Diversity & Culture

From the three interviews I conducted, they each gave their definitions of culture and diversity as one they had to ponder over.  It wasn’t one that seemed to be a quick thought answer.  I related this to myself, before taking this course.  I often thought of culture as someone’s ethnic background and nothing more than that.  My brother-in-law’s sister from Zimbabwe, lives in North Carolina now, gave her definition of culture.  She believes that culture is “a mixture of a person’s background, beliefs, and customs”  (Fareeda Chigubu, 2013).  Her diversity definition was much more complex.   “I think that it is being around a mixture of different people of different backgrounds and beliefs.  In Zimbabwe the way we are diversified is that we are all from Zimbabwe but we all aren’t one complexion, nor do we speak one language.  We speak different languages; however, we are all Zimbabweans!  One misconception is that most Zimbabweans don’t speak English, however, they do.  There are dark and light hued Zimbabweans, as well as White ones.  The most common religion in Zimbabwe is that of Christian belief”  (Chigubu, 2013).             

            When I asked my father (different gender) about culture and diversity, he pondered and then gave his definitions.  He defined culture as, “A collection of knowledge and the way you do things by a large group of people.  What you believe is a normal way of doing things.  Common belief.  It could be a family, country, tribe, group of Christians”  (Fred Ireland, 2013).  His views on diversity were more complex than culture.  He said, “Diversity is understanding your differences.  Every single person is unique and your ability of accepting the tolerances.  Accepting that everyone is different and understanding those differences.  Generally the biggest lesson that people don’t grasp.  Whether it is your sexual orientation, religion, creed, whatever.  I think that when someone understands diversity you understand that your way isn’t right or wrong.  You accept people for who they are, regardless of what they believe or their commonalities with you.”   My mother (different age group) was asked about culture and diversity.  She defined culture as “your nationality, where someone is raised….their heritage!”  (Frances Ireland, 2013)  She stated that diversity was “change…differences and being able to adapt!”

What I learned from this assignment was that people look at culture and diversity differently.  Most people just assume that diversity and culture are based on your racial background.  They don’t really think about other factors that go along with the two of them.  As a teacher, I do know that we have to make sure that we know enough about cultures so that we don’t offend families or give misleading information to our students.  “Sometimes teachers’ responses to children reflect long-learned expectations of gender roles that reinforce narrow or stereotypical ideas.  We may not even still believe in these messages or realize what we are conveying” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  I completely agree with Gonzalez-Mena (2008), when she states that, “we each need to look inside and discover how often we define people and their behaviors as normal by our own standards”.