Aspects of Culture

Yes, I have found myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures. In my workplace, we follow formal communications. Communications are both verbal and non verbal. We are considerate of each others personal space, and we follow the state mandated curriculum when teaching our students. When communication with my peers, I maintain eye contact with them, use hand gestures, and I let them finish speaking before I respond if they are asking for a response.

When I am at home in my community, my communication is more informal. There is no cultural diversity in my neighborhood because we are all African Americans.  There is more slang talk between me, my family members, and the neighbors. I find myself correcting my nieces and nephews on their speaking skills. When speaking with them or to them I don't use the N word, and I strongly encourage them not to use the N word either with each other or their friends when communicating.

I have friends who are in the LBGT community. They do not being called homosexuals, and rather be called gay or lesbian. I try to talk with them about their subculture in their neighborhoods. In Atlanta, GA where I lived before I moved back home to my hometown the perception of the LBCT community is astonishing. In Atlanta, GA there is a more accepting of the members of the LBGT community, but here in Middle Georgia the LBGT IS more closeted, fearful, and afraid of a physical confrontation because some people are not accepting of their sexual orientation.

The students that I have taught in special needs just want to be accepted as normal. I had a talk last year with one of my nieces who was 11 years old at the time. She was speaking to me on the special needs children who were in her physical educational class. She commented to me was that they was slow. I told her that special needs children brains does not process information as quick as people with out special needs do. My example to her was to think of your brain as a rabbit when processing information and a special need person brain as a turtle when processing information.

Three strategies which I have learned is in order to live with people from different cultures are that we must begin to learn to appreciate our differences instead of ignoring people, suffering because of them, or wishing they would disappear. Another strategy is to put yourself or walk in that person shoes before you form perceptions of that person of their culture. Next strategy is to learn not to prejudge people on my stereotypes, but get to know them and their culture, and then form my own opinion.