What is culture?

As a child, I view the world

through the eyes of a child.
I am the center of the world
with a panoramic view of my
surroundings. As a child,
culture is the way I think.

As an adolescent, I view
the world through my eyes; my
lens. I am discovering myself
and my world around me.
Culture is the way I think and
act. I am becoming aware
that culture is also the way
others think and act.


As an adult, I view the world
still, through my eyes or lens,
but no longer as a child. At
times, I am a mere speck
standing on the edge of one of
the numerous corners in the
world. Other times, I
appear to be the center of the
world; my world. The world
either passed on to me or the
one I created encompassing my values, traditions and religion. My culture is not the only
culture in the world, and neither should it be. Others in the world do not think and act as I
do, and that is okay! Culture is the way a person thinks, acts and interacts with others in the
world. Continually seeking commonalities to exchange ideas to ensure actions peacefully
interact defines a great culture. Anything less may simply be attributed to being a fad.

The original Mind Map,
created during unit 1 has
remained relatively unchanged
and is interestingly similar to
one developed in a classroom
in the UAE. Aside from the
Arabic, the items depicting
cultural identity are very
similar.

Nieto states Culture is ever-
changing (2008, p. 129). With
that, I anticipate my culture
changing as well as my perspective
and how I relate to the world. As
I continue on this journey and
become stronger in my abilities to
think and act, I must also remain
strong in my resolve to bend as I enthusiastically interact with those around me.




References

Nieto, S. (2008). chapter 9: Culture and Education1. Yearbook of the National Society for the
Study of Education, 107(1), 127-142. Retrieved from http://www.sonianieto.com/OLD/files/
new_additions/culture_and_education.pdf