Am I Free to be Me?Intended Audience: High School In-Service Training

(although relevant to all levels)Topic: The paradoxes of identity

Krishauna Hines-Gaither (center) & co-presenter Achlaï Wallace (far right) with students from E. Chapel Hill High School, Cultural Presentation

“My name is Kunta Kinte.”

RootsDid you know the following celebrities changed their names? Why do you suspect they

chose to leave behind these names? Of course, the obvious answer is for artistic reasons. But could there be something more? (below is a list of the actor’s artistic name followed by his/her birth name)

Acculturation: the process (or the result) of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group.

Cher: Cherilyn Sarkisian La PiereJoan Crawford: Lucille Fay LeSueurNicolas Cage: Nicolas CoppolaRobert Blake: Michael James Vijenco

GubitosiDoris Day: Doris von KappelhoffTony Danza: Anthony Iadanza

http://www.famousnamechanges.net/

Kirk Douglas: Isidore DemskyGreta Garbo: Greta Lovisa

GustafsonRita Hayworth: Margarita Carmen

Dolores CansinoAudrey Hepburn: Edda Van

Heemstra Hepburn-RustenBruce Lee: Sai FonSophia Loren: Sofia ScicoloneCharlie Sheen: Carlos Irwin Estevez

Pipher’s explanations

• Acculturation/Assimilation: “They found that the best pattern was one in which the family carefully chose what to accept and reject in American culture” (Pipher, 2002, p. 229).

• Cultural switching: “They are bicultural, or in many cases, multicultural, and they know when “to wear each culture” (Pipher, 2002, p. 168).

• Cultural Brokers: “American friends who may teach them to make intentional decisions about what to accept and what to reject in America” (Pipher, 2002, p. 89).

• Schools as therapeutic environments: “Teachers connect the dots between the world of family and of school, the old culture and America, the past and the future” (Pipher, 2002, p. 115).

Expanded definitions

• Acculturation: the process (or the result) of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group.

• Cultural Broker: a party that arranges transactions. An individual who acts as an intermediary.

• Cultural switching: a shift between two cultural interpretive frames in response to cues in the social environment. www.dictionary.com

In Memory of Richi,Carmen Tafolla

Was the school a

therapeutic environment

for Richi?

First day of school for both of you-one of you six and glowing copper,

running with eagerness and proudThe other 22, young teacher, eager for this schoolYour blue eyes warm to his brown starsAs you both chatAnd share your missions,As you ask his name.He rolls it like a round of wealthAnd deep in Spanish tones, responds“Richi.”You try to imitate, say“Ritchie.”“No!” he teases, confident,“It’s Ri-chi—just like this.”You notice that each syllable could

rhyme with see And try again.

He pats you on the back.You go on to your separate tasks-He to his room, you to yours.

One day, six hours,Really not a speck of sand In all this shore of time, and yet, So crucial,As you gather papers,Turn to flee the cellAnd gain some comfortIn some other place.Your ray of hope comes filtering down

the hall.In eagerness for someone’s warmth,You shout and wave,“Hey, Richi!”He corrects,The light and wealth all gone From his new eyes,“no.Ritchie.”

Core Concepts: Acculturation, the teacher as a possible cultural broker, and also

cultural switching

Cultural Switching/ Acculturation:“It’s exhausting!”

• In this scene of the movie Selena, Edward James Olmos’s character explains to his children the cost of cultural switching and assimilation.

• Background: Selena Quintanilla was a popular Tex-Mex artist until her untimely death in 1995.

• http://youtu.be/5imXk_XGYRY

Click Here for Selena Clip2:07

If clip does not work copy & paste link to

the left

Bringing it Home:Some Practical Strategies

Globalization Activity• Students look at one garment

(clothing, backpack etc) to see where it is made. Teacher or a student writes all the countries on the board where the items are made.

• Have a conversation about what the information implies for globalization.

• The conversation could go as deeply as you would like, depending on the level of the class/comfort.

• Topics that often emerge from this activity include interconnectedness, politics, economics, working conditions, etc.)

Meet & Greet; Mézclense; Faire de connaisance;

• Students receive sheet with descriptions printed in each box. (see next slide for trilingual chart, use the language(s) of your choice)

• They circulate the classroom asking the questions of peers.

• Object is to hurry & fill in the names of their classmates in allotted time (usually 5-10 minutes).

• Good activity to learn names like “Richi” & to learn more about classmates.

Bringing it Home:Goals and Strategies

• “To teach you I must know you.” Alaskan Proverb (cultural broker)

• Multivocalism

Es el/la mayor de la familia

 Oldest of the family

 Est l’ainé de la famile

Eshija única

  Only child

 Est enfant unique

Es de primer año 

Freshman 

Dans sa première année a L’université

Es de Virginia 

Is from Virginia  

Est de Virginie

Tiene 16 años  

Is 16 years old 

A 16 ans

Tiene 4-5 hermanos 

Has 4-5 siblings 

A 4-5 frères et soeurs

Trabaja en el centro comercial

 Works at the mall

 Travaille dans un

centre commercial/centre d’achats

Es la menor de la familia

 Youngest of the family

 Est le benjamin de la

famille

Va a la iglesia regularmente

 Goes to church

regularly 

Va à l’églìse régulièrement

Toca un instrumento musical

 Plays instrument

 Joue un instrument

musicale

Está en un conjunto musical/coro

 In a band

 Est dans une chorale

Trabaja en un restaurante

 Works in a restaurant

 Travaille dans un

restaurant

Es de tercer año  

Is a junior 

Est dans sa troisième année a L’université

Le gustan las matemáticas 

 Likes math

  Aime les

mathématiques

Juega un deporte  

Plays a sport

Joue un sport

Quiere ser maestro/a  

Wants to be a teacher 

Veut être un enseignant

Baila muy bien 

Dances well 

Danse très bien

Canta muy bien 

Sings well 

Chante très bien

Va a la discoteca regularmente

  Goes to dance clubs

regularly 

Va au discotheque regulièrement

Tiene novio/a 

Has a boyfriend/girlfriend

  A un petit copain

Bringing it Home:Classroom & Leadership

Goals• Face cultural biases. “There is

no such thing as cultural neutrality” (Pipher, p. 329-31).

• “To teach you, I must know you.” Alaskan Proverb. (Delpit, 2001, p.211) (cultural broker)

• Celebrate differences. Move from diversity to inclusivity. (Paradoxes of identity)

• Multivocalism (students, community, school, course content) (schools as therapeutic environments)

Wakefield High School Cultural Presentation, Raleigh, NC

Concluding thoughts

& References

Delpit, L. (2001). Education in a multicultural society: Our future’s greatest challenge. In J. House (Ed.), Exploring socio-cultural themes in education: Readings in social foundation, (2nd ed.). (pp. 203-211). Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Pipher, M. (2002). The middle of everywhere: Helping refugees enter the American community. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc.

Tafolla, C. (2001).Sonnets and Salsa. San Antonio: Wings Press.