-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
1/43
Republic of the Philippines
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Commonwealth, Quezon City
The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators:
Understanding Cultural Differences of the Students
Submitted by:
Mandiit, Ma. Vangeline B.
BBTE 3-1
Submitted to:
Prof. Artemuz Cruz
1
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
2/43
Introduction
People must acquire certain knowledge and skills in order to survive. Education
is the total process that prepares people for life in their society. It is the social institution
responsible for systematic transmission of knowledge, skills, and cultural values within a
formally organized structure to prepare individuals for effective membership in society.
To achieve the concept of education, effective teachers are needed.
Educators are responsible for molding the students. They are the facilitator of
learning. In order for teachers to facilitate student, learning several things need to occur.
The teachers as facilitators need to assess the students, plan the learning, implement the
plan, and evaluate the process. They should also recognize the talents and potentialities
of each learner. They should provide leadership and initiative to actively participate in
community movements for moral, social, educational, economic and civic betterment.
They should maintain harmonious and pleasant personal relations not just with the
learners but also with peers and other people around the community. They should
develop the skills of the learners into becoming persons of intellect and character. They
should ensure that the learners are provided with safe and adequate learning environment
that is conducive for the students to learn.
The role of the teachers is not easy. They encounter many students who have
different culture. In todays diverse classrooms, sometimes cultural differences can be
mistaken for student behavior problems. Children in various cultures also learn different
2
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
3/43
rules for communication with adults through facial expressions, body language, and
physical gestures. Understanding the behavioral and cultural differences of the students
may help the teachers to find more ways to effectively engage them in learning and
classroom communication.
Both sociology and anthropology are necessary for understanding the cultural
differences of the students. They are the most interrelated disciplines and which tend to
complement one another. (Masquiso, 1997) Sociology studies the structure of human
interaction and establishes that structures relationship with mans behavior.
Anthropology establishes the bases of such interaction or behavior. It also explains why
man in these structures behave the way they do.
Sociologists and anthropologists view education as the process, in school or
beyond, of transmitting societys knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors. Every society
seeds to educate its young members, to prepare them for adult roles.
The information that will be gathered in this study will prove the importance of
sociology and anthropology for educators to understand the behavioral and cultural
differences of the students that they handle.
3
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
4/43
Significance of the Study
This study is significant to teachers. This study will help them to be more
effective. It can also let them think for some other ways in order to be successful in
handling their students. Understanding the cultural differences of the students can make
them improve their principles and strategies of teaching.
Students will also benefit in this study. Through the information that can be read
in this study, they will realize the uniqueness of the individuals. They will also
understand why they are different with their classmates. In that way, they will become
more competitive. It will also help them to improve their study skills.
Each of us will benefit in this research. No individuals are exactly alike. In this
case, sociology and anthropology should be considered. Why? The relevance of
sociology and anthropology are the following:
1. Introduces us to the various concepts and principles vital in our understanding
of culture and society.
2. Enables us to see ourselves as part of a larger social pattern. This expands our
view of the world in order that we can appreciate better our culture.
3. Makes us better understand why people of different groups and culture behave
the way they do. Through this understanding, we may be able to adjust
ourselves to their peculiar ways and patterns.
4
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
5/43
4. Gives us the insight that our group is different from others. Through this, we
may be led to respect the identity and unique nature of other groups and
members of such groups.
5. Help in promoting inter-ethnic and cultural understanding. It can promote
national unity and progress, and international understanding through
promotion and cross-cultural knowledge.( Nael, 2007)
Statement of the Problem
1. How are sociology and anthropology related to each other?
2. What is the purpose of education as a social institution?
3. How are individuals different?
4. What are the effects of cultural diversity inside the classroom?
5. How can educators improve their ways of teaching to effectively engage the
students with cultural differences in learning?
6. What is the significance of both sociology and anthropology for educators?
5
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
6/43
Review of Related Literatures and Studies
Foreign Literature
Similarities between Sociology and Anthropology
Young (2009) posted about the similarities between sociology and anthropology
in http://www.helium.com/items/1631401-similarities-between-sociology-and
anthropology. Sociology and anthropology both study human society, how societies are
organized and how humans interact and behave within them. The difference is in how all
of this is studied. Anthropology and forensic anthropology can be seen as more oriented
to the biological, historical, and holistic nature of human society and interaction, while
sociology looks at the entire spectrum of human interaction, social structure and social
organization with interest in quantitative analysis of the causes and effects of individual
and group activity. Sociology looks at groups, from small to global in scope, while
anthropologists work closely or even live with groups and societies in order to study the
holistic enterprise of human action and interaction.
Both fields share some detailed interest in the same theory, methods, historical
backgrounds, and scientific approaches. It is important that the student of both fields
remain aware that the individual is not eh key unit of study, since the individual is a
product of the society, which, in turn is not the product of the actions of any one
individual. Psychology is more appropriate for study of the individual.
