American Cultural Encounters

At School
Adapted from the book by
Carol Kasser and Ann M.
Silverman. Alemany
Press.

1. When the Teacher Arrives

You are sitting in the classroom talking with
classmates when the teacher enters the room.
What
Standisup.
the best thing to do?
Remain seated but look at the teacher to pay
attention.
Remain seated and keep your eyes down, out
of respect.
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No. American teachers don't expect

this degree of formality. Try again.

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Yes. This would be an appropriate

way to show respect for the
teacher and will indicate your
readiness to begin the lesson.
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Eye contact is an important

indication to your teacher that you
are paying attention. Keeping
your eyes down avoids eye
contact and can be interpreted by
Americans as a sign of sneakiness
or possible guilt.
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2. Late for Class

You are late for class and the teacher is
already talking when you arrive. What do you
do?
Knock and wait until the teacher lets you in.
Enter the room, apologize to the teacher and
then take your seat.
Dont go to class.
Enter as quietly as possible and take a seat n
ear the door.
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No. You will disrupt the class

proceedings. Try again.

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Although it is a good idea to enter

the classroom, save your apology
until after the class so that you
dont take up class time.

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You may miss work that you

need, and your absence may be
counted against you. Try again.

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Right. If you wish to apologize

to the teacher or explain your
lateness, do so after class.

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3. The Teacher is Late

The teacher hasnt come to class yet, and the
class was supposed to start ten minutes ago.
What
Stay should
in classyou
untildo?
the end of period.
Leave because ten minutes is long enough to
wait for anyone.
Decide to wait or leave depending on what d
egrees or rank the teacher has.
Wait or leave depending on how well you lik
e the teacher.
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Students dont have to wait until

the end of the class period.

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Most schools have a definite

policy about how long to wait.
Find out what the policy is before
the situation arises. Ten minutes
is usually not long enough. See
first answer above.
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You should never leave right

away, because the teacher may be
unavoidable delayed. Some
colleges and universities do
require that you wait longer for
higher ranking faculty. Check
your school policy. If you dont
know your school policy, twenty
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minutes is a good idea.

No. See first answer above.

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4. I Need a Handout
The teacher gave out handouts to the class and
you didnt get one. You say:
Give me a handout.
I didnt get a handout.
You didnt give me a handout.
May I please have a handout?

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It is not polite to give a command

(use the imperative) when talking
to a teacher.

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This is acceptable.

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Avoid using you because it

sounds like you are criticizing the
teacher.

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This is the most polite response.

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5. Excuse me, Teacher.

The teacher is talking to the class, and you
didnt understand part of his/her lecture. What
you do?
should
Look at your neighbors notes.
Whisper to your neighbor for help.
Raise your hand and ask the teacher to repea
t and/or explain what he said.
Wait until the end of class and then ask the t
eacher to explain his point.
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No. Your neighbor may be just as

lost as you, or mis-informed. Also
you may distract or annoy the
student. Try again.

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No, for the same reasons as

above.

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Yes. Dont be embarrassed to ask

for a repetition or explanations.
Other students may also have the
same problem. If the teachers
explanation doesnt help, then
make an appointment for some
extra help after class.
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This is not a bad choice, but it

usually is a good idea to get
immediate clarification if
something isnt clear, so you can
understand the rest of the lecture.

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6. Getting the Teachers Attention

The teacher gave an independent writing assignment
to be started in class. She agreed to talk with
individual students if anyone needed help. You are in
a hurry to begin your assignment but you want to talk
Sit quietly until the teacher notices you.
to the teacher before you start. She is already talking
Walk over to her, excuse yourself, and state your q
touestion.
another student. What do you do?
As soon as you see that the teacher has finished tal
king with the other student, raise your hand and try
to make eye contact with the teacher.
Walk over to the teacher and stand near him waiting
for his attention.
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No, because if the teacher is busy,

she may never notice you. Try
again.

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If you do this, you will be

interrupting the other student.
This is considered impolite. Most
Americans expects others to wait
their turn, and teachers prefer to
work with one student at a time.
Try again.
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Correct. Eye contact is important

in establishing communication in
most situations. This means
looking directly at the eyes of the
person with whom you wish to
speak. Notice how frequently
Americans use eye contact with
each other to establish or to
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maintain communication.

