The Importance of Understanding Culture
In the broadest sense, the word “Cultural” can refer to many things. For a biologist, it may be a colony of bacteria in a Petri dish; but to an anthropologist or sociology student, it refers to the full range of learned human behavior patterns. In particular, it encompasses the language, cuisine, religion, social habits, arts and other capabilities that are unique to a given group of people.
Often times, a community will share a main culture; however, there can be different sub-cultures within a society that make it cohesive. For example, a society could have several different types of religions; however, the common factor in all of them is belief in God. In addition, a community can also have several different types of art, but each one will share the same general style and theme.
Anthropologists are the foremost experts in understanding cultural concepts; they study people, their language, beliefs and other aspects of life from a sociological perspective. In fact, a person who studies sociology and anthropology would probably be able to tell you all about the differences between two cultures – and why they are different.
There are many different theories on the origins of culture. Some of them are based on the belief that human beings are innately creative and will develop all sorts of cultural traits, such as music, art or cuisine. Others, like Edward Burnett Tylor and Lewis H. Morgan, believe that there are certain types of genes that are naturally inherited and will create the same type of culture everywhere. Finally, there are some who call themselves the “diffusionists” and believe that all of the different cultures in the world will eventually merge into a single cultural entity.
Regardless of how it is defined, it’s important for teachers to be aware of the impact that culture can have on their students. After all, the beliefs and behaviors that a child has in their home and community will have an effect on what they learn in school and how they behave with their classmates.
A teacher’s knowledge of their students’ cultures can help them make better classroom decisions that will promote learning and prevent conflict. Specifically, a teacher should be aware that different cultures have very different expectations of proper conduct. For example, in some cultures, murder is considered acceptable if it is done out of a sense of great passion and anger; however, in other cultures, such an act could be considered a violation of the law and punishable by imprisonment or death. The key is to understand the different expectations and norms that each culture has. Taking the time to do this will ensure that all members of the class are treated fairly and have a positive experience in school. This will ultimately lead to a stronger community and a better future.
In the broadest sense, the word “Cultural” can refer to many things. For a biologist, it may be a colony of bacteria in a Petri dish; but to an anthropologist or sociology student, it refers to the full range of learned human behavior patterns. In particular, it encompasses the language, cuisine, religion, social habits, arts and other capabilities that are unique to a given group of people. Often times, a community will share a main culture; however, there can be different sub-cultures within a society that make it cohesive. For example, a society could have several different types of religions; however, the common factor in all of them is belief in God. In addition, a community can also have several different types of art, but each one will share the same general style and theme. Anthropologists are the foremost experts in understanding cultural concepts; they study people, their language, beliefs and other aspects of life from a sociological perspective. In fact, a person who studies sociology and anthropology would probably be able to tell you all about the differences between two cultures – and why they are different. There are many different theories on the origins of culture. Some of them are based on the belief that human beings are innately creative and will develop all sorts of cultural traits, such as music, art or cuisine. Others, like Edward Burnett Tylor and Lewis H. Morgan, believe that there are certain types of genes that are naturally inherited and will create the same type of culture everywhere. Finally, there are some who call themselves the “diffusionists” and believe that all of the different cultures in the world will eventually merge into a single cultural entity. Regardless of how it is defined, it’s important for teachers to be aware of the impact that culture can have on their students. After all, the beliefs and behaviors that a child has in their home and community will have an effect on what they learn in school and how they behave with their classmates. A teacher’s knowledge of their students’ cultures can help them make better classroom decisions that will promote learning and prevent conflict. Specifically, a teacher should be aware that different cultures have very different expectations of proper conduct. For example, in some cultures, murder is considered acceptable if it is done out of a sense of great passion and anger; however, in other cultures, such an act could be considered a violation of the law and punishable by imprisonment or death. The key is to understand the different expectations and norms that each culture has. Taking the time to do this will ensure that all members of the class are treated fairly and have a positive experience in school. This will ultimately lead to a stronger community and a better future.