2/11/2021; Week 06: Response to “Individualism vs. Collectivism”

Brother Ivers's lesson on Individualism and Collectivism was enlightening. These two practices are practices that I have seen but never contemplated before, let alone thought about in regards to teaching ESL. Understanding where my students come from and if their culture differs from what I know in the U.S., can help me to be prepared for behaviors that will have to be worked with, around, or overcome. Or, maybe as a teacher, I will need to adjust my own thinking and make changes to my behavior. As a teacher, I will need to know where my students are coming from and what they are wanting to get out of the class. Some students may be there because their parents are making them. Their parents might be very involved and have high expectations from them. This may make learning more challenging but could also make some things easier. If students come from collectivistic cultures, they may have a hard time working independently. Whereas, students who come from individualistic cultures may have a challenging time working with others. Therefore, working together might be a big struggle. Students who come from collectivistic cultures may have a harder time expressing their individuality in class because this might not have been an acceptable practice. They may even have a challenging time asking for help when necessary. In fact, students may feel like they cannot ask for clarification or any help. As a teacher, I will have to be patient and flexible. What works for one student won’t necessarily work for another. Students may need time to adjust to a new culture and as their teacher, it will be my responsibility to help them as they do so. Hopefully, with time and effort, watching and learning, students will be able to make adjustments that will help them to be comfortable in my classroom. One of the points that I am contemplating is how can I help my students who feel like they shouldn’t stand out become comfortable with sticking out. Though I wouldn’t want to take my student’s culture away, as a teacher I feel it would be my responsibility to encourage them to do their best, which might make them stand out. So, does anyone have suggestions on how to work with this? Either to help me see it differently or how I can help my students?