6
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
7/43
Sociology and anthropology reject arguments that are solely based on human
nature as the sole or overriding causative factor in a situation. It is overall society and its
cultural influence and how it affects the nature of the human that is of interest to
sociologists and anthropologists. While all causation as dependent upon individual action
is rejected, neither field allows slacking off with over broad argumentation, such as
society is entirely the cause of a persons actions, either.
Both fields consider that some aspects of human behavior, culture, and action may
have nothing to do with the group or society as a whole, and seed to understand how
people who form into social groups, or huge societies work, live, develop their thoughts,
beliefs, norms, and values.
According to Hoebel, Sociology and Social Anthropology are, in their broadest
sense one and the same. Evans Pritchard considers social anthropology a branch of
sociology. Sociology is greatly benefited by anthropological studies.
Sociology has borrowed many concepts like cultural area, culture traits,
interdependent traits, cultural lag, culture patterns, culture configuration, etc., from socio-
cultural anthropology.
The knowledge of anthropology, physical as well as socio-cultural, is necessary
for a sociologist. An understanding of society can be gained by comparing various
cultures, particularly, the modern with the primitive.
7
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
8/43
Anthropology as a discipline is so closely related to sociology that the two are
frequently indistinguishable. Both of them are fast growing. The socio-cultural
anthropologists today are also making a study of the present and their societies. In a
number of universities, anthropology and sociology are administratively organized into
one department.
Anthropology and the Contemporary World
Today, humans face a world that is changing faster than ever before. It is also a
world that, despite a great deal of human progress, is beset by a multitude of serious
problems. Anthropology is at the forefront in the search for solutions to problems of
rapid change, social upheaval, and environmental degradation; moreover its holistic
perspective is especially suited for coming to terms with the complexities of the world
system. In the face of crisis and uncertainty we need, more than ever to understand
where we came from, what we are, and what we have adapted to an array of
environments, anthropologists can contribute a great deal toward gaining this
understanding concern with promoting the notions of universalism and cultural relativism
gives it an important role in a world over run with communal and racial intolerance,
hatred, and violence.
Anthropology, the scientific study of humanity, seeks to explain how and why
people are both similar and different through examination of our biological and cultural
8
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
9/43
past and comparative study of existing human societies. Anthropologists ultimate goal
is to develop an integrated picture of humankinda goal that encompasses an almost
infinite number of questions about all aspects of our existence. We ask, for example,
what makes us human? Why do some groups of people tend to be tall and lanky, while
others tend to be short and stocky? Why do some people practice agriculture, while
others hunt for living? Anthropologists are interested in all things human. (Hattis, 1992)
The Diversity of Man
Hattis (1992) also mentioned that all modern humans are physically and
genetically very much the same. Even so, physical diversity is readily apparent in body
types, pigmentation, hair textures, and the like. Natural selection may account for some
of the differences because regional populations could have adapted to local conditions.
Random evolutionary processes may account for other differences.
The most astounding aspect of the diversity of modern humankind is the great
variety of human cultural adaptations. Cultural mechanisms have partly circumvented
the slow process of human biological evolution by allowing groups to adapt rapidly to a
broad range of environments.
Human biological diversity can be approached in two ways: first, as the outcome
of human evolution and second, as an ongoing process, as humans continue to adapt to
environmental factors. Within these contexts, anthropologists seek to explain the
9
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
10/43
diversity. Are there differences of any evolutionary significance? How should human
populations be described and classified? In exploring such questions scientists examine
the biological basis of human variability, including the complex interrelationships
between genes, environment, and traits, and the nature of growth and development. In
their efforts to explain the genetic and evolutionary implications of the diversity,
anthropologists are particularly concerned with identifying the patterns by which specific
traits vary among groups.
Culture
Universal biological imperatives are associated with a universal set of
psychological problems that people need to solve in order to survive; thus, all individuals
must create ways to deal with these universal problems. The ways that each group
develops then become their culture. (Matsumoto 2006)
Matsumoto (2006) define culture as the product of the interaction between
universal biological needs and functions, universal social problems created to address
those needs, and the contexts in which people live. Culture is created as people adapt to
their environments in order to survive, and it results from the process of individuals
attempts to adapt to t heir contexts in addressing the universal social problems and
biological needs.
10
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
11/43
Cultural Differences among Learners
Taylor (2007) explained that in todays diverse classrooms, sometimes cultural
differences can be mistaken for student behavior problems. She gave a checklist which
offers some possible cultural explanations for 16 perceived behavior problems a teacher
may encounter in a classroom.
Perceived behavior #1: Student avoids eye contact.
Possible Cultural Explanation: Keeping eyes downcast may be a way of showing
respect. In some cultures, direct eye contact with a teacher is considered disrespectful and
a challenge to a teacher's authority.
Perceived behavior #2: The student tends to smile when disagreeing with what is
being said or when being reprimanded.
