Assume Not..Culturally Responsive Teaching

While in Miami, I had the opportunity to work not just with a delightful Cuban-American student but also a number of students from a variety of other cultures. In one art class, there were three students from Venezuela, two from Columbia, two students of German descent and one who described herself as Puerto Rican and Italian. Not every art room will contain such a variety of cultures as this one did. Location often times determines the makeup of the classroom. In Wisconsin for example, one might assume that the classrooms are most likely children of European decent, however, Wisconsin is also home to a large population of Hmong. Our world has become one of immigration, migration and integration. Assumptions and stereotypes have to be left at the door. 

So how can teachers best connect with students from so many diverse cultures who are blending with the world around them? The answer is to be a "culturally responsive teacher." According to Christine Ballengee Morris, editor of the Art Education - National Art Education Association,  (65, NO.6) teachers need to respond to students' experiences. These experiences give guidance to the creation of transformative curriculum design.

After spending only a couple of days with a diverse group of students who attend Divine Savior Academy in Doral Fl, it became apparent that teachers who understands their students' experiences will have a greater chance of relating to their students. Notice, I said greater chance, there are limits I discovered.  I have learned that no matter how much research, interviewing and experience one may have with a culture (other than their own) one will never truly be able to understand all of the complicated facits that contribute to a culture. Culture is such a complicated concept. Defining it in other than a traditional sense proves to be a challenge. Especially considering that all cultures are influenced by not just their past but also by their current situations and experiences.

I was captivated by the stories that this group of students chose to share with me. First I was surprised by how well the students could define the word "culture." Even more surprising was all of the details and information they shared right off the top of their heads. For example some of the answers that they used to describe "culture" was: my family traditions, our customs, what we eat, how grandma dresses, how we decorate our home, and what we think. They then proceeded to give very descriptive examples of each. These answers came from 9, 10 an 11 year olds. Here, I was all ready to have a lesson on what defines culture. They actually taught me...

Here are a few examples of student work and what they knew about their culture and then what they found out about their culture.

Family Home in Puerto Rico 

Day 2: This young lady interview her grandmother and was told about how her mother, as a child  tried to wash the families clothes in the river. The current was too strong and she lost all of the clothes. 

Day 1: Home in Columbia.

Day 2

 This young man interviewed his grandparents and was told about a battle that occurred in Columbia. This is his symbolic interpretation of what he imagined the battle to be like.

More stories will be posted in the next month.

Miami is a place that begs one to respond to culture. 

Blending Heritage With Cuba

Cuba blending with Budweiser

This past week I had the opportunity to experience Cuba in the USA. Although my primary research took place at Divine Savior Academy, my secondary research took place on the streets of Miami. There will be more on my primary research in a later post. 

On Tuesday, I hit the streets of Miami, home to over 700,000 Cuban-Americans. My goal was to achieve a better understanding of the Cuban culture as it blended with the many cultures prevalent in the US. 

Cuban Coffee in Little Havana

As I walked through Little Havana, Cuban pride was evident. From the restaurants, to the cigars, to the art -vive la Cuba.   The people in Little Havana may have left Cuba, however Cuba never left them. As I talked to an elderly man through the interpretation of his grandson, I found out that he was rolling cigars in the same fashion that he had learned over 50 years ago in Cuba. His grandson explained that the tobacco plant seeds had come from Cuba. Everything about these cigars were Cuban except for the location in which the leaves were grown and the location where the cigar was rolled. And in case you are wondering, yes we did buy one. 

Cigar rolling the Cuban way

Family Business

With a careful eye I noticed the blending of many cultures. What I found particularly interesting was the wooden statue of an American Indian in front of a Cuban cigar shop. Now, this you would NOT see in Cuba. Two cultures blended together through the common product -a cigar. When one stops to think about it, there are other similarities between the two cultures as well as obvious differences. Native Americans and Cubans were both forced to relocate away from the only life they knew as a result of politics. Both cultures attempted to hold true to many of their traditions and values. The Cubans, however appear to have been able to maintain their culture on foreign soil. The Native Americans  although living on soil that they believed could not be owned by anyone, were made to feel to be an unwanted foreigner who was then pressured to succumb to a lifestyle not of their choice. The Cubans were exiles escaping oppression and a lack of freedom. Native Americans also faced oppression and a lack of freedom. Oh, no… where is this going…I will let you fill in the blanks.

As I walked the streets of Little Havana, I found other icons popular in Cuba. For example, the rooster. We saw roosters in so much of the artwork in Cuba and now here it was apparent in art today. I talked to one artist who had a shop along the main drag. She told me that cock fighting was popular in Cuba. I could not help but think ..that was a long time ago, why is it still prevalent in their artwork today?  Could it be the political conflict that the rooster possibly symbolized?

Research for me has this “Through the Looking Glass” syndrome. As I follow the white rabbit down the mysterious dark hole in an ancient oak tree, I am inundated with more questions, ideas and wonderings.  I find myself up late at night and waking early in the morning filled with wonderings. I have this insatiable need to always find out more. As many of you know, I will be graduating from UF in December. Although that may mark an end to various chapters of my research it also marks a new beginning to the exploration of further wonderings…. 

One last blending of cultures took place between my own children (who accompanied me) and the Cuban culture that they were exposed to. The warm and friendly nature of the Cubans in Miami did not go unnoticed by my children (pictured above). Patiently with a smile, the people we met in Miami, actively engaged in conversation with my children on numerous occasions, answering all of their questions. My children had the opportunity to learn about Cuban homes, food, language, customs, art and soon to be posted... their stories.  What a valuable lesson for my children that I hope to share with other children as well as teachers.