This might be okay with some

teachers. However most teachers
prefer to work with only one student
at a time. Most American teachers
feel uncomfortable and crowded
when several students surround
them. The teacher would probably
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prefer that you stay in your seat. See

7. Please see me after class.

Your friend is having trouble in his English class. The
teacher asks to see him after class. Your friend
doesnt speak English very well. You:

Go with your friend to see the teacher and s

peak for him.
Stay with your friend for moral support,
but let him speak for himself.
Wait for your friend outside the classroom.
Tell your friend that youll see him later.
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You should never do this.

Conferences are meant to be
private. If the teacher cannot
communicate with your friend, the
teacher can ask someone to
translate.
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No, see the answer above.

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This is better that the first two

answers. However, your friend
may hurry through the conference
if he knows you are waiting.

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Yes.

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8. No time for lunch.

Your schedule is very busy and dont have time to sit
down and eat your lunch before class. What should
you do?
Sit at the rear of the room and discreetly open you
r lunch bag or a candy bar.
Try to eat a piece of fruit or part of a sandwich bef
ore class, even if you have to do it quickly.
Finish your lunch outside of class even if it means ge
tting to class a little late.
Go hungry.

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Dont eat or drink meals or snacks

in class, unless the teacher gives
specific permission. (In small
classes or seminars where
everyone is seated around a table,
this is sometimes permitted. But
wait for the teachers initiative.)
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Right.

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Although youre right about not

eating in class, many teachers do
not approve of lateness. Try
again.

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Being hungry in class can be a major

distractor in learning.

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9. Teachers Dont Know Everything

You ask the teacher a question. He doesnt know the
answer. You expect the teacher to:

Say, I dont know the answer, but I

ll find out for you.
Say that he doesnt have time for questions.
Tell you to find the answer and report back t
o the class.
Ask the class if anyone knows the answer.

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This is a likely reply. In American

society, a teacher is usually not
embarrassed to admit that he or she
does not know the answer to a
students question. However, the
teacher should find out the answer
and inform the students.
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The teacher may be covering up

the fact that he or she doesnt
know the answer, or there might
not in fact be enough time for
discussion. Several teachers
might help you to find the answer
after class or at another time.
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This sometimes occurs in American

classrooms. Since the teacher does not
lose prestige by admitting that he is
unable to answer a question, he may want
to student who asked the question to
investigate and report to the class. If the
teacher asks a student to find an answer to
a question, its very important that the
student make an effort to do so.
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This response is also acceptable.

The teacher could also assign the
question to a student or to the whole
class.

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10. The Undignified Teacher

You have noticed that one of your women teachers
sometimes sits on her desk when teaching, wears
pants to class, and often talks with students
informally after class. You are puzzled by her

Your teacher doesnt take her job seriously.

behavious and conclude that:
She puts comfort before professionalism.
She wants students to think of her as an equa
l.
Her behavior is normal by American standar
ds.
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You cant come to this conclusion

from the information given.

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Not necessarily (See the above

answer.).

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This may be true, but a more

likely explanation of her behavior
does exist. Try again.

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Right. Americans would consider

this kind of behavior to be informal
but not undignified or inappropriate
for a teacher or professor.

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11. Homework Help

Your teacher gave a homework assignment that you
arent able to do. It is due the next day, so you:
Get help from your friend and, if necessary, use he
r answers.
Tell the teacher you cant do the assignment.
Ask the teacher if he will explain the assignment be
fore the end of class.
Ask the teacher for an appointment so you can disc
uss both the assignment and other questions you ha
ve about the course.
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American teachers strongly

disapprove of this kind of
cooperation, unless they have
specifically told students to work
together. Your teacher will feel
that you are not learning the
material if you use your friends
answers.
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Telling the teacher that you cant

do the assignment will seem like a
defeatist attitude. Its more
positive to ask for the teachers
help than to state that you cant do
the work. See the next two
answers.
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This is a good idea, particularly if

you think that other students in
the class also have question. If
you feel that you are having more
difficulty than the other students
or that you need more of the
teachers time. See the last
answer.
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You can always do this if you feel

you need extra help. If the teacher
seems very busy, ask when you can
have time to talk about the course.
See the second answer.
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12. The Late Assignment

Your assignment is due tomorrow. You know that it
wont be ready to hand in on time. What do you do?
You decide not to go to class until the assignment i
s finished.
Outside of class, explain the situation to the teach
er and request an extension.
Stay up all night to finish the assignment as well
as you can. Turn in whatever you have on the due d
ate.
Go to class without the paper.
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This is the cowards way out. Not

only is your paper not in, but youll
miss classwork. Your teacher will
probably realize why you are
absent and wont excuse the
papers lateness just because you
were not in class. Try again.
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Its a good idea to do this if you think you

have a good reason for handing in the
assignment late. However, the teacher
has the right to refuse late papers or to
give them a lower grade. Please note that
teachers expect assignments on time. You
should offer an excuse only in the case of
a real emergency.
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Many students do this. If you

dont have a good explanation for
being late, this may be the best
alternative.

