Week Five-Feb. 14

In Problematizing Cultural Stereotypes in TESOL I found it especially interesting that under the Obedience to Authority section the author discusses what Indian schools have been facing with their students. The article calls it a “perennial discipline problem”, students who are disruptive and disobedient. My initial reaction was “what?!? You’re kidding!”...I really did say that out loud. I think I was so surprised because of the typical assumption that all Asian students are obedient to authority. Then I began to think about the “perennial discipline problem” a little harder. I realized that kids are kids no matter where they are and teachers all over are faced with many of the same challenges, one of which is how to effectively manage a classroom. Further on, the author talks about historical accounts from Confucius which do not support the Asian stereotype of complete and unconditional obedience to authority. So where does this generalization come from?

I would also like to discuss the Example A2.1.1 from the Holliday book. When I read the excerpt about John and his encounters with the Smiths I sadly could relate. My grandparents have had a bunch of Mennonite men and women move into their community. They have horse and buggies, do not use electricity, and there are no phones in their homes. When I first saw these men and women I first thought they were Amish. My mother had been selling them houses and quickly set me straight on the fact that they were Mennonites. I had to research to find what the differences were between the two groups. I became confused though when I saw some of the men and women with cell phones. I didn’t know where they drew their line and what was acceptable to their culture and not. Just like John I was allowing the images from the internet and television help me form my conclusions about the families in my grandparent’s neighborhood. I also let the culture (culturism) become bigger than the men and women who were part of it. After reading section A2.1.1 I need to reexamine my thoughts regarding this group of people.