Possible Cultural Explanation: A smile may be a gesture of respect that children are
taught to employ to avoid giving offense in difficult situations.
Perceived behavior #3: The student shrinks from or responds poorly to
apparently inoffensive forms of physical contact or proximity.
Possible Cultural Explanation: There may be taboos on certain types of physical contact.
Buddhists, for instance, regard the head and shoulders as sacred and would consider it
impolite to ruffle a child's hair or give a reassuring pat on the shoulder. There is also
significant difference among cultures with respect to people's sense of what is considered
an appropriate amount of personal space.
11
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
12/43
Perceived behavior #4: The student appears to be overtly affectionate with other
students.
Possible Cultural Explanation: In many cultures it is not uncommon for friends (girls
and/or boys) to link arms, hold hands or greet each other with a hug or kiss on the cheek.
Perceived behavior #5: The student refuses to eat with peers.
Possible Cultural Explanation: Some students may be unaccustomed to eating with
anyone but members of their own family.
Perceived behavior #6: The student refuses to eat certain kinds of foods or
doesn't eat at all at certain periods.
Possible Cultural Explanation: Many religions have food taboos and fasting periods.
Young children are often exempt from fasting, but many choose to participate.
Perceived behavior #7: The student does not participate actively in group work
or collaborate with peers on cooperative assignments.
Possible Cultural Explanation: Cooperative group work is never used by teachers in
some cultures. Students may thus view sharing as "giving away knowledge" and may see
no distinction between legitimate collaboration and cheating.
Perceived behavior #8: The student displays uneasiness, expresses disapproval,
or even misbehaves in informal learning situations involving open-ended learning
processes. (For example, exploration).
12
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
13/43
Possible Cultural Explanation: Schooling in some cultures involves strict formality. For
students who are used to this, an informal classroom atmosphere may seem chaotic and
undemanding, while teachers with an informal approach may seem unprofessional. Such
students may also be uncomfortable with process-oriented learning activities and prefer
activities that yield more tangible and evident results.
Perceived behavior #9: The student talks loudly and sometimes overlaps speech
with the others in the group or class.
Possible Cultural Explanation: In some classrooms around the world, students have more
freedom to speak. They're not as closely regulated. Students talk a lot more, and the talk
more loudly. What is considered interruptive or rude behavior in North American
classrooms would be considered task-oriented behavior in the home country's schools.
Perceived behavior #10: The student refuses to participate in extracurricular or
in various physical education activities. For example, swimming, skating, track and field.
Possible Cultural Explanation: Extracurricular activities may not be considered part of
learning or may even, along with some physical education activities, be contrary to a
student's religious or cultural outlook. Some students may also be required to use after-
school hours to generate income or help out with a family business.
Perceived behavior #11: The student seems inattentive or does not display active
listening behaviors.
13
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
14/43
Possible Cultural Explanation: In some cultures, the learning process involves observing
and doing or imitating rather than listening and absorbing through note-taking or other
forms of active listening.
Perceived behavior #12: Performance following instruction reveals that the
student does not understand the instruction, even though he or she refrained from asking
for help or further explanation.
Possible Cultural Explanation: In some cultures, expressing a lack of understanding or
asking for help from the teacher is interpreted as a suggestion that the teacher has not
been doing a good enough job of teaching, and is considered impolite.
Perceived behavior #13: The student is unresponsive, uncooperative, or even
disrespectful in dealing with teachers of another gender.
Possible Cultural Explanation: Separate schooling for boys and girls is the norm in some
cultures. Likewise, in some cultures the expectation for boys and girls is quite different.
The idea that girls and boys should have the same opportunities for schooling and play
comparable roles as educators will therefore run contrary to some students' cultural
conditioning.
Perceived behavior #14: The student appears reluctant to engage in debate,
speculation, argument, or other processes that involve directly challenging the views and
ideas of others.
14
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
15/43
Possible Cultural Explanation: In some cultures, it is considered inappropriate to openly
challenge another's point of view, especially the teacher's. In other cases, there may be a
high value attached to being prepared, knowledgeable, and correct whenever one speaks.
Perceived behavior #15: The student exhibits discomfort or embarrassment at
being singled out for special attention or praise.
Possible Cultural Explanation: To put oneself in the limelight for individual praise is not
considered appropriate in some cultures, where the group is considered more important
than the individual.
Perceived behavior #16: The student fails to observe the conventions of silent
reading.
Possible Cultural Explanation: Some students may be culturally predisposed to see
reading as essentially an oral activity and will therefore read aloud automatically. For
others reading aloud is associated with memorization.
McGee (2008) posted in http://www.greatschools.org/special-
education/support/704-cultural-differences-student-performance.gs#sthash.JEF0EOBp
about how cultural differences may affect student performance. In everyday
conversation, spoken words are only one way to communicate. As little as 7 percent of a
message may be expressed in words. The rest is through facial expression, voice tone,
body gestures, and overall posture. When the verbal and nonverbal messages don't match
15
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
16/43
up, people pay more attention to the nonverbal message. That's what's meant by the old
saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words."
