I learned today that I would be getting a new student from
the country of Pakistan. I have heard of
this country on the news, but my knowledge of the country is limited. To better inform myself about this country, I
first did research to aid me in my understanding of the country. I learned that
Urdu is the official language of Pakistan, the religion of the country is
primarily Muslim, agriculture is of importance, and textiles are important
exports, and additionally, television is government controlled (CIA,
n.d.). I also learned that because of the Muslim
religion, pork is prohibited in the diet; in family structures, women typically
stay at home, while the men work (Countries and Their Culture, 2012).
The next thing I would do would be to write a letter to the
family in the native language of Urdu. I
will type the letter in English and use www.freetranslation.com
to aid me in the translation.
Communication with the family will continue in the native language
weekly. I will also include the English
version as well in case there are translation difficulties.
Next I will inspect every center and ensure that the
Pakistani culture is represented. I will
try to get baby dolls that look similar, books that have pictures that reflect
these individuals, dress up clothing, and pictures posted in the classroom.
The cafeteria will be informed of no pork in the diet. We will offer meal substitutes and allow the
student meal alternatives.
I will also ask the family about holidays and
observances. We will learn about these
in the classroom and discuss them at length.
The family will be asked to share food samples from
Pakistan, and come in to discuss their culture with the students if they feel
comfortable doing so.
The student will also be asked to bring something, should
they choose, from Pakistan that can be left in the classroom as a source of
comfort for the student.
If I know ahead of time that the student will begin my class
on a given date, I can discuss some of the cultural differences ahead of time.
In doing these things, I hope that the family will feel welcomed
and not ostracized. I also hope that the
family can feel that we are a team, and that I am interested in their student,
just as I am interested in all the others.
I also feel that in doing the research, I can deal with any biases ahead
of time, and that if my information is incorrect, the family can help me learn
the correct information.
Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). The world fact book:
Pakistan. Retrieved December 16, 2012
from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html
Countries and
their cultures. (2012). Pakistan.
Retrieved December 16, 2012 from http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Pakistan.html
Wow, you did alot of research already. You will be very helpful to a new student from another country. Do you think that a family may be offended if you try to hard to welcome them by learning so much about them. What if they are leaving that country for reasons that they have not shared and want a fresh start?
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteThat is a great point, and one that I had not thought about. I would not try to pry into their old life, but just try to make them feel welcome. Thanks for the thought provoking question!
Kristi