and appreciate it later as grows up. It is important for everyone to experience culture, whether it be their own or someone else's. My mentee, Jenny and I teach each other about our beliefs and keep open minds to what the other one likes. I have recently been trying to teach myself Spanish to help incorporate her culture and language into my own. Also, I am going to be her mentor through Cincinnati Youth Collaborative to guide her through her schools years and help her grow accustom to culture here in America while also learning about her families beliefs and culture from Honduras.