It may be difficult to understand nonverbal messages because different cultures
have different expectations about eye contact, physical touch, body gestures, etc. A
person's gender, age, position in society, level of acculturation, and individual preference
can complicate communication even more.
Let's consider eye contact. Kids from many Latin American and Asian cultures
show respect by avoiding the glance of authority figures. A teacher who's unfamiliar with
this cultural norm, however, might interpret the lack of eye contact as just the opposite - a
sign of disrespect. For many American Indian children, looking a teacher in the eye and
answering her question in front of the class is "showing off." Yet a teacher who doesn't
know this could think the child was unmotivated or inattentive.
Culture greatly influences attitudes about physical contact, whether it's a
handshake, hug, or pat on the back. In Asia, female friends often hold hands and men
casually embrace one another as they walk down the street. Americans, however, may
feel uncomfortable with such public behavior. In some Asian cultures, affectionately
patting an adult's head is strictly taboo, although it can be acceptable behavior between
adults and young children.
16
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
17/43
How close should people stand to each other when they're having a conversation?
In areas of the Middle East and South America, people stand very close when talking.
European Americans like to have more distance between them, while some African
Americans prefer even more space. You can create great discomfort by standing too close
to another person. Not being aware of this can even prevent someone from understanding
or accepting the ideas you're trying to get across.
To create a positive environment for communication, your nonverbal message
must closely match your verbal message. First, recognize your own expectations about
nonverbal communication, and then find ways to learn about those of individuals and
other cultures. One way to do this is to carefully observe how kids and families speak and
behave around each other and with people of authority. This can provide clues about the
true meaning of their nonverbal interactions.
Nonverbal messages have a powerful impact on what's communicated. When a
person is sensitive to these silent messages, he's far more likely to interact with others in
a friendly, comfortable manner and to make his spoken message more understandable.
Grossman (2004) in his book entitled: Classroom Behavior Management for
Diverse and Inclusive Schools, discussed about cultural differences. Cultural differences
can affect whether or not a teacher regards a students behavior as appropriate, polite,
fair, or moral. For example, in some cultures, people are brought up to be considerate of
others. Dont play the stereo too loud, Dont make noise too early, you will wake the
17
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
18/43
people in the next campsite, and Play outside with your friends so that your brother can
study. In other cultures, youngsters are brought up to be tolerant of others: Dont let
the radio bother you, You better go to sleep early; you know that campers make noise
in the morning, and Learn not to be distracted by other peoplethe world cant stop
just because you have to do your homework.
Teachers who have been brought up to be considerate of others are more likely to
perceive students as interfering with the rights of others or as unwilling to share,
conform, or go along with the group. As a result, they may intervene in situations that
other teachers would accept as reasonable behavior.
As noted previously, teachers are less likely to view the behavior of students who
share their ethnic and socioeconomic class cultural backgrounds as problematic. Since
cultures have different expectations regarding active versus sedentary behavior,
cooperative versus competitive and independent behavior, sharing, waiting ones turn,
meeting conflicts head on, apologizing for mistakes, speaking frankly, and so on, whether
teachers view many behaviors as problematic depends in part on the match between their
students and their cultural backgrounds.
Local Literature
Sociology is a science of society. It focuses attention to all kinds of social
interaction such as social acts, social relationships, social structures and social processes.
18
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
19/43
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
20/43
9. It relies heavily on field work
The Relationship between Sociology and Anthropology
Tayle (2012) posted on scribd.com about anthropology and sociology.
Anthropology studies how and why man has changed; how and why societies across
culture and time have different customary ideas and practices; and the belief, politics,
religion, social life, aesthetics, and health. It answers the following questions:
Who are you?
What makes you?
What is your place in this world?
On the other hand, sociology answers the following questions:
Who are the people around you?
What is their story?
How do these stories affect you?
According to del Rosario (2006), anthropology is closest to sociology. Both are
interested in social organizations and social interaction. Both address social problems
and issues like population, environment, poverty, delinquency, crime or even mental
illness. Anthropologists also have shown concern over social problems related to poverty
as well as in the social impact of industrialization and urbanization.
20
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
21/43
Practical Applications of Anthropology and Sociology
Anthropology has practical uses. It reduces ethnocentrism by instilling
appreciation of other cultures. Through a study of other societies and cultures, it
contributes to education. It suggests the potential and general value of anthropology in
inspiring government action. Researches on all aspects of culture are undertaken by
anthropologists. Through anthropological studies, programs of aid in the military,
economic, and political fields are assessed and evaluated. Not only is there evaluation,
but also inspiration of economic development and technical assistance programs.
Through what is termed participant interference, anthropology acts as catalyzer and
instigates action. (Lardizabal 1988).
