“Much of culture not only is held outside conscious awareness but also is learned and taught outside awareness; hence, neither the cultural insiders nor the newcomers are aware that certain aspects of their culture exist.
In the article, "Culture in Society & Educational Practices," Erickson discusses the idea of culture as it relates to educating today’s youth. “Everything in education relates to culture - to its acquisition, its transmission, and its invention.” (pg 35) I feel that as educators we ultimately help shape societal culture by the lessons, explicit and implicit, that we teach our students. “Culture structures the ‘default’conditions of the everyday practices of being human,” (pg 35) We, as educators shape and mold our students into future global citizens and we help them to create the future cultural characteristics that they will carry forward beyond the classroom. Erickson points out that “ in these processes of cultural production and reproduction, the intimate politics of immediate social relations face-to-face are combined with more public politics in the social forces and processes of economy and society writ large.” (pgs 35-36) It is these social forces that allow society to create social structures that will value one dominating culture over a vast many others. Erickson further noted that “all thoughts, feelings, and human activity are not simply natural but are the result of historical and personal experiences that become sedimented as culture in habit.” So, the more you do something, the more it is likely to be attributed your culture. Erickson’s view that culture is visible as well as invisible is particularly important to be aware of as educators. I feel that when we reinforce the invisible dominating culture we actually keep those students who are not members of that culture oppressed. If a teacher knowingly adds to the prevailing thought that one culture should be viewed as superior to another, that teacher is supporting the racial divide that seeks to keep people of color disadvantaged and oppressed and is uplifting a racist viewpoint supporting historical structures that were designed to keep some people in sub-human statures in life. Erickson points out the fact that “schools can support or hinder the development of healthy identity and of intergroup awareness.” (pg 43) Educators help students to self-identify and actually validate or invalidate student cultures by how the teachers respond and react to their students’ natural selves. The article noted that “teaching about the cultural practices of other people without stereotyping or misinterpreting them and teaching about one’s own cultural practices without invidiously characterizing the practices of other people should be the aims of multicultural education.” This action teachers students tolerance of others and allows them to recognize and respect the innate differences that as human beings we all possess. We are unique creatures in that we are all uniquely different from one another while simultaneously being alike in many cultural ways. As educators in the 21 century, we must continue to be mindful to allow our students to grow naturally, embracing and loving their natural cultural differences and respecting those cultures that are different from their own in ways that are supportive and not damaging.
Culture in Society & Educational Practices Erickson, F. (2003). Culture in society and in educational practices. In Banks, J.A. & Banks, C.A.M. (Eds). Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives (4th edition), pp. 31-58. Wiley.
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