Am I Free to be Me?Intended Audience: High School In-Service Training
(although relevant to all levels)Topic: The paradoxes of identity
Krishauna Hines-Gaither (center) & co-presenter Achlaï Wallace (far right) with students from E. Chapel Hill High School, Cultural Presentation
“My name is Kunta Kinte.”
RootsDid you know the following celebrities changed their names? Why do you suspect they
chose to leave behind these names? Of course, the obvious answer is for artistic reasons. But could there be something more? (below is a list of the actor’s artistic name followed by his/her birth name)
Acculturation: the process (or the result) of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group.
Cher: Cherilyn Sarkisian La PiereJoan Crawford: Lucille Fay LeSueurNicolas Cage: Nicolas CoppolaRobert Blake: Michael James Vijenco
GubitosiDoris Day: Doris von KappelhoffTony Danza: Anthony Iadanza
http://www.famousnamechanges.net/
Kirk Douglas: Isidore DemskyGreta Garbo: Greta Lovisa
GustafsonRita Hayworth: Margarita Carmen
Dolores CansinoAudrey Hepburn: Edda Van
Heemstra Hepburn-RustenBruce Lee: Sai FonSophia Loren: Sofia ScicoloneCharlie Sheen: Carlos Irwin Estevez
Pipher’s explanations
• Acculturation/Assimilation: “They found that the best pattern was one in which the family carefully chose what to accept and reject in American culture” (Pipher, 2002, p. 229).
• Cultural switching: “They are bicultural, or in many cases, multicultural, and they know when “to wear each culture” (Pipher, 2002, p. 168).
• Cultural Brokers: “American friends who may teach them to make intentional decisions about what to accept and what to reject in America” (Pipher, 2002, p. 89).
• Schools as therapeutic environments: “Teachers connect the dots between the world of family and of school, the old culture and America, the past and the future” (Pipher, 2002, p. 115).
Expanded definitions
• Acculturation: the process (or the result) of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group.
• Cultural Broker: a party that arranges transactions. An individual who acts as an intermediary.
• Cultural switching: a shift between two cultural interpretive frames in response to cues in the social environment. www.dictionary.com
In Memory of Richi,Carmen Tafolla
Was the school a
therapeutic environment
for Richi?
First day of school for both of you-one of you six and glowing copper,
running with eagerness and proudThe other 22, young teacher, eager for this schoolYour blue eyes warm to his brown starsAs you both chatAnd share your missions,As you ask his name.He rolls it like a round of wealthAnd deep in Spanish tones, responds“Richi.”You try to imitate, say“Ritchie.”“No!” he teases, confident,“It’s Ri-chi—just like this.”You notice that each syllable could
rhyme with see And try again.
He pats you on the back.You go on to your separate tasks-He to his room, you to yours.
One day, six hours,Really not a speck of sand In all this shore of time, and yet, So crucial,As you gather papers,Turn to flee the cellAnd gain some comfortIn some other place.Your ray of hope comes filtering down
the hall.In eagerness for someone’s warmth,You shout and wave,“Hey, Richi!”He corrects,The light and wealth all gone From his new eyes,“no.Ritchie.”
Core Concepts: Acculturation, the teacher as a possible cultural broker, and also
cultural switching
Cultural Switching/ Acculturation:“It’s exhausting!”
• In this scene of the movie Selena, Edward James Olmos’s character explains to his children the cost of cultural switching and assimilation.
• Background: Selena Quintanilla was a popular Tex-Mex artist until her untimely death in 1995.
• http://youtu.be/5imXk_XGYRY
Click Here for Selena Clip2:07
If clip does not work copy & paste link to
the left
Bringing it Home:Some Practical Strategies
Globalization Activity• Students look at one garment
(clothing, backpack etc) to see where it is made. Teacher or a student writes all the countries on the board where the items are made.
• Have a conversation about what the information implies for globalization.
• The conversation could go as deeply as you would like, depending on the level of the class/comfort.
• Topics that often emerge from this activity include interconnectedness, politics, economics, working conditions, etc.)
Meet & Greet; Mézclense; Faire de connaisance;
• Students receive sheet with descriptions printed in each box. (see next slide for trilingual chart, use the language(s) of your choice)
• They circulate the classroom asking the questions of peers.
• Object is to hurry & fill in the names of their classmates in allotted time (usually 5-10 minutes).
• Good activity to learn names like “Richi” & to learn more about classmates.
Bringing it Home:Goals and Strategies
• “To teach you I must know you.” Alaskan Proverb (cultural broker)
• Multivocalism
Es el/la mayor de la familia
Oldest of the family
Est l’ainé de la famile
Eshija única
Only child
Est enfant unique
Es de primer año
Freshman
Dans sa première année a L’université
Es de Virginia
Is from Virginia
Est de Virginie
Tiene 16 años
Is 16 years old
A 16 ans
Tiene 4-5 hermanos
Has 4-5 siblings
A 4-5 frères et soeurs
Trabaja en el centro comercial
Works at the mall
Travaille dans un
centre commercial/centre d’achats
Es la menor de la familia
Youngest of the family
Est le benjamin de la
famille
Va a la iglesia regularmente
Goes to church
regularly
Va à l’églìse régulièrement
Toca un instrumento musical
Plays instrument
Joue un instrument
musicale
Está en un conjunto musical/coro
In a band
Est dans une chorale
Trabaja en un restaurante
Works in a restaurant
Travaille dans un
restaurant
Es de tercer año
Is a junior
Est dans sa troisième année a L’université
Le gustan las matemáticas
Likes math
Aime les
mathématiques
Juega un deporte
Plays a sport
Joue un sport
Quiere ser maestro/a
Wants to be a teacher
Veut être un enseignant
Baila muy bien
Dances well
Danse très bien
Canta muy bien
Sings well
Chante très bien
Va a la discoteca regularmente
Goes to dance clubs
regularly
Va au discotheque regulièrement
Tiene novio/a
Has a boyfriend/girlfriend
A un petit copain
Bringing it Home:Classroom & Leadership
Goals• Face cultural biases. “There is
no such thing as cultural neutrality” (Pipher, p. 329-31).
• “To teach you, I must know you.” Alaskan Proverb. (Delpit, 2001, p.211) (cultural broker)
• Celebrate differences. Move from diversity to inclusivity. (Paradoxes of identity)
• Multivocalism (students, community, school, course content) (schools as therapeutic environments)
Wakefield High School Cultural Presentation, Raleigh, NC
Concluding thoughts
& References
Delpit, L. (2001). Education in a multicultural society: Our future’s greatest challenge. In J. House (Ed.), Exploring socio-cultural themes in education: Readings in social foundation, (2nd ed.). (pp. 203-211). Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Pipher, M. (2002). The middle of everywhere: Helping refugees enter the American community. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc.
Tafolla, C. (2001).Sonnets and Salsa. San Antonio: Wings Press.