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Mexican American Culture Differences
Understanding Mexican customs in a Western classroom.
Mexican American culture differences. Understanding the Hispanic culture and Mexican customs is key to reaching ESOL students from Mexico.
Do you have difficulty understanding the Hispanic culture and your students with Mexican customs?
Teachers have to be able to communicate effectively with this population because the Hispanic community is the typically the largest minority in our classrooms today (if you live in the USA).
The style of communication, different attitudes towards education, language barriers...these all play a part in the Mexican American culture differences teachers see in the classroom.
Teachers need to understand Mexican customs and culture to be able to best teach our Hispanic population.
Understanding Mexican American Culture Differences
Cultural Holidays Another great way to open doors of communication with Hispanic families is by learning about the holidays that are a central part of Hispanic culture.
This is one way to open the doors between Mexican American culture differences.
Many times teachers struggle to know how to approach cultural holidays with their students.
We want a balanced approach that is both informative and fun!
The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los Muertos) is a significant holiday because it is about honoring loved ones who have passed. It is an ancient and revered holiday that began with the Aztecs.
The Day of the Dead is actually a three day celebration that begins on October 31st and ends on November 2nd, which is All Souls Day, but the preparations begin weeks in advance.
Interested in celebrating the Day of the Dead in your classroom? Marcela from Hispanic Culture Online has a fantastic guide with lesson plans in her ebook Day of the Dead Skull Coloring and Sugar Skull Making. I personally reviewed this informational product while she was working on it and it is the best resource I have ever seen on this holiday.
Communicating with Mexican Families
Mexican family culture tends to be very traditional, and the father is the head decision-maker of the household.
Often in Hispanic cultures, people stand very close to each other when conversing. Typically, Americans like their own personal space, but this can be seen as very offensive to Mexican students and their parents.
It could be taken as a personal affront if you back away during a conversation.
When you are greeting a parent, women generally do not shake hands. Men however, will shake hands until they get to know you.
At that point you may experience the traditional "abrazo" greeting (a big hug, backslap, then a handshake). Using these types of Mexican customs is only appropriate when you know someone very well.
Do not use a parent's first name unless invited to.
Expect to answer some questions about your family, and ask them in return. One of the key Mexican American cultural differences is the value that is placed on the nuclear and extended family.
Do not take silence as opposition. Imagine trying to understand all of a school's policies, paperwork and assignments in Spanish!
Allow them time to digest what you are saying and offer help. Once an opinion is formed about you, it will be very hard to change it.
Do not be surprised if many people show up for a conference. Again, the value placed on family is crucial, so teachers just might have grandparents, aunts and uncles all show up for one conference!
Communicating with Mexican Students
Many difficulties in communication rise from historical misunderstandings of different cultures.
James Diego Vigil is both an anthropologist and a historian who brings together the dynamics of how Mexican-American culture came to be.
It's a great read (very interesting) and will really help teachers understand their students and their families.
Strategies for the Classroom
Try to learn some phrases or words in Spanish. The effort you show in trying to communicate will show the students that you care.
If you must discipline an Hispanic student, do not be surprised if he or she does not look you in the eye. To look at you in the eye would be to show disrespect.
Your Hispanic students may talk quite loudly while they are working. In Mexico, classrooms encourage more discussion than typical American classrooms.
There is a definite disconnect between Mexican American culture differences on this point. What we may view as disruptive and rude behavior may be the expected norm for them.
Older Hispanic boys may use outward behaviors to display machismo. Machismo is revered in Mexican culture, and the general rule is that nothing must be allowed to tarnish their masculine image.
Most often it is simply posturing. This is a distinct Mexican culture difference, and educators can help by not putting a male student in a position where they may be made to feel inferior.
Teachers must specifically instruct in content-area vocabulary, and not expect Hispanic students to master English within the first few years.
Too often this lack of understanding leads to Latino students being wrongfully placed in Special Education classrooms.
Understanding the Hispanic culture will help educators with understanding the Mexican American culture differences their students experience.