Sociology and anthropology are both important in social institutions. One of
those social institutions is education which is responsible for systematic transmission of
knowledge, skills and cultural values within a formally organized structure. People must
acquire certain knowledge and skills in order to survive.
Education is the total process that prepares people for life in their society. It
transmits selected knowledge, skills and values to prepare individuals for effective
membership in society. (Nael, et. al 2007)
21
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
22/43
Education and Society
Nael, et al (2007) indicated in his book the different perspectives on the purpose
of education in contemporary society. The first one is the functionalist perspective.
Functionalists view education as one of the most important components of society.
Durkheim explained that education is the influence exercised by adult generation on
those that are not yet ready for social life. In order to achieve a cohesive social order,
moral values should be the foundation. Schools have the responsibility of teaching a
commitment to the common morality. In this perspective, teaching students to put the
groups needs ahead of their individual desires and aspiration is needed.
In conflict perspective, education is used to perpetuate class, racial-ethnic, and
gender inequalities through tracking, ability grouping, and a hidden curriculum that
teaches subordinate groups conformity and obedience. In interactionist perspective,
classroom dynamics, examining the interpretations that students and teachers give their
interactions with one another.
The changing society and the demands for more effective programs create serious
implications to education. In the words of Francis Brown, the curriculum of the school
will markedly affected by the results of a study of the community where the school
operates.
22
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
23/43
On the other hand, Falsom stressed the value of the schools knowing community
life and culture. He said that events in education and in the community have brought
leaders in these two fields into an awareness of their relation to each other. Education
has come into closer relations with life, in the homes and family, with the results that a
new movement, education of family living is underway. (Palispis 2007)
Palispis (2007) also indicated in his book that in order to bridge the gap between
the school and community draw on the community and its activities. Anthropologists
point to the existing incongruence between what is learned in school and what is
practiced in the family and in the community. Seemingly, the school becomes the word
of the ideal, and the family, the world of the real. It is the main concern of
educational sociologists and anthropologists to narrow down the gap or existence
incongruence between the school and the local communities.
Effects of Education on Individuals
Every school serves as a miniature society. Whatever realities prevail in the
higher society is reflected in the school and its system.
The children in any given society are inducted into the special society and culture
of schooling by a variety of mechanisms that are common to most schools in the greater
society, as well as unique to their own elementary or secondary school.
23
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
24/43
Children also learn the special traditions, folkways, and mores of their particular
school. Its distinctive sub cultural patterns include its degree of emphasis upon the
acquisition of basic skills as opposed to life adjustment competencies.
Implications for Education: Individual Differences
Lardizabal (1988) mentioned in his book entitled: Foundations of Education about
the implications of Education. Since individuals mature at different rates, parents, and
teachers should not expect the same degree of development in children. In the same class
of pupils with the same chronological age, there will be individual differences. So
teachers should not try to push children to attain the same performance as the bright ones.
Parents should not try to compare their children with each other and expect the same
level of performance from all.
In spite of individual differences, certain general characteristics go with every
stage of life. Parents should be concerned if a child is behind his stage of development.
For instance, if a child cannot walk yet at the age of three, the parents had better consult a
doctor to find out what is wrong. If a child is growing too fast and has reached a height
of five feet at the age of seven, it is also necessary to consult the doctor.
Parents and teachers should also help children and youth with the development
tasks at each stage of life. Mastering the 3Rs (reading, writing, arithmetic) in the
elementary school is a must. Teachers should drill the children well in the four
24
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
25/43
fundamental operations in arithmetic so that they will not encounter difficulties when
they take up algebra, geometry, or trigonometry. To be socially adjusted in college, the
youth should plan to have parties where young men and women may have opportunities
to practice their terpsichorean, communication and social skills.
Foreign Study
In the study entitled: Cultural differences in the non-verbal communication
within the cross-cultural negotiations by the European Master in Business Studies
Master Program (2012), they mentioned Jandt (1900) in defining culture as sum of total
ways of living including behavioral norms, linguistic expression, styles of
communication, patterns of thinking, and beliefs and values of a group large enough to be
self-sustaining transmitted over the course of generations. GLOBEs definition includes
shared motives, values, beliefs, identities, and interpretations or meanings of significant
events that result from common experiences of members of collectives and that are
transmitted across generations (House et al., 2004, p15). Furthermore, De Long and
Fahey (2000) describe culture more general, as a system of values, norms, practices that
are shared among a group of people and that form a model for living. To define the
meaning of culture helps to identify what the causes and effects are and how culture
can influence negotiation outcomes.
The purpose of their study is to investigate the cultural differences in non-verbal
communication. They concluded that non-verbal communication or body language is an
25
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
26/43
important part of how people communicate and it is evident that there are differences
from one culture to another.
