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Biculturalism

Page history last edited by Katty Watson 11 years, 3 months ago

 

 

 

 

 

What is a bicultural person?

 

A bicultural person has two cultures.  The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines culture as the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group (source information).  

 

How does it feel to be bicultural?

 

If you are a bicultural person, you can answer this question by reflecting on all your experiences living within two cultures.  If you are not, try to imagine what that might be like. 

 

"A friend of mine once described what it means to be Latina in the United States in the following way: 'It's like we have two personalities."  "...If you're bicultural you know the way you act depends on the situation the the people involved."  The way I see it, we're also very lucky because we can take the best from both worlds.  But sometimes it can also mean feeling like you don't belong anywhere" (Soto & Kharem, 2010).  

 

 "Biculturals often say that life is easier when they are with other people with the same bicultural background as them.  They can relax and not have to worry about getting things right all the time.  They often state that their good friends (or dream partners) are people like them, with whom they can be totally at ease about their languages and their culture" (p. 162).

 

"So, while I can function perfectly well among a group of monocultural and monolingual (whether English-only or Spanish-only) individuals, I always feel much more at ease, like I can be my real self, when I'm surrounded by others who speak both my languages and live in both my cultures (American and Latino).  To me it not only means that I can code-switch-or use Spanglish-but also that we can talk about the latest chisme in the world of Latino entertainment as well as which team we're rooting for in the Super Bowl" (p. 163).

 

While watching this video, where bicultural and multiracial people share how they feel about their background, reflect on the following questions:

 

*According to the video, why do you think bicultural and multiracial people would need a support system?

*Why would bicultural people need to be bilingual?

*Why do you think President Obama would mention his cultural backgrounds?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21H9lA6MLHM&feature=bf_prev&list=PL555D75C29E94BA80

 

On this next video, a little girl starts by saying... "Sometimes people ask me what color I am, and I'm not really sure why?

While watching this video, reflect on the following questions...

 

*Do you think a bicultural/biracial person would feel torn due to belonging to two or more cultures? and Why?

*Do you think biracial people are discriminated and why?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXkPdC_a-ME&feature=bf_prev&list=PL555D75C29E94BA80&index=3

 

Why do parents need to know about biculturalism?

 

Being bicultural has its challenges.  It is important to become informed and have tools handy in the process of raising bicultural children.  “In families with parents from two different cultural traditions, there can be disagreements in areas that directly affect children such as how children should be raised, gender roles, and how to relate to members of the extended family” (Myles, 2003). In addition to all these, issues could also arise related to their children education. 

 

There are many things that have to be taken in consideration, starting with the choosing of a name.  Should the child have a name that is used by the majority people of the country people live in, by the minority or one of each. 

 

When raising children bicultural other questions may arise related to holidays, food, time, and religion just to name a few.  It is hard to think of all these factors that will have to face, before the children are born.  Usually parents do not have the time to discuss all these issues beforehand.  Many of these issues have to be addressed as they arrive and there is a lot of compromising and accommodating that has to take place.  “A celebration that goes on for a week or more in the home country might take place on a day or a weekend.  This approach also has the advantage of allowing the minority language parent to choose the foods, rituals, and so on which are his or her favorites, and skipping the rest.”  It is also helpful to go to the roots of it all; the country of his or her ancestors to acquire precious and meaningful experiences first hand.  “The best way for children to become competent in the culture of their minority language’s home country is to spend some time there… Going to school in the minority language home country will contribute tremendously to a child’s feeling of belonging to the culture.  Having cousins near the same age helps too, especially if they are willing to share knowledge about media, clothes, and social norms for their peers” (p.187).

 

 

What does biculturalism "look like" in the classroom?

 

Biculturalism in the classroom is evident everywhere. According to Payan & Nettles (n.d.), there are over 5 million English Language Learners in the USA, making up better than 10% of the student population (source information). This doesn't even take into account the number of students who are fluent speakers of English who are simply bicultural. Based on these numbers, a standard-sized class in the United States is likely to have at least 2 or 3 ELL students, as well as multiple other students of other cultural backgrounds. As a result, nearly every classroom is a bicultural classroom, though teachers in these classes may or may not recognize this fact.

 

“The following recommendations may prove useful for teachers working with bilingual/bicultural children:

 

* Include authentic and accurate racial diversity experiences and discussions. 

*help to hire and support a knowledgeable and compassionate bilingual/bicultural teaching staff. 

*Teach the importance of affirming and respecting diversity.” 

 

Important aspects of different cultures should be included in the curriculum. “For example, in math units it is important for teachers to mention how Mayans were the founders of zero” (Soto & Kharem, p. 78).

 

Why do parents and teachers need to know about biculturalism?