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Its better to go to class without the

assignment than not to go at all. But
remember that teachers take
assignments seriously. Lateness will
probably lower your grade.
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13. Time for a Quiz

The teacher announces that its time for a quiz
and asks students to put their books away.
You:
Clear off your desk, get out a pen or pencil, and m
ove your desk so that you are isolated from your ne
arest neighbor.
Hold a whispered last-minute consultation with you
r neighbor to get a few last minute answers.
Move your desk closer to your neighbor.
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Right, this is what most American

teachers expect when they
announce a test.

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No. Last-minute whispering

angers most teachers and disturbs
other students. If youre not
prepared by then, its probably too
late to do anything about it.
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No. To the teacher, this is a signal

that you intend to exchange
information with the other
student. The teacher expects you
to do your own work.
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14. Times Not Up

You are taking a test in class. You finish early, but
were not able to answer all the questions. What
Glance
at your neighbor
should
you do?
s paper to see if he has answered any of the questi
ons that you were unable to do.
Whisper or pass a note to a neighbor and ask for he
lp.
Turn your paper over and remain seated.
Re-read the questions and check your answers.
When you are sure you have done your best, turn
in your paper to the teacher.
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No, this is considered cheating. If

you are caught you may fail the
test. The teacher expects your test
paper to reflect your work only.

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No. See the above answer. Also,

whispering disturbs your neighbor
and other students.

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While this isnt wrong, you can

make better use of your time. Try
again.

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Yes. Use extra time to amplify or to

add answers, but dont change
previous answers unless you are sure
you made a mistake.

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15. May I Be Excused?

You must leave class early for an appointmen. You:
Get up and walk out when it is time to go.
Tell the teacher before class that you must leave
early and then go when it is time to leave.
When it is time to leave, get up and explain to the
teacher why you are leaving.
Dont go to class that day.
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No. This is rude to the teacher. If

you are leaving early, the teacher is
entitled to an explanation.

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This is the best choice. However, students

should not schedule conferences or
appointments during school hours except in
emergencies, because it disturbs the class when
students come in and go out of the room. If
you dont have assigned seats, take a seat near
the door and leave as quietly as possible.
Dont ask to be excused to make a phone call,
get a drink, talk to a friend or go to the
bathroom except in an emergency. These
things should be done before or after class.

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No. This disturbs the whole class.

Although the teacher is entitled to
an explanation, it should be given
privately before class.

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If you can only stay for five or ten

minutes, this is not a bad idea.
However, if you can stay for most of
the period, you should not miss the
classwork.
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16. Class is Over

The bell rings to end the class but the teacher is still
talking. You have to go to another class. You:
Get up and leave when the bell rings.
Close your books but sit still until the teacher
finishes talking.
Continue taking notes until the teacher finishes
talking.
Put on your coat, and then put your books and
pencils away.
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No! The bell is a signal for the

teacher, not for the student. The
teacher may think that you are
anxious to leave his class.

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No. You may miss some

important notes. See the above
answer.

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Yes! The teacher will appreciate

your courtesy. If the teacher
frequently lets you out late, some
of the students could politely
remind him after class that many
of you have to go to another class
after his.
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No. See the first answer.

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17. Gifts to Teachers

When do you think it is proper to give a teacher a
gift?

Never.
Anytime.
Christmas.
At the end of the term, after grades are
given.
On the teachers birthday.

You are never required to give a

present, but it is all right to give
gifts if you wish. The habit of
giving gifts to teachers is common
in elementary school and
preschool, but it is much less
common in the higher grades.
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No. Sometimes teachers

misinterpret frequent gifts as an
attempt to influence the teacher to
give the student a good grade.

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Gifts are not required. They are

optional (up to the student).
Christmas is a time when some
students do give gifts to their
teachers. Money or very expensive
gifts are inappropriate. Books,
perfume, gloves, cookies, or candy,
etc., are acceptable gifts. Homemade
gifts are often appreciated.

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If you wish to show appreciation

to a teacher, this is a good time to
do it. Since the grades are already
decided, the teacher will not
misunderstand your reason for
giving a gift.
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Students dont usually know a

teachers birthday.

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