In the study of Guo (2008), they define culture as an all inclusive system of
communications which incorporates the biological and technical behavior of human
beings with their verbal and non-verbal systems of expressive behavior. In a country of a
region, culture is the sum total of a way of life: it is the pattern of values, traits, or
behaviors shared by the people, at the same time, behavior practices that have a social
meaning greater than the activity itself and which by their nature reinforce the culture, so
the function of culture is to establish modes of conduct, standards of performance, ways
of dealing with interpersonal and environmental relations that will reduce uncertainty and
increase predictability, thereby it can promote survival and growth among the members
of any society. Culture influences behavior and explains how a group filters information.
Different cultures may have different values; different cultural theories also have
different ways to analyze.
In Friesens (1972) study, the spontaneous expressions of Americans and
Japanese were examined as they viewed highly stressful films in two conditions, first
alone and then a second time in the presence of an older, male experimenter. In the first
condition, the American and Japanese participants were similar in their expressions of
disgust, sadness, fear, and anger; in the second condition, however, cultural differences
emerged. Whereas the Americans continued to express their negative emotions, the
Japanese were more likely to smile.
26
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
27/43
Other researchers have also examined cultural differences in emotional
expression. In the study of Matsumoto and Kupperusch (2001), European American
females were classified as either individualistic or collectivistic based on their responses
to an individual difference measure and were then videotaped unobtrusively as they
watched films designed to elicit positive and negative emotion, first alone and then in the
presence of an experimenter. They self-rated their emotional responses to both films in
both films in both conditions, and samples of their emotional expressions were judged by
a separate group of decoders.
Ekman and Friesen (1969) coined the term cultural display rules to account for
cultural differences in facial expressions of emotion. These are the rules learned early in
childhood that help individuals manage and modify their emotional expressions
depending on social circumstances. Ekman and Friesen used the concept to explain the
American-Japanese cultural differences in expression they observed, suggesting that in
the first condition of their experiment there was no reason for display rules to modify
expressions because the participants were alone and their display rules were inoperative;
in the second condition display rules dictated that the Japanese mask their negative
emotions in the presence of the experimenter.
Matsumotos (1990) study examining display rules in Americans and Japanese.
Participants saw faces portraying seven emotions and rated the appropriateness of each in
eight social situations involving people of varying intimacy and status. Americans rated
27
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
28/43
negative emotions more appropriately than did the Japanese in in-groups, whereas the
Japanese rated negative emotions more appropriately than Americans in outgroups; the
Japanese also rated negative emotions more appropriately than Americans toward lower
status individuals. Matsumoto (1993) used the same methodology to document
differences in display rules among four ethnic groups within the United States.
Ekman and Friesen (1969; 1975) noted six ways in which expressions may be
managed when emotion is aroused. Of course, individuals can express emotions as they
feel them with no modification. But individuals can also amplify (exaggerate) or
deamplify (minimize) their expressions; for instance, feelings of sadness may be
intensified (amplification) at funerals or minimized (deamplification) at weddings.
People can mask or conceal their emotions by expressing something other than what they
feel, as when nurses or physical hid their emotions when speaking with patients with
terminal illness, or when employees in service industries (e.g., flight attendants) interact
with customers. Individuals may also learn to neutralize their expressions, expressing
nothing, such as when playing poker (poker face) and to qualify their feelings by
expressing emotions in combination, such as when feelings of sadness are mixed with a
smile, with the smile commenting on the sadness, saying Ill be OK.
Erickson and Mohatt (1982) address cultural differences between Native
American and Anglo-American majority culture pupils. They draw on ethnographic data
to show that Native American children avoid asserting control in ways that could be seen
as limiting the autonomy of others. They do this in order to argue that Native and
28
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
29/43
mainstream patterns of social and linguistic interaction differ in ways which are
fundamental to learning.
Lipka (1991) bases his case for cultural congruence in teaching and learning on
his study from the Bristol Bay region of Alaska of a Yupik teacher implementing what
he refers to as Yupik pedagogy, which emphasizes cooperation, the use of overlapping
speech and co-speaking as well as a cognitive style that is holistic in relating all elements
to a whole. Lipka uses video to record the detail of classroom interactions noting
especially the absence of lengthy teacher lesson introductions and the employment of
modeling rather than direct instruction to encourage particular behaviors and values.
Local Study
According to the study of Ortega, Merylle Rose entitled: The Study of Sociology
and Anthropology, the history of anthropology starts at 15th to 18th century during
discoveries and explorations period. In 19th century, anthropology began to take shape as
a separate field of study which had its roots in the natural sciences, social sciences and
the humanities. Sociology is considered one of the youngest of the social sciences.
The ideas of sociology and anthropology were diffused in Europe. Anthropology
began as a practical activity of colonizers in the service of religion and government.
Anthropology was elevated to an academic discipline in the University of the Philippines
in 1914 by Otley Beyer.
