2/12/21; Week 6: Response to Individualism vs. Collectivism

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Individualism vs. Collectivism in a 

TESOL Classroom



In my last posts, I shared some cultural differences that exist around the world. Now, I would like to share some insights about an aspect that sometimes is not very well viewed, at least it was not very clear to me before I started reading some materials about it. I am talking about Individualism and Collectivism. There are some nations that are individualistic oriented, which emphasize independence, the pursuit for individual goals/interests, competition between individuals, whether other nations are collectivistic oriented, which emphasize interdependence, the fulfillment roles within groups, group decision-making, just to mention a few aspects. 


Professor John Iverr from the BYU-Idaho University said that "there's no way we'll ever reach perfection culturally, at least we can be aware of some issues, and address them, maybe only in our personal lives, but if everyone addresses them in their personal lives, then, oh, society would get better little by little". 


As a TESOL teacher, I can be aware of some issues and address them not just in my personal life but in my classrooms as well. Some potential challenges I may face in a classroom are, for instance, involving some students in group activities, making the students comfortable to express their own ideas and opinions, promoting creativity, avoiding competition,  and so on. I think I can be better prepared to address those challenges by getting to know my students in a deeper way and applying a balance between individualism and collectivism through a mix of activities and assessments. 


I know that there are positive and negative points among individualism and collectivism, and as Professor Ivers wisely said "you have to balance freedom", however, in a practical way, how can I encourage the students to act creatively and develop their critical thinking without worrying too much about tests and high scores?









References:

https://video.byui.edu/media/05+Individualism+vs+Collectivism/0_ojon0rjc

http://www.ncset.org/publications/essentialtools/diversity/partIII.asp 

http://www.redeseducacion.net/articulos/Informes/The%20Myth%20of%20Chinese%20Super%20Schools.pdf


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