The cultural challenge
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Politics and Activism

The cultural challenge

Overcoming different cultures and languages in class

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The cultural challenge
Google

Today we have a world full of diversity. It is so amazing to see how our world has changed culturally. At times we are stuck in our ways and quick to judge as someone walks in the door. I myself this semester have had to over come the challenge of having a teacher with a thick accent and a teacher who was quick to assume her students who were from a different background didn't understand anything.

On the first day of class we all walked into lab and sat down eager to start this semester. Most of us taking this class have to pass it to get into a program or a field of study. For me it was nursing and chemistry was one class you didn't want to mess up in.

Our teacher walks in "Hello class" he introduced himself. We all looked at each other with concern. You could barely understand what he was saying. His thick middle eastern accent prevented any undersranding of the words coming out of his mouth a 100 miles per minute.

I was worried enough to have to take a science class since I had not taken one since my senior year of high school. The first thing I did tho was think about how awful this is going to turn out. I'm never going to be able to understand him, I panicked. I immediately emailed my counselor and asked other people how their teachers were. It didn't sound much better. I was stuck.

I jumped to conclusions on who this person was, how this semester was going to be, and whether he was good or not. I wanted easy not a challenge. I wanted to pass so I could move on from this class. With no other option I chose to stay in this class and make some excellent friends. A lot of people who have seemed to have gone through this before and willing to help.

I would never want my teachers to feel like some of my classmates have in my other class. My teacher in my other class just assumes the people from other countries don't understand. Maybe they don't understand and that is okay. Having both these classes this semester maybe me feel sympathetic to those who are from different cultural backgrounds. They are trying for the most part to adjust to how advanced we are as a country.

As the weeks have been going by, it seems as though even though class is in general a drag it has gotten better. Not only has my teacher tried to relate to us all but even given us an insight into what his life was like and how things were from his perspective. Even though my class still has time to go, he has taught me to give the benefit of doubt, don't shut down, and don't be afraid to get help. He adjusted his ways to make us feel comfortable. Overcoming this battle taught me to slow down and read the book don't just look at the cover.

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