THE IMPACT OF CULTURE IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT Dr. Rosie Garcia-Belina National Migrant Education Conference April, 2008

A hundred years from now…it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove---but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a CHILD

Objectives of the Session Learn what research says about the impact of culture in academic achievement Learn what research says about the impact of culture in academic achievement Identify main characteristics of Hispanic learning styles Identify main characteristics of Hispanic learning styles Identify strategies that help to establish a cultural respondent environment and curriculum Identify strategies that help to establish a cultural respondent environment and curriculum

What is Culture? Combining different definitions, we can say that it is the passing on of a given cultural group knowledge, knowledge, expectations, expectations, values, values, beliefs, beliefs, language, and language, and attitudes about appropriate modes of interaction and patterns of activities common to that group. attitudes about appropriate modes of interaction and patterns of activities common to that group.

In other words…. Culture is the messages that are sent/transmitted/transferred by our parents, grandparents, families, and cultural groups with which we are associated. Culture is the messages that are sent/transmitted/transferred by our parents, grandparents, families, and cultural groups with which we are associated. Culture is acquired during the first five years of our lives and it is shaped with what we experience throughout our whole life Culture is acquired during the first five years of our lives and it is shaped with what we experience throughout our whole life

Cultural Conditioning These messages guide our behavior, consciously or sub-consciously, in terms of determining how we feel about ourselves, and how we value other people. These messages guide our behavior, consciously or sub-consciously, in terms of determining how we feel about ourselves, and how we value other people. We are provided with a mental map of life, through the agency of people who share that culture. It is our paradigm, model or frame of reference. We are provided with a mental map of life, through the agency of people who share that culture. It is our paradigm, model or frame of reference.

Development competence By the time children are five years old, the vast majority have acquired the normative learning benchmarks of their community. By the time children are five years old, the vast majority have acquired the normative learning benchmarks of their community. They have mastered their home languages, established appropriate social relationships with their families and neighbors, learned a variety of category and symbol systems, and developed the ability to organize and regulate their own behavior in situations that are familiar to them. They have mastered their home languages, established appropriate social relationships with their families and neighbors, learned a variety of category and symbol systems, and developed the ability to organize and regulate their own behavior in situations that are familiar to them.

CULTURE Values Beliefs Language Attitudes Experiences Environment Relationships IMPACTS

Culture in Children A child may be developmentally competent in his/her home environment, yet unable to adapt easily to the school system A child may be developmentally competent in his/her home environment, yet unable to adapt easily to the school system Children respond to new situations by selecting from a pool of possible behaviors, guided by their understanding of what the situation requires Children respond to new situations by selecting from a pool of possible behaviors, guided by their understanding of what the situation requires

Challenges for Culturally Diverse Children in School Before a child has language, his/her actions drive thought; after acquiring language, thoughts drive action(Vygotsky,1978,1986) Before a child has language, his/her actions drive thought; after acquiring language, thoughts drive action(Vygotsky,1978,1986) Cognitive development is closely linked to language learned within the context of the unique cultural paradigm of a child’s family (Garcia, 2005) Cognitive development is closely linked to language learned within the context of the unique cultural paradigm of a child’s family (Garcia, 2005) Children need to accommodate existing schemas or creating new ones to understand and feel accepted by the school culture (Garcia,2005) Children need to accommodate existing schemas or creating new ones to understand and feel accepted by the school culture (Garcia,2005)

Teachers’ Challenges at Schools Understanding the importance of respecting every child and researching parents’ beliefs and preferences Understanding the importance of respecting every child and researching parents’ beliefs and preferences Shaping the curriculum and teaching based on family values and view points Shaping the curriculum and teaching based on family values and view points Linking home and community culture to school culture to reinforce children’s self- worth, sense of belonging, identity and achievement (Garcia, 2005, Nieto,2002, Osterman,2000) Linking home and community culture to school culture to reinforce children’s self- worth, sense of belonging, identity and achievement (Garcia, 2005, Nieto,2002, Osterman,2000)

