Perspectives
on Diversity and Culture week 3
This week I spoke to several acquaintances, one
family member, and two colleagues in the Early Childhood professionals about
their perspectives on diversity, and culture.
Definition of culture & diversity;
Colleagues; Mr Allen said, “Culture is part of one
upbringing, the way their parents or parent advised them to treat others, and
so on…”. He goes on to say because we come from different upbringing we have
diversity, Where I come from we like to wear hats, and in other parts of the world
they wear things on their head because of their weather, and custom.
Colleagues; Ms Yeji said in her culture there are
many tradition as well as practice, which is a part of her culture, and she is
from Korea, and been living in the United States for over ten years. She gose
on to say even the way they go to church id different, most of the people dress
in long gowns to attend service to worship. She said, “ In my culture we are
very superstition people, for example it we have a store a when we open in the
morning and get a good sell that morning we believe it sets the tone for the
whole day.” Yes, there is diversity in the country, because we can choose how
we desire to believe, but we love our tradition.
Acquaintance; Julie said, “ You know Sandra, I would
love to think that I have shared my culture with all of the people I come in
contact with, such as the pictures, the language, our holidays, and some of the
history behind our issues in my country. My culture is how I talk, act, listen
to others, my expression, and some of my ways come the pride I have for my
culture. I desire for my children, children to know about our practices, and
ritual. Yes, it’s ok for me to call them ritual because some of the things we
do are rituals, I continue to do it because I don’t want to forget what my parent’s
grandparent done in the pass. Not just of tradition but, because that work.
Diversity for me comes in many different forms, as well as norms, for one
culture it is the norm to have their grandparents in the home as the raise
their children. In some countries grandparents are not honored like other
cultures. Diversity come in many form and shapes, for some of the norms of
diversity could be family, and how an individual is raised.
Culture can be the way you walk, talk, think, and
speak to other. The panelists in the media segment conversation define culture,
“Nadiyah Taylor says “Everything we
do is related to culture. She goes on to say it’s the way we hold our bodies,
and even the way we perceive the world.” Laureate Education Inc.
I understand, and I agree, it’s what makes us who we are, our upbringing in our
families. Julie Benavides, defined culture as “A different set of
characteristics that relate to us in terms of race, ethnicity, economics,
language abilities, and any other abilities or disabilities that children may
have.” Laureate Education Inc., (2013). I agree with the ladies culture
is what makes you who you are.
Diversity comes in many forms because we have from
different backgrounds, and as people are developing their cultures, and norms I
do believe things will change, but we will never be the same. We might do, and
go to some of the same events, and activities but we will carry them out in our
own way, because it’s the way we like to do things. Diversity with the family
life has developed in many different ways within the last few years, what I
thought was the norm is no longer the norm; Father, mother, and children they
birth together. The norm could be two women, biological or adoptive children.
Diversity could be in the raising of children as well as how we desire to live
without eating meat.
The foil for many scholars’
publications is the commonsense belief in and reverence for what Smith (1993)
called “The Standard North American Family” (SNAF). SNAF consists of a heterosexual
husband, wife, and their biological children living under one roof, with the
husband being the primary breadwinner when feasible Harris, S.,R., (2008). Many
Americans still consider SNAF the most real or ideal family form—perhaps even
the “essence” of family—even though they frequently do not practice it. Single-parent
families, gay and lesbian families, foster families, childless couples—these
and other family forms are often perceived as deviant, broken, or less genuine
forms of family in comparison to SNAF (Erera, 2002).
There are so many things to learn
in the course about culture as well as diversity within the world as a whole, I
believe we are still developing as adults, what do you think? Let’s grow and
learn together as we explore our culture and others. I don’t believe I can
omitted anything yet because it’s their way of thinking and doing things.
References
Derman-Sparks, L.,Julie Benavides, Nadiyah Taylor, "Family Cultures: Dynamic
Interactions"
Laureate Education Inc.,
Baltimore, MD.
Harris, S. R. (2008). What is family diversity?
Objective and interpretive approaches. Journal of
Family
Issues, 29(11), 1407–1417.
