INDIVIDUALISM AND COLLECTIVISM

05/31/2018

I think that cultural differences greatly affect our way of thinking and acting. In the case of idividualism and collectivism, I think it also has a great influence on how one grew up in their home. Perhaps within a country with collectivist influences there is a small percentage of families with individualistic thoughts. And the same with individualism.

Seeing all the examples of individualism and collectivism I have seen the positive and negative things of these.

In idividualism there are many things that you can see in a positive way, for example the self-sufficiency that the person reaches. On the negative I would say that relations with other people are distant and that they can not help each other easily, what I mean is that there is no constant concern.

In collectivism there is good relations not only with families but with very close people. But the negative aspect would be the dependence of these people, unlike individualism here people tend to depend on their family ties affecting everyone.

In my case, I grew up in a collectivist environment. I think that affected me a lot when I went to another country because there were several things that I needed and I felt alone, my need to find a group to relate to was urgent. I think in my case, this affected me a lot because I was still dependent on my comfortable environment where everyone gets involved.

After being away from my country for two years I became used to individualism, and when I returned home it was difficult for me to adapt to the collectivism environment again, there were small things that made me feel uncomfortable such as the little participation of children or young in a conversation, lack of privacy or execive participation in family customs.

Again, it is important to know the cultural differences and even adapt if necessary, but this will help to have a better communication with people of different cultures.

Differences in Emotional Expressivity

We can not know a culture immediately. I agree with Brother Ivers in saying that we have to take time to get to know a culture, especially in our affective samples.

Here in Latin America they are very affectionate and the way they show it is completely different to other countries such as Europeans or Asians. I think that not knowing the interpretations of those affects could bring conflicts.

Even in a closer context, I mean, within a country there are several ways of expressing our emotions. For example, where I currently live, people are very affectionate and treat you as part of the family, but you have to be very careful not to offend them because they are very sensitive, if you do not accept the food they give you they can get very angry.

As we can see, emotional expressions are very different in different countries or cities, and applying it in a TESOL classroom is essential because students will be careful how they can express their emotions and deal with other people.

My opinion about Cultural Miscommunication

My opinion about Cultural Miscommunication


I've always been curious to know other cultures. When I was a child I remember that my dad had a big book called "Cultures around the world" at first I just looked at the pictures, but little by little I started to read it and it interested me a lot. This week I had the same feeling discovering aspect of different cultures, especially as Americans see us Latin Americans.

Even in Latin America there are cultural differences, the way of communicating in Peru is very different from other countries such as Argentina, Panama, Guatemala, etc. There is also difference within a country, for example I am from Peru and within my country there are many differences such as culture in the jungle with culture in the Andes.

Each culture has different characteristics, however there must be a communication in each of them or with each other, miscommunication as Brother Ivers said, can bring negative consequences such as fights and even wars.

I really like the event that happened in the old testament, I mean the Tower of Babbel. It was a single civilization, a same culture, suddenly everyone spoke different languages, and everyone went their own way, they left with those who spoke their own language, giving way to new cultures.

Today we can see different cultures, and if we have traveled to a different country or even to a different place within our country, we can feel something different. Sometimes we may be uncomfortable cultural differences, because we are not used to it, but it is something that can not get worse, we must understand cultural differences and make good communication between cultures.

My goal as a TESOL instructor should be to motivate students to have a good relationship and communication with other cultures, especially with which they are learning another language.

Cultural Differences in Concerning TIME

5/24/2018

Cultural Differences in Concerning TIME


When I served on the Guatemala Coban mission, I had a president from the United States, for me he was a great example, he always trusted me. When I had a few months left to return to my home, my president asked me to make my goals for my future, also write my attributes and weaknesses, while writing my weaknesses, I felt writing that I am very liar. When my mission president asked me why I considered myself a liar, I told him that I felt I was failing in many things and sometimes I did not fulfill 100 percent of my mission schedule, he laughed and said he appreciated my sincerity, and we began to talk about the cultural differences that exist, at first I did not understand, but when I understand the concepts of polychronic and monochronic I can realize many things.

As a future instructor of a TESOL classroom it is my responsibility to teach part of the culture of the United States to my students, they must understand that culture in certain aspects are different, that culture there is not better or worse, they are simply different. I think the challenge will be to maintain a line of equality and appreciation in both cultures, that is not to despise any of them.

In the video "Cultural Differences in Concerning TIME" brother Ivers speaks with great respect the differences that exist between cultures that are monochronic and polychronotic cultures, he makes comparisons but he does it in an entertaining way but with appreciation. I think that this balance must exist when explaining to students the cultural differences.

I have thought if there is the possibility of adapting both cultures, that is, if we have monochronic control over the rules and respect for the schedule and in the polychronic, the estimation of family or friends. I liked the example of the police who put the fine, he was a member of the church and surely loved and appreciated the driver, but the law is very important to keep them.

I have grown up in a polychronic culture, I have always put my family first, but I have begun to reflect on my behavior to respect the rules, the laws, the commandments, I believe that there is part of me that wants to adopt the monochronic culture .

Do you think that these two cultures could be kept in balance?

My cultural paradigm

22 may, 2018

 My cultural paradigm changed !

I grew up surrounded by a very different paradigm, the culture that my parents taught me was about respect and family relationship with nature. I remember when I was a little boy  and watched television, there were many things that I thought did not exist because I had seen them in my life only on television such as a washing machine, microwaves, elevators, etc.

As I got older I could see that my cultural paradigm changed. We moved because my dad got a job in the city, we could see many different things, I remember there were many things we did for the first time such as going to the pool, using electric ladder, hot shower, each had his own room. We looked as if we were discovering fire.

I think that as one grows he begins to know other paradigms, and even to adapt. Currently I do not know the United States, I mean I've never been there, I only know it for having read or seen on television, but I am sure that if I go there, I will start to have a different perspective than what I know until now, and I think it's the same with the people there, because they do not know how to live here in Peru, but if they visited, they would have a notion of a different paradigm.

During my mission, I was able to meet many Americans from Utah, California, Nevada, Idaho. We always talked about our cultural differences, and I liked to know more and in that way I could learn English not only the grammar but the way people communicate in different parts of the United States.

Knowing a new language implies knowing your culture, in this way learning is more exciting and profound.

TESOL 103 Is the Great American Teacher Dead?

may 05, 2018

Is the Great American Teacher Dead? 

When I was little boy I watched many movies and I remember that I went to the cinema for the first time, at that time there was in premiere. "Spiderman" I liked the movie very much, I always wanted to have powers like spiderman.


Recently I saw the same movie and this time spidermana was not my hero  but I could see a hero without disguise. This hero was Uncle Ben, I know that the phrase he says "with great power comes great responsibility" is well known. I think that same phrase applies to all teachers or instructors.


In the article Is the Great American Teacher Dead? the author provides ways to improve education through the use of meaningfulness, metacognition, Transformative Education, cultural introspection, cross cultural exploration, brain research, Invitational Education, and the study of human
universals extant in all cultures. We need to Think a second and awaken the desire to improve teaching and this will make us powerful and responsible.


Each person, teacher, student has different talents and gifts, but all of us learn. Thinking about the words of Uncle Ben and the article help me learn more in this universe of teaching.