 

Parents and teachers play a crucial role in the education of children.  We have to be educated and become resourceful when providing students and our children come across lessons that will guide them to explore and become proud of their bilingualism and biculturalism as well.  At the present moment we might be the only ones they can resort to for that, maybe in the future the media will include more educational programs that will incorporate and promote biculturalism.  Until then, we are the main sources of biculturalism empowerment.  This is not an easy task but it can be done if we decide to put the effort and dedication into it. 

 

The following videos will help teachers understand situations that bicultural students might face in the classroom.  These testimonials would help teachers get to know how those students feel and what they go through on a daily basis. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YVOOqsclY4&feature=BFa&list=PL555D75C29E94BA80

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-STVLE_xyrI&feature=BFa&list=PL555D75C29E94BA80

 

 

Raising bicultural children requires education and effort. The same is true in the classroom. “Bilingual/bicultural students do not fit easily into prevailing United States racial categories. They also share unique physical attributes that make them not readily identifiable… Understanding these nuances is key for teachers, since there are complex sociocultural elements involved such as the child’s country of origin, migratory patterns, common ancestry, language, culture, history, and traditions” (p. 71). Teachers, myself included, need more instruction on biculturalism and how to help kids to feel proud of his or her cultures while leaving in a country far away from their minority culture. “putting up posters during multicultural week, asking children to bring dishes that represent their ethnic/cultural group, and sharing their culture during ‘show and tell” is not enough (p. 72).

 

MTV TR3s is a strong beginning to a bilingual and bicultural broadcasting that has plenty of room for expansion and improvement... In this channel English and Spanish are the languages spoken.  Both cultures are represented primarily for those who have a bicultural heritage, including Latino and American.  There is definitely a big population in the U.S. that would feel identified with these biculturally sensitive channel. 

 

An example of a TV program from MTV 3 is "Quiero Mis Quinces" This is a series that teaches us about the famous Hispanic tradition of girls celebrating their passage from being a little girl to becoming a young lady.  Some hispanic families may include a Catholic Mass of Thanksgiving that recognizes and give thanks to the girl's road to maturity.

 

 

 

Quiero Mis Quinces | Season 6

 

 

 

This season, Quiero Mis Quinces is introducing you to an all-new cast of Quinceañeras.  Meet Marisa, one biracial girl who’s on a mission to teach her dad la importancia de este dia tan especial! Celebrate with Mia, whos dreams finally come true, after postponing her party to deal with her mother’s illness. See as teen mom, Jiselle, is faced with the decision whether or not celebrate her quinces. 

 

Tr3́s takes an inside look at the over-the-top coming-of-age parties during 'Quiero Mis Quinces.' Quinceañeras from diverse Latin backgrounds throughout the country celebrate with parties that are lavish and exquisite.  'Quiero Mis Quinces' will go behind-the-scenes as teens prep for the dream-come-true party that will introduce them to adulthood.

 

The following is an example of a bicultural scenary presented in the show:

 

Marissa: Educating Daddy

April 18, 2011

Marissa is a professional dancer, who will be teaching her African American Dad a little something about putting on a smashing Quince. Marissa is half African American and half Mexican. While Mom's family is excited for Marissa's Quince, Dad's family is a little unsure about what to expect. Marissa has made it her mission to educate her Dad's family on the importance of this coming-of-age Latin tradition. But this will backfire once Dad gets a little too involved with the Quince, especially when he decides to choose Marissa's main chambelán. Will Marissa be able to cope with the culture clash or will it be smooth sailing in the end?

 

 

References and Further reading about biculturalism

 

 

Flores, A. L., & Soto, R. A. (2012). Bilingual is better: two Latina moms on how the bilingual parenting revolution is changing the face of America. Madrid: Bilingual Readers.

 

Myles, C. (2003). Raising bilingual children: a parent's guide. Los Angeles, CA: Parent's Guide Press.

 

Payan, R. M., & Nettles, M. T. (n.d.). Current state of English-Language Learners in the U.S. K-12 student population. Retrieved from 

     http://www.ets.org/Media/Conferences_and_Events/pdf/ELLsympsium/ELL_factsheet.pdf

 

Soto, L. D., & Kharem, H. (2010). Teaching bilingual/bicultural children: Teachers talk about language and learning. New York: Peter Lang.

 

 

 

 

Comments (13)

Katty Watson said

at 11:56 pm on Nov 18, 2012

My title picture is not showing... how can I make it show?
Could anybody tell me how to link this to the main page, please.
Thank you!

Maria Bullard said

at 11:37 am on Nov 23, 2012

When you are in Edit mode, you should see an "upload files" feature in the right side bar. Once your picture is uploaded, you click on it and it will be transferred to your page. Hope this helps.

Katty Watson said

at 11:36 pm on Nov 24, 2012

Thank you Maria!

