Frequently+Asked+Questions

media type="youtube" key="4CpJHUJEdqU" height="315" width="560" align="right" ===Intercultural dialogue reflects a desire to understand and learn from each other. It is an enriching and opening interaction that encourages the respectful sharing of ideas and creates opportunities for broadened and deepened self knowledge and world view. Asking questions is an essential part of a dialogue.===

1. How did you choose the families you interviewed in the Cultural Snapshot section of the website?

 * The five families I chose are from the five countries that are currently most represented by our international student population; China, Korea, Burma/Myanmar, India and Israel.


 * These interviews present a small snapshot into the cultural diversity of our students and is not intended to be representative of all students from any particular country or representative of all the countries our students are from.

2. What is culture?

 * Culture is basically what we have learned from our experiences in a particular context. It shapes who we are, how we behave, and how we see the world.

3. What is an intercultural dialogue?
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 * Intercultural dialogue reflects a desire to understand and learn from those that do not see the world in the same way as we do.
 * It is an enriching and opening interaction that encourages the respectful sharing of ideas and creates opportunities for broadened and deepened self-knowledge and worldview.

4. Why is it important for teacher's to understand a student's cultural background?

 * For students to succeed in school they must feel understood and accepted. This is an easier task when a student's culture mirrors the dominant school culture. It is more difficult when a student's cultural background is unknown or misunderstoood.


 * Students learning English are especially vunerable. They don't feel confident that they can express what they know. They need to be affirmed and supported in order to learn. By understanding a student's cultural background, a teacher builds a bridge between home and school.

5. How can I get to know the cultural backgrounds of my students that are from a culture I know nothing about?

 * It is important to view the different cultural backgrounds of your students as an opportunity.The students and families you work with are bringing cultural knowledge into the classroom. Be curious about your students' families, culture, language. Use the resources on this website to learn more about cultural backgrounds.

6. How do I welcome all my families?

 * Many years of research show that involving families in their child's education contributes to academic and social success in school. We also know that all families, no matter their cultural background, want their children to do well in school. Ask families about their cultural background and ways they would like to be involved. Make sure invitations and messages sent from school are translated if needed. Learn how to pronounce your students and families names. Make sure students have opportunities to find connections between their culture and what they are studying.

The following questionnaires can be used to promote the sharing of information and critical thinking [[image:http://www.wikispaces.com/i/editor/insert_table.gif width="1"]]
__Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships__ || MIT Course: Communicating Across Culture || __Building Bridges: A Peace Corps Classroom Guide to Cross-Cultural Understanding__ || Questions that I asked in the @cultural snapshot interviews || A list of questions asked by ICSD teachers ||
 * [[file:How well is Your School Bridging Racial, Class and Cultural Differences.pdf]] || ===How well is your school bridging racial, class, and cultural differences?===
 * [[file:Some Questions to Ask About Culture.pdf]] || === Some Questions to Ask About Culture ===
 * [[file:Questions about Culture from Building Bridges - A Peace Corps Classroom Guide to Cross-Cultural Understanding.pdf]] || ===Questions about Culture===
 * [[file:Questions for International Families For Family Interviews by Kari Krakow.pdf]] || === Interview Questions ===
 * [[file:sabbatic questions.pdf]] || === Teachers Questions ===