With partners:
Questions for Reflection
1. Students from Arabic-speaking backgrounds may have to juggle two sets of expectations: family expectations which reflect the parents’ cultural heritage, and those of the Australian school which the Arab-speaking students attend. Certain curriculum choices, such as health, sport and music, expose this collision of expectations. How can students manage choices which satisfy both sets of expectations?
2. The research project from which this TSM has been developed has employed a Cultural Diversity Facilitator (CDF) whose role is to bridge the communication and expectation gap between parents and teachers, and between students and parents. This is done through parent-teacher workshops, parent information seminars, and individual case management for ‘at risk’ students. To find out more about the role and functions of the CDF, please click here.
3. There are sometimes preconceptions that families from Arabic-speaking backgrounds hold a particular set of attitudes and expectations, particularly towards gender. This, however, has been challenged in the project’s discussions with Arabic-speaking background parents and students. What then, do you need to know as a teacher to dispel these cultural assumptions, in terms of how to approach the curriculum, and bridging cultural misconceptions among students?
4. Cultural stereotypes, such as “all Asians are smart”, “Aussies don’t care about school” and “Middle Eastern kids are dumb”, have the potential to undermine or distort student self-expectations. How important is it for you, as a teacher, to be aware of cultural stereotypes in the classroom? How can these stereotypes be exposed and debunked?
To explore these questions work through the four steps.