Tutoring in a Multicultural Environment Melanie Duda Academic Success Center Tutor Institute April 13, 2006

Welcome ► Objectives  Become more aware of culture and its role  Discuss the importance of multiculturalism  Discuss relationship between multiculturalism and tutoring  Learn strategies to improve tutoring in a multicultural environment ► Awareness of personal biases ► Communication skills ► Ways to learn about others

What is Culture? ► Tyler (1871): “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” ► Contemporary: A set of standards (e.g. values, morals, ideals) shared by the culture’s members which, when acted upon by members, produce behaviors that fall within a range of variation that the members consider proper and acceptable. Haviland 1997

Characteristics of Culture ► Universal  All human societies have culture ► Shared  Members agree to values, beliefs, and behaviors ► Learned  Process of enculturation, diffusion ► Patterned  Set of behaviors characterize groups ► Unconscious  Individuals embedded, culture taken for granted ► Variable  Worldwide differences, individual differences Haviland 1997, Ember and Ember 1993

Cultural Variation ► Cultural values differ worldwide  Food, dress, rituals, social roles, health, education ► Individuals also perceive culture differently  Subcultures

Important Distinctions ► Society: A group of people who occupy a specific location and may share common cultural traditions. ► Ethnicity: The notion of shared nationalistic origins and shared cultural values reflected in societal classifications, created when one group of people assumes an identity different than those with whom they share borders. Haviland 1997, Loustaunau and Sobo 1997

What is Multiculturalism? ► The Multicultural Perspective  A lifelong commitment to and active engagement in the process of seeking effective and respectful interactions with members of diverse populations  Linked to cultural humility ► Self-critique and evaluation to understand personal attitudes toward others; assessment of the cultural dimensions of the experiences of individuals; flexibility to understand what is not known and to seek new information Tervalon, et al 1998

Why is Multiculturalism Important? ► College/university populations are diverse  Wayne State demographics ► 19,553 Women ► 13,781 Men ► 8,788 African Americans ► 137 American Indian/Alaskan Natives ► 764 Latino ► 16,694 White ► 2,208 Undeclared

Why is Multiculturalism Important? ► 2,783 International students  Canada  India  China

Why is Multiculturalism Important? ► The world is becoming increasingly globalized  The population of immigrants in the US is rising  By 2050, 13% of Americans will be foreign born ► Universities are comprised of diverse populations  Multiple ethnicities  Students with disabilities  Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students  Non-traditional students  Differential socioeconomic status  Athletes  Musicians  Students in different majors

Perceptions of “Others” ► Culture is pervasive ► It is difficult to see through the eyes of the “other” ► This causes difficulties in cross-cultural interactions  Ethnocentrism  Bias  Poor communication  Unsatisfactory results