6/2/2020; W7: Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom

Becoming A Teacher to Cross-Cultural Students


An honest confession 


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 I am an Asian, and I grew up studying and using another language. I have my native language and English is the language that I have been learning all this time. Owing to my interest, I studied to be an English teacher. I thought it was fun and would give me jobs in the future.

People here are also very respectful and would have a very good impression on you if you speak good English. Truly, good command of the English language will allow you to find the job or the extra jobs like hosting, voice over projects etc.

Nevertheless, I always have that feeling of doubt if I really want to teach especially in a class with cross-cultural students. My comfort zone is teaching English subject with my fellow Filipinos. Migrating or teaching in a cross-cultural classroom is a thing that I really dislike because I am afraid that students might be disrespectful and I might suffer from a serious cultural shock in the classroom.

 
The truth is 

As a student of TESOL, I soon found out the truth. I was just operating in my own culture. Teaching another language itself is crossing another culture. Immersing and embracing other culture is the key to opening the doors to accepting and loving diverse ideas and students.

On cross-cultural classrooms,  Professor Ivers (2020) pointed out in his lectures that studies show that Asian students find American educational system and treatment to students with physical disabilities are the best things they like about America. The rest of their experiences especially the behaviors of students who come from more expressive cultures were commented as rude. Asian students are also shock when non Asian students would, for example, pack up their things and leave the room before the teacher finishes the lecture.

Students therefore behave according to their  cultural background. It also means that what is rude for others may not be necessarily rude to some. 


Face the reality with positivism

For those who shares the same feelings and uncertainties as mine,  we can be assured that it is not actually bad to be disrespected or suffer from cultural shock from time to time. The most important thing is be always open to diversity and don't fail to study other cultures and background if you want to be a teacher especially in a cross-cultural classroom.




References:

Ivers, J (2020) Cross-Cultural Students in the Classroom. BYUI lectures
https://content.byui.edu/file/5ea5aa3a-0806-4dd5-8106-1ba4f85b3656/2/Cross-Cultural%20Students%20in%20the%20Classroom.html