2/16/21; Week 07: Response to "Cross-Culture Students in the Classroom"

I grew up in a small town in northern New Mexico. Students, in general, were polite and respectful to teachers and elders. In the classroom, we did what our teachers asked and if we got out of line, we were sent to the principal’s office or just kicked out of class. However, we didn’t have a specific way in which we addressed the teacher. I have heard some students say, “yes, Mrs. Stewart” or “no, Mrs. Stewart.” However, that was not how we replied to our teachers. Now, I live in Texas. When I first moved here, I heard a lot of, “yes, Ma’am,” or “no, Sir.” It drove me nuts. One day my 7-year-old daughter responded “yes, Ma’am” to a direction I gave her and I just about lost it. I informed her she is my daughter, she is welcome to say “yes, mom” but please don’t ever call me “ma’am.” Several years later I was driving my children and their friends to school and one of their friends said, “yes, ma’am” to me. My daughter let her friend know I don’t like to be called that. I just bit my tongue. I also taught the girl’s brother in my Sunday School class and he had the same polite manners. I had to adapt to being referred to as Ma’am because this was how these children were taught to be respectful of their teachers and elders. That was a good learning experience for me and how I can have a different viewpoint without having to change someone else’s. I don’t think that I even have a glimpse of some of the possibilities I will see in my classes with students from different cultures. I will have to work very hard to hold my tongue and do some investigating to educate myself as to whether certain behaviors are showing respect or vice versa. I think a good teacher will be able to keep their cool and continue to operate in class regardless of comments made that may be questionable.