I agree with the author about culture being a word with different definitions in our society. I often hear people say how one is not "cultured" or "cultually deprived" because they don't appreciate the fine arts or have a high social status. I also agree with the author's definition of culture because it is similar to what I had learned in previous courses. We also see how cultures influence other cultures in every society. It is common for people of one culture to appreciate aspects of another group's culture.
I do find it intriguing that many people who speak standard English or text book English think of Black English as being saturated with mistakes and improper conjugations or whatever they say about it. However expression from Black English often make thier way to standard English and become part of it. It emphasizes the idea that minority cultures often affect the majority culture.
"Because culture is complex, learning a culture that is not one's native culture is an exceedingly difficult task" (Nieto 138). This is exacly what we need to be thinking about when we teach science to kids. Science has its own culture that can be very difficult for many to understand. As cultures influence one another we have to relate science to the cultures of our students. There is fascinating scientific research being conducted in every country around the world and we need to show how the science culture is affected by the same cultures of our students. How is science related to their culture?
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Maybe because "mainstream" culture is so closely aligned with the culture of science that students whose cultures are not well-aligned have difficulties with gaining access. The culture of schooling and science may not be deliberately different such that some groups feel alienated. However, when we look at schools as cultures and recognize students as cultural beings then we have a different way to think about how science teaching might be made more accessible to all students.
I think that student's culture can affect the way in which they view things, especially in science. I think we have to take into account where they are coming from, and try to incorporate that into our science teaching. I too think it is important to show students that science reseach occurs everywhere, and that the United States isn't the only ones influencing science.
I agree with what you have said Greg especially the part about "Black English." I find it amazing that people tend to look down upon this because, in a sense, this is a culture of its own. I personally find this particular English more appeasing to listen not, not because of the carefree grammar, and that is by contemporary English standards, but because of the emphasis placed on words and movements. I tend to find that a sentence in “Black English” can say more than paragraphs could in contemporary English. I have a broad spectrum of friends, from the most proper and articulate person to the least sentence structured persons, and again this is by contemporary English standards, and hold them all to the same standards. I see each of them as having a unique culture of their own and hold them to the same equalities. This can also be related to students as you also mentioned. If we hold each student to the same standard then they should, theoretically, be able to perform at the same level. Once we fully understand how our students function then we can scaffold their abilities so they are all on the same playing field so to speak. Each of them will be held to the same standard and each will be expected to perform to the same ability because they all can, in fact, do the work.
I think if we view science as its own culture, then students can see it as learning about a new culture. You can make the comparison that if your students went to another country they would have to learn the language, customs, behaviors to fit into that culture. Likewise, they will need to learn the language (vocabulary), customs (how to ask questions/ find answers), behaviors (process skills) of science.
I loved how you referred to teaching science as a culture and I think that can be a great way to approach teaching science to all kids...if you treat it as a whole new entity, a culture in itself that we, as teachers, can create and expose all our students to. We as science teachers can define how we will have this science culture play our so that we will be able to meet the academic needs of all students regardless of other cultures, but because we are all, at that moment in a culture we are creating.
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