6/11/2019 Week 8: Deep Culture in the Elementary Clasroom.

Culture is an important topic in the classroom and for teaching it, we have to be prepared it is not a simple class about grammar this takes a lot of reflection and analysis because it can change our students' ideologies about cultures and increase their respect and empathy for others. 

As English teachers, we will have many opportunities for sharing classes which include cultural facts. In my opinion, we must study all kinds of activities and methods for teaching DEEP CULTURE. If we find effective techniques it is recommended to use it according to the classroom's needs. Also, we have to try many plans and verify which one is the most effective and update it regularly.

Sometimes we may hear from parents "I don't think we want to talk about our culture" "It's not necessary" and it influences in a bad way on our students' confidence with their background. It is a TABOO that we have to clarify and take it like a normal topic and for resolving it our classes must be rich in cultural knowledge. 

If you are a relative or parent of an ESL student motivate and participate in the teacher activity, it is not only our work, it is of everybody! I know that this participation depends on your culture standards but give your 100% and also be the first teacher of culture in your own home.  

We create specific classes for each classroom but this work of teaching deep culture is integrated for parents, students and the institution. It works if everybody carries the corresponding responsibilities. 

6/6/2019 Week 7: Culture and Psychology

In my home culture is normal for all girls to be in shape and having good figures and that is one of the things which frustrate me because I'm not the type of girl. We have the stereotypes that Latinas are very beautiful and we are!! But in my opinion, we all are in different ways. Sometimes I judge myself for to no being "that girl" because for me beauty is the soul but it's hard to live in a place where you have to have a good image all the time.

Based on my experience I decided to change my mind and start to love me just the way I am. But it was not easy! I have my cousin Miriam who was very frustrated with her image too. I always talked with her about what beauty means but I wasn't applying that in my own life. I did a change in my mind and start to love my imperfections! Life is too much better since that day!

I think we, as a society need to be one big family and love each other! I know this problem does not happen only in my culture, it does in many and affects self-esteem. Also, this problem is one of the principal causes of bullying in school. 

During this path here in BYU-I learning about teaching, I find myself more confident about how to manage a class especially a cultural class. We can use our own experiences and adapt them into our classroom. In my case, I will know how to manage the situation when someone has low self-esteem becuase the "stereotypes" marked. 

Into a classroom, we all are ONE BIG FAMILY, like I said before we have to help each other and to fight with the anxiety caused because of the cultural changes. 

Culture and Psychology are two big topics that we teachers have to be prepared to manage.

6/05/2019 Week 7: Differences in Manners

In my opinion, one of the potential challenges in a TESOL classroom are the misunderstandings. I mean, for one student something may be good and the same thing for another student from a different culture it may be bad. These kinds of situations are present in everyday TESOL classrooms.

In the future, when I'll face this problem I will apply what I've learned here in TESOL about understanding cultural changes. One of the most effective things is to talk with the family of the new student and to learn the most relevant facts of their culture. Also, we can have a cultural forum where all the families of the class are invited. These solutions help with the understanding of new cultures and also create human relationships.

When I was in the USA I went to an ESL school. I had classmates from many parts of the world, each one of them had a story to say. One thing that I admired from my teacher was how she carefully planned a "cultural night" where we had shows that each culture and the best part was that we have typical food! This activity helped us for understanding one another. It also changed our cold relationship in warmer. 

We have to be very wise at the moment of teaching to a cultural classroom. 

In my home culture is natural to meet persons from different cultures because my country is very diverse. In the last years, our constitution had changed and it supports these ethnics groups rights. But this reform only works if we put many efforts of our part.

I love diversity and I'm glad to have the opportunity to create relationships with persons of different cultures.

Classrooms are our student's second home but do you really make them feel like at home?

6/4/2019 Week 7:Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom

English is one of the most important languages that connect the world and especially connects persons and create relationships around it.

In my short experience teaching this language, I had the opportunity to meet students from different cultures and countries.

Being a TESOL student had been a great part of my life. I definitely don't see things now like I used to do before. Like I said before, I met many students but I didn't know how to manage their cultural transition before studying at BYU-I. 

In this week we are talking about Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom. This topic is essential in all teachers methodology. We, teachers, have to be ready for facing situations with this kind of students.  

