Reflection

Our community reflects the amount of diversity which flourishes in our public school classrooms. Students learn in different ways and their culture, language, personal experiences and family influence how they perceive the world, including school. The context in which someone grows and develops has an important impact on their learning. Learners bring their own individual approach, talents and interests to the learning situation. While looking at the Chinese community in the Bay Area, it is evident that education is highly valued in the culture. However, that does not mean that every Chinese student is going to have the same mindset and drive as the “model minority” stereotype claims they do. "Researchers have clearly established that there is no single or dual learning style for the members of any cultural, national, racial, or religious group" (Dunn, 1997, pp. 74- 75). Even as we acknowledge that culture affects learning styles, we know that distinct learning style patterns do not fit a specific cultural group. As a teacher, I cannot expect every Chinese student to have the same learning style/ability.

I spoke with a friend from elementary school, who is of Chinese descent. She has dropped out of college and works at a coffee shop in San Jose. She does not fit into the stereotypical Chinese image of an “overachieving student.” The concept of cognitive or learning styles of minority and other students is one easily oversimplified, misunderstood, or misinterpreted, “Unfortunately, it has been used to stereotype minority students or to further label them rather than to identify individual differences that are educationally meaningful,” (Cox and Ramirez, p.61). One thing to keep in mind as an educator is that many of these Chinese students in our public schools are second generation students. They have to balance two different cultures and do not necessarily imbibe the same cultural values as their families. They get to pick the best of both worlds and so they may agree with certain Chinese values while ignoring others.

Nonetheless, cultural expectations do influence Chinese students’ performance in schools. I have noticed two patterns within the second generation of Chinese students. One pattern fits the stereotype of the overachieving student that succeeds in school and the student is either proud or simply burnt out in the end. Then, there are the second generation students who feel that they are being burdened and are simply miserable with having to honor their family’s reputation rather than just learn for the sake of learning. As an educator, I have become more aware about the diversity of Chinese students when it comes to their learning abilities, styles and how they handle the pressure for academic success.

Second generation Chinese children who grow up in the Bay Area may struggle with depression and a sense of worthlessness. They may not have been able to reach the level of success their parents had planned for them or as a result of following what their family wanted them to do, they now feel lost or confused. Most of these students have parents who are well educated, many of which work in the engineering and medicine sectors. Second generation children sometimes feel that they do not belong to one community completely. They are a combination of two different worlds; they are in “No Man’s Land.” In fact, many second generation Chinese Americans go to Chinese School, in addition to regular school because they are expected to, not because they want to. In fact, many American-born Chinese are sometimes referred to as: “jook sing.” This is a Cantonese term which literally refers to a hollow bamboo stick that is cut off at both ends. In other words, American born Chinese are cut off at both ends. Water poured into a jook sing does not flow to the other end, much like a jook sing does not fully belong to either culture.

Now that I understand the learning and cultural differences within the Chinese community I will strive for intentional variety in instruction, curriculum, classroom management, and assessment. From this project, I have learned that knowing about the child's culture and learning styles will help me examine my own instructional practices and become sensitive to providing diverse learning experiences because, “[A]ll students are capable of learning, provided the learning environment attends to a variety of learning styles," (Irvine and York, p. 494). I will know how to provide effective instruction that must accommodate both the cultural values and individual learning styles of my students. Therefore, I am continually interested in learning about my students.


Works Cited

Cox, B., & Ramirez, M., III (1981). Cognitive styles: Implications for multiethnic education. In J. Bank(Ed.), Education in the 80's.Washington, DC: National Education Association.

Dunn, R. (1997). The goals and track record of multicultural education. Educational leadership: 54(7), 74-77.

Irvine, J.J., & York, D.E. (1995). Learning styles and culturally diverse students: A literature review. In J.A. Banks & C.A. Banks (Eds.),Handbook of research on multicultural education. New York: Macmillan.