Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I talked to three different people in regards to their views on culture and diversity.

Friend Anne Johnson (aged 42- African American female):

definition of culture:

"I feel the culture is the way people represent themselves and their families.  It is also how we make generalizations about people.  While it can be wrong, the way a person looks or dresses will remind me of a certain culture and my known conceptions of that culture.  I do understand that many cultures have all kinds of branches, but we all make immediate assumptions from the first impression." (Johnson, 2011)

definition of diversity:
"Diversity is the differences we all have.  Considering my own feelings, values and beliefs, they are diverse and different than others around me.  While we may share some experiences, beliefs or values, we consider them on different levels.  Someone who is diverse is of a different culture or race than I am, they could also be of a different age or gender." (Johnson, 2011)

Former Co-Worker:  Missy Cole (aged: mid-30s, Caucasion female-Infant/Toddler teacher).

"I understand that diversity is about how each individual is unique and their differences. When you look at diversity today, you are not only looking at just race but you are also looking at ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, and political beliefs." (Cole, 2011)

She also discussed culture and diversity as it relates to the profession and children:

" As professionals who work with families and their children, our willingness to talk openly about identity and to help foster a positive sense of self in children can make a huge difference in affirming the diversity of our communities. We also need to show children the different cultures and traditions that others use. The more children have an understanding about who they are and where they came from, the more they learn to respect their communities and the different communities around them. Children learn by example and as professional we need to set that example within our classrooms." (Cole, 2011)

Friend and Linguist Nolan Bennett (age 27 Caucasian male part of LGBT community):

TO me, culture is the sum of a society's learned behavioral patterns, perceptions and shared experiences that unite the society together. It can include shared ideas, beliefs, religious tenets, dress and language. Culture is not an inherent attribute transmitted genetically, but instead must be learned from one's society. It is the way we see the world in which we live.

From an ethnoliguistic perspective, language evolves based on a society's perception and conceptualization of its culture (aside: if that makes sense...i don't really know to word it best). The Saami People of Northern Europe, a semi-nomadic herding society, have hundreds of words to describe things that their society has experienced over the course of their existence. For example they have hundreds of words for reindeer and snow. Why? Because, as a nomadic peoples, their very lives depend on knowing as much as possible about their livestock and the atmospheric conditions where they  and being able to describe those conditions to others.Over time, those words became common knowledge for the society and were passed on to each subsequent generation, becoming part of their culture.

I guess that's all I have on that. Diversity, I think, is knowing and embracing one's own cultural identity, while acknowledging and accepting that there are other cultures out there that are very different from our own that are due the same reverence and respect we give to our own. Diversity is living with other cultures peacefully and learning from one another while still maintaining separate ideologies. After all, we all have a common culture: we all experience life on Earth.

What aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course are included in the answers I received- and what are some examples?

They discussed culture as being how one person or groups of persons define themselves, and also discussed that culture/diversity could also refer to things such as gender and age.  There was a recognition that even these difference can be refereed to as culture or diversity.  Also, there was discussion about the assumptions and stereotypes that come along with culture, and how a child/family looks to 'outsiders'.  

Which aspects have been omitted? and what are examples of such omission?

There has been omission of surface culture in the sense that there is a much deeper aspect to culture.  Anne, for example discussed how you assume by the way a person looks that they are part of a certain culture.  The surface culture defines that which you can see, but omits all of the underlying aspects.  This includes the family roles, work (who in the family works), religion, the extended family relationships and the roles of children.  (Derman-Sparks, Edwards J. L, 2008) There was also the omission of holidays, artifacts, costumes, and the ideas about education.

In what ways has thinking about other peoples definition of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics?

I feel like some of those that I spoke to had the same experience with culture I did.  Culture and diversity was something I did not understand or really believe I myself had.  Such as in the Gonzalez article, she discusses how  she barely noticed her own culture, or the cultural framework she was apart of because there lacked differences. (Gonzalez, 2008)  Missy discussed how things need to be looked at differently from a early childhood professionals stance because we need to support the children, and appreciate their culture.

When families immigrate to this country, there is a struggle between the first generation and second generation.  Families wish their children to hold onto their culture and traditions, and children seem influenced by the new culture surrounding them. (Ngo, 2008)


Resources:

Bennett, Nolan. (2011). Personal interview.

Cole, Melissa. (2011). Personal Interview. 21 September, 2011.

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2008). Diversity in Early Care and Education (5th ed., pp. 8–13). Boston, MA: McGraw Hil

Johnson, Anne. (2011). Personal Interview. 20 September, 2011.

Ngo, B. (2008). Beyond “culture clash”: Understanding of immigrant experiences. Theory into Practice, 47(1), 4–11