Facts to Consider Because a child chooses a particular response in a given situation does not mean that he or she is incapable of another, only that the one chosen is consistent with the requirements of the situation as he/she understands it Because a child chooses a particular response in a given situation does not mean that he or she is incapable of another, only that the one chosen is consistent with the requirements of the situation as he/she understands it A child may know something else that is developmental equivalent, to what he/she failed to perform in particular tasks A child may know something else that is developmental equivalent, to what he/she failed to perform in particular tasks Practitioners assume that there is a “mainstream behavior” that should be used as the sole criterion for healthy development. Practitioners assume that there is a “mainstream behavior” that should be used as the sole criterion for healthy development. Children often are misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated because they have not learned the things that schools value Children often are misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated because they have not learned the things that schools value

Facts to Consider Many times, children’s learning potential is miscalculated based on results in standardized tests, which in most cases fail to separate culture from development Many times, children’s learning potential is miscalculated based on results in standardized tests, which in most cases fail to separate culture from development Conflicts between home and school occur over how children have been taught to view the world, the qualities of interpersonal relationships, standards of behavior, an the goals and objectives of education Conflicts between home and school occur over how children have been taught to view the world, the qualities of interpersonal relationships, standards of behavior, an the goals and objectives of education When children are not required to renounce their cultural heritage, school achievement improves remarkably (Tharp, 1989) When children are not required to renounce their cultural heritage, school achievement improves remarkably (Tharp, 1989)

Focused efforts Values Beliefs Language Attitudes CULTURE Rituals Actions Ceremonies Patterns Behavior 90 % Focus 10% Maybe Typical School and Instructional Efforts RESULTS Long Term RESULTS RESULTS Short Term RESULTS

No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship Children do not care how much you know until they know how much you care (Cump,2004)

Instruction shaped by children’s home and community culture is vital to supporting children’s health self-esteem, strong identity development, and a sense of belonging which are characteristics critical to overall academic achievement. Instruction shaped by children’s home and community culture is vital to supporting children’s health self-esteem, strong identity development, and a sense of belonging which are characteristics critical to overall academic achievement.

To do our best for children, we must treat each child as an individual, recognize their self- worth, acknowledge and respect cultural differences in order to allow them to reach their full potential

Research Findings Research indicates that a close association exists between students’ cultural background and their preferred learning styles (Nieto 2002) Students’ individual learning preferences are typically accompanied by culturally determined tools that influence the way they process information, and depending on the fit between teaching and learning styles, facilitate or hinder their educational achievement (Christian & Bloome, 2004)

Hispanic culture values include family commitment, which involves loyalty, a strong support system, a belief that a child’s behavior reflects on the honor of the family, a hierarchical order among siblings, and a duty to care for family members. This strong sense of different directedness conflicts with the American emphasis on individualism.

Hispanic Learning Styles : Important elements include: Sounds, temperature, design and light. Environmental: Important elements include: Sounds, temperature, design and light. hen instruction is structured and responsibilities are defined explicitly students are more motivated and persistent to strive for success Emotional: When instruction is structured and responsibilities are defined explicitly students are more motivated and persistent to strive for success Sociological: Students develop more in a peer-oriented learning environment. Cooperative groups offer a good strategy to improve self-esteem that is so much needed by minority

Hispanic Learning Styles (cont) Physiological: Peak energy levels are late morning and afternoon. Students respond better to kinesthetic instructional resources. Variety as opposed to routines. Psychological: Students are more field dependent. They are more group oriented and cooperative thus less competitive

Impacting culture of Students Impacting culture of Students To improve outcomes for the nation’s minority students, it is very important to: Understand how differences in culture and language affect children’s learning Establish a healthy relationship with each student, that will provide for enhanced learning Establish and demonstrate the school and the teacher has high expectations for each student Honor each student as a unique human being worthy of respect and and care

ALL Students can learn at high levels “ALL MEANS ALL”

If you wish a copy of this presentation or more information about this topic, please contact Dr. Rosie García-Belina ASC – MC3 Comprehensive Center P. O. box Irving, TX Ph. (972)