Why Does Culture Matter?

So with all of this talk about incorporating culturally responsive teaching into pedagogical practice it is important that educators have an understanding of why culture matters. However, let me define culture first. According to Merriam Webster (2024) culture is defined as the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious or social group. Moreover, Hammond (2015) described culture as software for the brain’s hardware in which cultural information transforms daily experiences into meaningful events. Hammond further described culture as having 3 levels such as surface culture, shallow culture, and deep culture. Surface culture is made up of the observable and physical elements of culture such as food, holidays, clothing, and music. Shallow culture is the unspoken cues and behaviors of a group such as courtesy, nature of friendships, norms of respect, and rules about eye contact. Deep culture is where our schema lives. Knowledge acquired from experiences that is indirectly expressed as well as our implicit biases that shape our views of the world reside within deep culture. Additionally, deep culture directs how we understand new information (Hammond, 2015).  As our worldview takes shape our deep culture determines how we attach meaning to different events in our lives and stays with us as we grow. Each level of culture has its significance for understanding ethnically diverse students, however, deep culture is where the heart of the student lies. It is the foundation upon which self-identity, problem solving, and decision making are built.

Nevertheless, why is culture important? Why must educators understand the culture of ethnically diverse students to educate them effectively? Well, culture is the essence of who we are. It is where our roots are planted, how we view the world, and where our deep values lie. Culture is deeper than food, holidays, traditions, and heroes. It is more than hairstyles and fashion. Culture represents our identity, how we make sense of our lives, and how we show up in this world. Culture impacts how we think, believe, and express ourselves. Culture is taught or cultivated and where group differences lie (Ford & Kea, 2009). And having differences is natural and what makes people unique. However, understanding ethnically diverse students for who they are, authentically, requires educators to understand culture. Furthermore, best practices for educating ethnically diverse students requires an understanding of their culture, so lessons can be tailored to their learning styles to get the optimal performance from them. Thus, culture is significantly important for educators to learn to help connect with ethnically diverse students to promote their success.

Ethnically diverse students come from collectivist cultures that have different values, beliefs, and norms than European American cultures. Schools are structured according to middle class American norms that are different from the norms of ethnically diverse cultures. Most school expectations require students to enter classrooms and sit quietly, be receptors of information, and work independently which conflicts with ethnically diverse students’ relational cultural orientation.  Ethnically diverse students are people and feeling oriented, harmonious, and kinesthetic learners (Ford & Kea, 2009). They value togetherness, working cooperatively, expressiveness, and active involvement in their learning. Their normal tendencies for acquiring knowledge and socializing are not in sync with the school environment, which creates a barrier to having a sense of belonging. Therefore, educating them requires adjustments to standard practices so they can succeed in schools. Thus, culture matters. Ethnically diverse students have their own ways of thinking and being that shape their cultural identities and aids in their growth and achievement. Educators must learn where the gaps intersect with culture and bridge them to provide an equitable education for ethnically diverse students.