When working with children, it is especially important that teachers and day care providers seek to honor each child for his/her unique cultural and ethnic qualities. The basic philosophy should center around the notion that everyone is valuable and that each child brings with him/her special things from their family that serve to enrich the group while being quite fun to explore. In doing this, one should remember that it takes a great deal of awareness and sensitivity to correctly represent each culture and to help the children to ultimately learn that different does not mean inferior.
Therefore, the responsibility rests greatly on the teacher or provider to model such behavior for the children and to show families that they are making a conscious effort to respect their particular culture.
Therefore, knowing some of the common beliefs, values, and practices often characteristic of families from different cultural backgrounds could be helpful to those working with multicultural groups. It should be emphasized that greater variations may exist within groups than between groups.
FAMILIES WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN ROOTS
Families tend to have a collective orientation in that they value kinship and operate within extended families. A great deal of respect is placed on the elderly and their role within the family, and they are often addressed as Mr./Mrs. Child rearing practices tend to be more authoritarian and communication proceeds in a higher context. These families are very orientated to situations rather than time, and often place a great deal of focus on religion while following a spiritual orientation.
FAMILIES WITH ASIAN ROOTS(CHINESE, KOREAN, VIETNAMESE, JAPANESE)
Traditional Asian culture places great emphasis on harmony with nature. There is also a strong and loyal heart-oriented philosophy in this culture that stresses stoicism, patience, tradition, self-discipline and spiritualism. There tends to be a collective orientation that places great value on group welfare, responsibility, obligation, and mutual independence.
It is a hierarchical culture that centers around status defined by birthright, inheritance, family name, age, sex and role rigidity, where the roles of men and women are clearly defined. The family is the primary unit of being and togetherness and the parent-child bond is greatly stressed. Parents in this culture provide authority and expect unchallenged obedience and compliance to structure. Children are viewed as extensions of their parents, and in turn, parents make decisions for their children. Older children often assume responsibility for the actions of younger siblings. The Asian culture tends to be more indirect in that they are more formal and emotionally controlled than other cultures.
FAMILIES WITH LATINO ROOTS
Families have a very collective orientation with more pronounced extended family systems. Interdependence is valued, as well as cooperation and "saving face." There is a more relaxed attitude toward time and child development. Latino families emphasize interpersonal relationships, have a great deal of respect for the elderly and operate within a more patriarchal family structure.
Cultural courtesies to remember are to speak to the husband before the wife when both are present and to acknowledge the father's agreement with recommendations regardless of whether or not he is physically present.
In these families, children are brought up to live interdependently, and identity is defined more by family achievement. Families operate on a more flexible schedule and within an informal support system. Less freedom for independent learning, exploration and decision making is stressed. In this culture there is great emphasis placed on respect for old age, spiritual maturity and wisdom.
FAMILIES WITH NATIVE AMERICAN ROOTS
Group life and respect for elders, experts and those with spiritual powers are at the center of this culture. There is an acceptance of "what is," and a strong effort in seeking harmony. Customs and traditions are very important to the identity of Native Americans, and therefore, it is extremely important that they be consulted in any matters that would involve infringing on rituals. Also, some families may follow traditional tribal childrearing practices which place grandparents in the primary parental role, with other family members serving as disciplinarians. In addition, in some homes, children with special needs may not be disciplined because it is felt that they have suffered so much already.
FAMILIES WITH ANGLO-EUROPEAN ROOTS
This culture values personal control over
the environment, human equality, individualism, self-help, and competition. Orientation towards work and the future is stressed and this culture tends to be more informal, direct, and open. Time dominates, and therefore, punctuality and responsibility in keeping appointments is highly regarded. It is also customary to treat females and males with equal respect and to treat people providing daily services courteously.
Adapted from:
Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A guide for working with young children and their families. Edited by: Eleanor Lynch, Ph.D. and Marci J. Hanson, Ph.D. Paul H. Brookes, Publisher.