After my visit to India I reflected on the question, "How does your community impact who you are and who you become?"
Teachers for Global Classrooms/IREX
Summer 2015 to India
School placement: Kolkata/Calcutta
Subject area: Social Studies
Kim Stalnaker
Country Visit Reflection
Research Question: How does your community impact who you are and who you become?
Each person on earth is unique, but no one can avoid the influence of community and family on expectations, customs, and values. Community and family, in both India and the United States, shape how we live life, the goals we set for ourselves, and the opportunities we have in life. Despite the wave of globalization that has brought technology and western trends to the world, local community and family is the most significant factor in shaping who we become.
The language we speak, the religion we practice, and the foods we eat, are shaped by our family and community. While India is a unified country with two official languages, English and Hindi, most Indians speak a different native language from birth. Living in a country in which the majority of the country speaks and writes multiple languages, has an impact on how people interact with one another, the ability to competently and beautifully write script, and openness to other cultures. Conversely, most American can write and speak only their native language of English, which can inhibit global understanding. Less emphasis is placed on handwriting, because usually only one type of script is learned in school. The globalization of the English language has also created complacency and a feeling of superiority among Americans. Religious devotion is also an indicator of customs and cultures that shape who we are. Religious devotion is a part of daily life for the majority of Indians, while religion in the U.S. is practiced only by certain segments of the population. These differences are somewhat shaped by the history of the two countries; India is the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, while the U.S. is an immigrant culture without a common religious history. School in India begins with a religious song and prayer and Shri Shikshayatan School in Kolkata had a statue to the god of knowledge, to whom teachers and students can pray if they wish. Individual values in India and the U.S. can also be attributed to the development of western thought, which emphasizes rationality in contrast to eastern thought, which is more mystical. These religious differences can help explain individual values, customs, and belief systems, which help shape who we are.
The method of learning and teaching in schools is shaped by district policies, school culture, and the expectations of family and society. India has the largest number of school age children in the world, which partly dictates the way in which schools are organized and taught. A highly disciplined and teacher centered classroom is the norm throughout India in which the average class is a minimum of 40 students. The Indian education system emphasizes skill and competence whereas the United States puts more focus on creativity and problem solving. The typical Indian classroom is centered on teacher lecture from the textbook followed by a few pointed questions. Students are then assessed with high stakes tests, which determine their career path in the 10th grade. Ambitious Indian students spend a lot of time doing homework and preparing for these tests. Many of these methods of teaching and learning come from the British colonial area. In contrast, the U.S. is a relatively new country that values innovation and independent thinking. The new U.S. common core standards require analysis of complex texts, an ability to understand different points of view, and a deeper understanding of the core math concepts. In many American classrooms, the teacher will teach new content with a mini-lesson, guide students through the practice of new material, and finally have students work independently on an assignment. American teachers are often encouraged to be a manager and facilitator in the classroom to ensure students are doing most of the work. However, this more effective pedagogy is often challenging to implement as American students are less disciplined and focused than their Indian counterparts. American teachers spend more time and effort on classrooms procedures and management, because unlike in India, the culture does not dictate complete respect for the classroom environment.
Who and what we value and the aspects of society we hope to change are reflected in our communities’ culture and expectations. The problems of a developing country, with soon to be the largest population in the world, are different from a stable country with strong economic growth, yet many of the concerns of young people are similar. When interviewed, both students in the U.S. and in India are able to articulate elements of their community for which they’re proud and things they want to change. Both Americans and Indians are proud of their democracy and important historical figures in their history. Students from both countries emphasize the need for more work on the environment and cleanliness in their communities. Indian students celebrate the end of child marriage and the practice of sati, in which widows were required to burn themselves on their husband’s pyre. American students focus more on the need to end homelessness and providing a nice home for everyone in a safe community. These values reflect who and what our young people hope to become.
All people have some common hopes, dreams, and expectations. However, the culture and daily life in India and the U.S. look very different because of differences in history, culture, language, food, economic stability, and the size of the population and landmass. While popular culture and technology bring uniformity to different places around the world, great differences are still apparent in India and the U.S. because of the influence of family and community.