In my actual classroom, I have one student who is "Otavaleño" (an ethnic group of Ecuador). He's very enthusiastic about learning English. I didn't know that he is from a different culture, I realized it today. I heard that some classmates were laughing at him because of his culture. I talked with him and I told him what incredible is to know what he does and what makes him special. Also, we had a conversation as a class and we discuss what makes a special. 

For these kinds of students is really hard to be part of a new world. They are facing many challenges such as food, habits, school, etc. and as teachers is our obligation to understanding and guide them in their adaptation period. Also, we can learn about their culture and adapt the positive points into our class and make them feel at home. 

In my home culture, we learn to respect and listen to others. That's why I think I appreciate each culture and differences. 

I invite you to be a teacher that your students need, love and teaching them something more than just a foreign language, teaching them about LIFE.  

You can find examples of cross-cultural students in the following video:

HOW DO YOU MANAGE DISCRIMINATION IN YOUR CLASSROOM?

6/01/2019 Week 6: Attributional Tendencies

All my life I have learned about attributional tendencies. In my opinion, these attributions are not only set by cultural environment it is also set by families. If our students come from a different culture where the thoughts are not the best, we have the responsibility to help and increase the best attitudes concerning attributional tendencies. 

In the classroom, all students will have a different point of view because each one of them had raised in different cultures and homes and it is hard to hem to be part of a new group where all the member have some in common or anything. 

Now I know that I have to understand my students' situation and bring them opportunities to express themselves and give them chances to interchange ideas about Attributional Tendencies= COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY. 

In my own experience teaching English I had seen many situations where students and parents get confused with cultural changes, especially at the moment of talking about attributional tendencies. 

Here in my country, we are very flexible with other ideologies and like here in TESOL PEDAGOGY II we are entrained to manage these kinds of situations. 

I hope you can use COMMUNICATION like your first option for avoiding attributional tendencies. 

6/1/2019 Week 6: Personal Space Differences

In classrooms is very important to interact between classmates and sometimes this interaction makes students lose or gain confidence with others, depending on their cultural background. 

It is necessary to create a good environment in our classroom and teach students about relationship and interaction. We have to understand students ideology about personal space because they probably come from a different place where this topic is interpreted in a different way that we do.

Students who came from a culture where their personal space is strictly respected may feel intimate in our classroom, that's why we have to teach this topic before teaching the lessons. We have to set the parameters of our class for avoiding misunderstand especially with new students who don't know anything about our culture. 

Five years ago I traveled to the USA, it was my first time out of my country and also my first time knowing a new culture. I remember when I made my first friend there, I was enthusiastic about getting to know someone of the same age. Madison was very kind and friendly but with that experience, I noticed how Americans relationships are "colder". I mean she was the kindest person but she didn't hug me and that was something strength to me. 

Here in my country, we are more expressive and we allow people to get into our personal space. 

That' why I suggest teachers do exercises between students and pay attention to how students manage their personal space.

 Be English teachers is a great way to learn about cultures and help people around the world to get familiar with cultural changes.

5/31/2019; Week 6: Individualism vs. Collectivism

It is important to have great knowledge of cultural diversity, especially for being prepared for having new students from other parts of the world. English classes are very dynamic and in this field, work in groups is in everyday lesson plans. 

Individualism and Collectivism are two aspects that have a great influence on our students' behavior in the classroom. Both have positive and negative sides. If we teachers learn how to use the positive part of these two paradigms we will get great result in our students developing with English. 

In the case of having new students, we have to communicate them (students and their parents) how our class works and also ask them how they had worked in their original culture. This will help us to avoid any misunderstandings. 

If we have "collectivism" oriented student we have the responsibility to increase their "individualism" side and adapt this method with individualism students who have to work more with their collectivist side. 

In my opinion, is fundamental to include collectivism in the classroom because it helps students gain self-confidence and also develops many values in our students such us, making friends, work together, respect others, etc. 

Like I wrote before in this article, teachers need to try to adapt and develops skills of these two topics. Students need to be prepared to interact in cultures which practice individualism and collectivism. 

Try to understand each of your students, remember that each one of them are different worlds trying to "keep going" in a universe with more and different worlds.  Be their SUN. 

What methods do you use in the classroom to adapt to Individualism and Collectivism?