Thursday, March 26, 2015

A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education

Vaughan M. Blaney
Director
BSc(UNB,Canada), BEd(UNB,Canada), TEFLA(University of Cambridge), MEd(HKU, Hong Kong)

Book: "A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education"

The Letter 'G'...

Girl and boys
Treated with equality
For some this is new
But it's not for me


Gee... we are all different, still all can agree that we:

  • gain weight if we eat too much
  • know that a frog is green
  • feel happy when we receive a gift
  • know that the teacher is happy when we are good
  • gasp in excitement when there is an eclipse
  • know that gold is valuable
  • recognize that we live in the age of genetics
  • know that 'globalization' has five syllables
  • feel happiness when a planted seed germinates
  • know how to print the letter G

Whether it be the niches assumed by individual members of royal family or the more democratic choice among "butcher, baker and candlestick maker",every culture feathers a set of roles that must be filled by individuals in each generation and then passed on from one generation to the next. Some roles, such as those of a tribal chief or a singer of tables, are so specific that they are filled by only a single person or a handful of individual: Others, such as a mother or a friend, are widely held positions, which can be assumed by a large proportion of the population. In addition to individually prescribed roles, each culture values certain competences that must be mastered by at least some members of each generation: One could cite the American preoccupation with technological expertise, the Japanese valuation of social finesse, the Balinese concern with artistic achievement. Some of the skills required for fulfilling these roles or mastering these competences contribute to survival in a direct sense whereas others provide the less tangible, but equally important sinew that allows a culture to function smoothly. Failure to acquire the relevant roles or skills severely limits the realization of the potential of an individual, a group, or the overall culture. 

Gardner, Howard

Friday, March 20, 2015

A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education

Vaughan M. Blaney
Director
BSc(UNB,Canada), BEd(UNB,Canada), TEFLA(University of Cambridge), MEd(HKU, Hong Kong)

Book: "A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education"


The Letter 'F'...


From where I sit I can see
That things can be both right and wrong
Burping, slurping, yawning, even shaking hands
But in the end we all must get along


For sure we are different, still all can agree that we:

  • value friendship
  • don't like to fall
  • know how to draw a flag
  • like to go fast when we race
  • have feelings
  • value freedom
  • love delicious food
  • know the importance of the forests
  • love the beauty of a flower
  • know how to print the letter F 

Each culture has unique folktales.  Some stories tell the history and heritage of the land.  Other stories portray fantasies and dreams that people cherish.

Faga, Takao Nagayasu

Thursday, March 19, 2015

A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education

Vaughan M. Blaney
Director
BSc(UNB,Canada), BEd(UNB,Canada), TEFLA(University of Cambridge), MEd(HKU, Hong Kong)

Book: "A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education"

A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education has beautiful illustrations
                                                                                          -Phyllis Capello, Corwin Press, Inc.

The Letter 'E'...



East, west, north, south,
Valley, mountain, prairie
We each have a place of origin
And a home that makes us merry

Each of us is different, still all can agree that we:
  • admire the beauty of the eagle
  • know the importance of the earthworm
  • love to eat a special treat
  • know 'enculturation' is a very big word
  • use electricity
  • know even from odd
  • live in an era of information technology
  • know east from west
  • feel sad when the 'cookie tin' is empty
  • know how to print the letter E 


Morose skies, lazy, desultory snowflakes, chilly prickling rains, the massive meandering Mother Volga, slushy, muddy walkways, treacherous potholes, crumbling structures, dank, unlit hallways, tangled and overgrown parks, physical decay amidst verdant forests of birch and fir. Bright smiles, hearty laughter, magnanimity, warmth, kindness, hugs, overwhelming hospitality and tenacious perseverance. The incongruous admixtures of shabbiness and elegance, despair and optimism, and material impoverishment with the richness of culture. Scurrying children laughter, dedicated yet exhausted teachers, shoddily constructed schools, meager supplies, third-world toilet facilities, and low-budget texts.  These are some of my most vivid images of Russia...

In retrospect, my Russia experience was profound, personally and professionally, in terms of forging enduring cross-cultural friendships, fostering mutual respect and understanding, and providing an opportunity for educators to assist in the democratization of the former Soviet republic.

Eaton, Jana Sackman