Summer 2015 to India
School placement: Kolkata/Calcutta
Subject area: Social Studies
Kim Stalnaker
Country Visit Reflection
Research Question: How does your community impact who you are and who you become?
Each person on earth is unique, but no one can avoid the influence of community and family on expectations, customs, and values. Community and family, in both India and the United States, shape how we live life, the goals we set for ourselves, and the opportunities we have in life. Despite the wave of globalization that has brought technology and western trends to the world, local community and family is the most significant factor in shaping who we become.
The language we speak, the religion we practice, and the foods we eat, are shaped by our family and community. While India is a unified country with two official languages, English and Hindi, most Indians speak a different native language from birth. Living in a country in which the majority of the country speaks and writes multiple languages, has an impact on how people interact with one another, the ability to competently and beautifully write script, and openness to other cultures. Conversely, most American can write and speak only their native language of English, which can inhibit global understanding. Less emphasis is placed on handwriting, because usually only one type of script is learned in school. The globalization of the English language has also created complacency and a feeling of superiority among Americans. Religious devotion is also an indicator of customs and cultures that shape who we are. Religious devotion is a part of daily life for the majority of Indians, while religion in the U.S. is practiced only by certain segments of the population. These differences are somewhat shaped by the history of the two countries; India is the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, while the U.S. is an immigrant culture without a common religious history. School in India begins with a religious song and prayer and Shri Shikshayatan School in Kolkata had a statue to the god of knowledge, to whom teachers and students can pray if they wish. Individual values in India and the U.S. can also be attributed to the development of western thought, which emphasizes rationality in contrast to eastern thought, which is more mystical. These religious differences can help explain individual values, customs, and belief systems, which help shape who we are.
The method of learning and teaching in schools is shaped by district policies, school culture, and the expectations of family and society. India has the largest number of school age children in the world, which partly dictates the way in which schools are organized and taught. A highly disciplined and teacher centered classroom is the norm throughout India in which the average class is a minimum of 40 students. The Indian education system emphasizes skill and competence whereas the United States puts more focus on creativity and problem solving. The typical Indian classroom is centered on teacher lecture from the textbook followed by a few pointed questions. Students are then assessed with high stakes tests, which determine their career path in the 10th grade. Ambitious Indian students spend a lot of time doing homework and preparing for these tests. Many of these methods of teaching and learning come from the British colonial area. In contrast, the U.S. is a relatively new country that values innovation and independent thinking. The new U.S. common core standards require analysis of complex texts, an ability to understand different points of view, and a deeper understanding of the core math concepts. In many American classrooms, the teacher will teach new content with a mini-lesson, guide students through the practice of new material, and finally have students work independently on an assignment. American teachers are often encouraged to be a manager and facilitator in the classroom to ensure students are doing most of the work. However, this more effective pedagogy is often challenging to implement as American students are less disciplined and focused than their Indian counterparts. American teachers spend more time and effort on classrooms procedures and management, because unlike in India, the culture does not dictate complete respect for the classroom environment.
Who and what we value and the aspects of society we hope to change are reflected in our communities’ culture and expectations. The problems of a developing country, with soon to be the largest population in the world, are different from a stable country with strong economic growth, yet many of the concerns of young people are similar. When interviewed, both students in the U.S. and in India are able to articulate elements of their community for which they’re proud and things they want to change. Both Americans and Indians are proud of their democracy and important historical figures in their history. Students from both countries emphasize the need for more work on the environment and cleanliness in their communities. Indian students celebrate the end of child marriage and the practice of sati, in which widows were required to burn themselves on their husband’s pyre. American students focus more on the need to end homelessness and providing a nice home for everyone in a safe community. These values reflect who and what our young people hope to become.
All people have some common hopes, dreams, and expectations. However, the culture and daily life in India and the U.S. look very different because of differences in history, culture, language, food, economic stability, and the size of the population and landmass. While popular culture and technology bring uniformity to different places around the world, great differences are still apparent in India and the U.S. because of the influence of family and community.