Kathy_IC_CP#2

Kathy_IC_CP#2
CIES Lounge
3/12/13

In the workshop I was assigned three partners. My partners were from S. Korea, China and Saudi Arabia.  I learned that in Saudi Arabia the expectations of a teacher to have close personal distance is acceptable since in the school system the men and women receive separate instruction.  Since this is obvious behavior related to their religious beliefs we considered it to be above the surface culture with strong ties to below the surface culture.  My Asian partners from China and S. Korea felt that personal distance showed be kept at all times even in the classroom.  I learned that S. Koreans like to have their privacy respected and that the Chinese are also more reserved.  I also learned that the Chinese student was confused about some American "rules of politeness".  For example, we discussed how in American culture if a person sneezes it is common to use the expression "God Bless You" as a way of being polite.  In China they believe that sneezes can have various meanings and it is unnecessary to respond or make any comment to a person after they sneeze.  However, I learned that in Saudi Arabia the custom is that after a person sneezes, that same person will say "Thanks to God" because they feel that have been freed from something bad.  It was very interesting to learn about these differences in culture.  I think as a future teacher that knowing these differences will help me reach my students in a way that they feel more comfortable and will create an environment more conducive to  their learning style.