29
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
30/43
Sociology is the science of society and the social interaction taking place among
individuals in a social group. There are various areas concern of sociology:
a. Social organization
b. Social Psychology
c. Social change and social disorganization
d. Population
e. human ecology
f. sociological theory and methods
g. applied sociology.
Anthropology is also a science of humanity and its society. It is a scientific study
of humanity. The similarities and diversity of cultures attempts to present an integrated
picture of humankind. There are subdivisions linked by unifying themes. There
includes:
a. Universalism
b. Integration
c. Adaptation
The disciplines of sociology and anthropology have close attrinities and many
sociologists and anthropologists recognize that two disciplines have much in common.
Both disciplines synthesize and generalize data about human behavior and social systems.
Both are related to the humanities.
30
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
31/43
Sociology and anthropology are also related to history, which is the study of past
events and which attempts to establish the social contexts that influence people.
31
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
32/43
Discussion
How are sociology and anthropology related to each other?
Anthropology is closest to sociology. They both study human society, how
societies are organized and how humans interact and behave within them. Sociology is a
science of society. It focuses attention to all kinds of social interaction such as social
acts, social relationships, social structures and social processes. Anthropology is
concerned with the study of biological, cultural, social and psychological aspects of
human nature, origin and development. It is also a science that studies mans behavior,
works and modes of production.
Both fields consider that some aspects of human behavior, culture, and action may
have nothing to do with the group or society as a whole, and seek to understand how
people who form into social groups or huge scientists work, live, develop their thoughts,
beliefs, norms, and values.
Both are interested in social organizations and social interaction. Both address
social problems and issues like population, environment, poverty, delinquency, crime or
even mental illness.
32
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
33/43
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
34/43
Anthropologists point to the existing incongruence between what is learned in
school and what is practiced in the family and in the community. The school is the word
of ideal and the family is the world of the real. It is the main concern of educational
sociologists and anthropologists to narrow down the gap or existing incongruence
between the school and the local communities.
How are individuals different?
Human biological diversity can be approached in two ways: first, as the outcome
of human evolution and second, as an ongoing process, as humans continue to adapt to
environmental factors. Within this context, anthropologists seek to explain the diversity.
Scientists examine the biological basis of human variability, including the complex
interrelationships between genes, environment, and traits, and the nature of growth and
development. In their efforts to explain the genetic and evolutionary implications of the
diversity, anthropologists are particularly concerned with identifying the patterns by
which specific traits vary among groups.
Natural selection may account for some of the differences because regional
populations could have adapted to local conditions. Random evolutionary process may
account for other differences.
The most astounding aspect of the diversity of modern humankind is the great
variety of human cultural adaptations. Cultural mechanisms have partly circumvented
34
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
35/43
the slow process of human biological evolution by allowing groups to adapt rapidly to a
broad range of environments.
What are the effects of cultural diversity inside the classroom?
In todays diverse classrooms, sometimes cultural differences can be mistaken for
student behavior problems. Cultural differences can affect whether or not a teacher
regards a students behavior as appropriate, polite, fair, or moral. For example, in some
cultures, people are brought up to be considerate of others while in other culture,
youngsters are brought up to be tolerant of others.
Teachers who have been brought up to be considerate of others are more likely to
perceive likely to students as interfering with the rights of others or as unwilling to share,
conform, or go along with the group. As a result, they may intervene in situations that
other teachers would accept as reasonable behavior.
Teachers are less likely to view the behavior of students who share their ethnic
and socioeconomic class cultural backgrounds as problematic. Since cultures have
different expectations regarding active versus sedentary behavior, cooperative versus
competitive and independent behavior, sharing, waiting ones turn, meeting conflicts,
head on, apologizing for mistakes, speaking frankly, and so on, whether teachers view
many behaviors as problematic depends in part on the match between their students and
their cultural backgrounds.
35
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
36/43
How can educators improve their ways of teaching to effectively engage the students with
cultural differences?
Understanding that certain behaviors may be the cultural norm for some of the
students may help the teachers to find ways to more effectively engage them in learning
and classroom communication. For example, a student avoids eye contact. Keeping eyes
downcast may be a way of showing respect. But, in some cultures, direct eye contact
with a teacher is considered disrespectful and a challenge to a teachers authority.
What is the significance of both sociology and anthropology for educators?
Both sociology and anthropology has practical uses. It reduces ethnocentrism by
instilling appreciation of their cultures. Through a study of other societies and culture,
educators will understand the behavior of their students for them to improve their
methods and principles of teaching.
Since anthropology studies how and why man have changed; how and why
societies across culture and time have different customary ideas and practices; and the
belief, politics, religion, social life, aesthetics, and health and answers the questions like
Who are you?, What makes you?, and What is your place in this world? and
sociology answers the questions, Who are the people around you, What is their
story?, and How do these stories affect you?. They are concerned in individual
differences.