Adam Schwartz said

at 4:35 pm on Nov 22, 2012

Hi Katty, a nice start! Your initial definition might use some development. In other words, what does it mean to "have" cultures? What is 'culture' or 'cultures,' anyway? Let's unpack some very fundamental terminology here. Also, how about integrating a video or two (along with some guiding questions) into your answers, as opposed to just listing these at the end? Lastly, do you have some more information about TRES and how it might fit into your answer to the fourth question?

Ryan Wenzel said

at 2:44 am on Nov 27, 2012

Edited 11/26/2012 :)

John Kendrick said

at 12:15 pm on Nov 28, 2012

Katty, I went through and edited your citations. They will appear red and bolded. First, you need to remember to place your periods after the citation, not before it. Second, when you cite the same author multiple times in a row, you can simply add the page numbers. No need to include the author's name and date again and again. I also edited your bibliography. Remember to use lowercase letters for the titles unless you are using a proper noun. In addition, when you have a title using a colon, remember to capitalize the first letter of the word after the colon. Third, I added space between some of your sections to make reading easier. However, I did not change the font and its size for the last section of your Wiki. I think you should spend a little more time formatting that section and the pictures. Left click on the photos and select their alignment. Then, add some spacing to their sides so your text won't mash up against the photos. Finally, change the font and its size and make it look nice. Just some suggestions. Hope that I could help.

Militza Garrillo said

at 6:41 pm on Nov 28, 2012

Hi Katty, this is an example of a reference after a citation (Last Name of autor, year, p. #) (Garcia, 2010, p. 5). I sometimes have to review the online articles I cite since they print without page numbers, it takes time to get used to APA style. :-)

Militza Garrillo said

at 9:12 pm on Nov 29, 2012

I fixed the spacing of the paragraph under the tr3s logo. I would also like for you to consider adding to your definition of culture the one given by Eugene Gacia(2002) in his book Student Cultural Diversity: Understanding and Meeting the Challenge, he defines culture as "the system of understanding characteristics of the individual's society" and adds "The system of understanding includes values, beliefs, notions about acceptable behavior, and other socially constructed ideas that members of the culture are taught are 'true'". (p. 73) Of course it is up to you if want to use it I think it would give a more academic definition in the context of our Foreign Language Learners.

marie16@mail.usf.edu said

at 12:23 pm on Dec 2, 2012

Dear Katty:

Your WIKI is great! You did an execllent job! Are you bicultural? Since I do not know you personally, that is the reason why I am asking you. In case you were bicultural, it would have been wonderful to share your own experience with your students as this would have been a wonderful experience for them too.

Katty, I have made a couple of spelling corrections in one of your paragraphs. Here are the corrections. Each word that I corrected says "(correction here)"

"When raising children bicultural (correction here)l other questions may arise related to holidays, food, time, and religion just to name a few. It is hard to think of all these factors that will have to face, before the children are born. Usually parents do not have the time to (correction here) discuss all these issues beforehand. Many of these issues have to be addressed (correction here) as they arrive and there is a lot of compromising and accommodating that has to take place. “A celebration that goes on for a week or more in the home country might take place on a day or a weekend. This approach also has the advantage of allowing the minority language parent to choose the foods, rituals, and so on which are his or her favorites, and skipping the rest”. It is also helpful to go to the roots of it all; the country of his or her ancestors to acquire precious and meaningful experiences first hand. “The best way for children to become competent in the culture of their minority language’s home country is to spend some time there… Going to school in the minority language home country will contribute tremendously to a child’s feeling of belonging to the culture. Having cousins near the same age helps too, especially if they are willing to share knowledge about media, clothes, and social norms for their peers” (p.187).

Great WIKI!

Marie-Helene

Alaa said

at 3:29 pm on Dec 2, 2012

Alaa said

at 3:44 pm on Dec 2, 2012

Hi Katty,
I understand how it's like to be bi-cultural, so I enjoyed reading your wiki. I think culturally responsive pedagogy would be a good method for teachers to use for bi-cultural students, it supports the students culture, and prior experiences allowing them to succeed. There was one part of in the wiki that I did not understand and I wasn't sure what was missing it's this sentence, "If you're bicultural you know the way you cat depends on the situation the the people involved.", I wasn't sure if "cat" is suppose to be there? I didn't change it because I am not sure what would be correct, but I wanted to point it out to you since you would know where to get the correct information, and hopefully you would be able to correct it.

Alaa said

at 4:11 pm on Dec 2, 2012

P.S. I tried looking for it to correct it, but I wasn't able to find it in the book since I had limited access to it.

Katty Watson said

at 12:45 am on Dec 3, 2012

Wow! Thank you guys for all your help! To answer your question Marie-Helene. No, I'm am not bicultural... but I have see many students that are and my son is bicultural, so that is why I was very interested in the topic. I want to be able to understand where they are coming from when they encounter cultural conflicts.

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