36
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
37/43
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
38/43
Conclusion
Sociology and anthropology are very much related. They consider some aspects
of human behavior, culture, and action. They seek to understand how people who form
into social groups, or huge scientists work, live, develop their thoughts, beliefs, norms,
and values. Because of that, they are both necessary for educators.
Educators handle students with different behavior because of their culture. The
most astounding aspect of the diversity of modern humankind is the great variety of
human cultural adaptations. Cultural mechanisms have partly circumvented the slow
process of human biological evolution by allowing groups to adapt rapidly to a broad
range of environments.
Cultural differences can be mistaken for student behavior problems. Cultural
differences can affect whether or not a teacher regards a students behavior as
appropriate, polite, fair, or moral.
Through sociology and anthropology, teachers will understand the differences of
their students. It is necessary for them to learn how to handle those differences.
Understanding their students will make them improve their ways of teaching and
classroom communication.
38
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
39/43
Recommendation
In the same class of pupils with the same chronological age, there will be
individual differences. Teachers should not try to push children to attain the same
performance as the bright ones. They should also help children and youth with the
development of tasks at each stage of life. They should master the 3Rs (writing, reading,
and arithmetic.)
Teachers should have the following behaviors:
Appreciate and accommodate the similarities and differences among the
students cultures. Effective teachers of culturally diverse students acknowledge both
individual and cultural differences enthusiastically and identify these differences in a
positive manner. This positive identification creates a basis for the development of
effective communication and instructional strategies. Social skills such as respect and
cross-cultural understanding can be modeled, taught, prompted, and reinforced by the
teacher.
Build relationships with students. Interview with African-American high
school students who presented behavior challenges for staff revealed that they wanted
their teachers to discover what their lives were like outside of school and that they
wanted an opportunity to partake in the schools reward systems. Developing an
39
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
40/43
understanding of students lives also enables the teacher to increase the relevance of
lessons and make examples more meaningful.
Focus on the ways students learn and observe students to identify their task
orientations. Once students orientations are known, the teacher can structure tasks to
take them into account. For example, before some students can begin a task, they need
time to prepare or attend to details. In this case, the teacher can allow time for students to
prepare, provide them with advance organizers, and announce how much time will be
given for preparation and when the task will begin. This is a positive way to honor their
need for preparation, rituals, or customs.
Teach students to match their behaviors to the setting. We all behave
differently in different settings. For example, we behave more formally at official
ceremonies. Teaching students the differences between their home, school, and
community settings can help them switch to appropriate behavior for each context. For
example, a teacher may talk about the differences between conversations with friends in
the community and conversations with adults at school and discuss how each behavior is
valued and useful in that setting. While some students adjust their behavior
automatically, others must be taught and provided ample opportunities to practice.
Involving families and the community can help students learn to adjust their behavior in
each of the settings in which they interact.
40
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
41/43
Teachers should also practice the following strategies for teaching culturally
diverse students:
Use a variety of instructional strategies and learning activities. Offering
variety provides the students with opportunities to learn in ways that are responsive to
their own communication styles, cognition styles, and aptitudes. In addition, the variety
helps them develop and strengthen other approaches to learning.
Consider students cultures and language skills when developing learning
objectives and instructional activities. Facilitate comparable learning opportunities for
students with differing characteristics. For example, consider opportunities students who
differ in appearance, race, sex, disability, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, or
ability.
Incorporate objectives for affective and personal development. Provide
increased opportunities for high and low achievers to boost their self-esteem, develop
positive and self-attributes, and enhance their strengths and talents. Such opportunities
can enhance students motivation to learn and achieve.
Communicate expectations. Let the students know the classroom rules about
talking, verbal participation in lessons, and moving about the room. Tell them how long
a task will take to complete or how long it will take to learn a skill or strategy, and when
appropriate, give them information on their ability to master a certain skill or complete a
41
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
42/43
task. For example, it may be necessary to encourage students who expect to achieve
mastery but are struggling to do so. They may need to know that they have the ability to
achieve mastery, but must work through the difficulty.
Provide rationales. Explain the benefits of learning a concept, skill, or task. Ask
students to tell you the rationale for learning and explain how the concept or skill applies
to their lives at school, home, and work.
Use advance and post organizers. At the beginning of lessons, give the students
an overview and tell them the purpose or goal of the activity. If applicable, tell them the
order that the lesson will follow and relate it to previous lessons. At eh end of the lesson,
summarize its main points.
Provide frequent reviews of the content learned. For example, check with the
students to see if they remember the difference between simple and compound sentences.
Provide a brief review of the previous lesson before continuing on to a new and related
lesson.
Facilitate independence in thinking and action. There are many ways to
facilitate students independence. For example, when students begin their work without
specific instruction from the teacher, they are displaying independence. When students
ask questions, the teacher can encourage independence by responding in a way that lets
the student know how to find the answer for him or herself. When teachers ask students
42
-
7/28/2019 Term Paper: The Significance of both Sociology and Anthropology for Educators: Understanding Cultural Difference
43/43