Portfolio Assignment #5: Cultural Artifacts

Debit Card

License

Personal Copy of Scriptures

Book Shelf full of books

Ticket Stub

Filipino Flag

Refrigerator

                                                 

Cereal Boxes (One w/ name on it)

Dishwasher

   

Microwave

Television

DVDs

    

Nativity

Wedding Invitations

Singles Ward Directory

Advent Calendar

Washing Machine

Bike Registration Number

Dental Hygiene Equipment

Deodorant

Hair Straightener

Tampons

Pictures of Christ

Piano Book

These artifacts represent my country's culture, my church culture, my college culture, and my family culture.

First of all, my American culture provides for lots of autonomy and freedom. I have a license because men AND women ages 16 and up can drive in our country. I also have freedom to decide what kind of feminine hygiene products I use. In the Philippines there is a culture where tampons are seen as affecting one's virginity. They only use pads there. My bike number represents that I live in a culture full of bureaucracy. That number was put on my bike by a BYU police woman last week when it was impounded for being locked in the wrong place. My American culture has freedom, but there are laws that govern that freedom to maintain order. I am also free to go to school. I have shelf full of books because I am not restricted in my education. I do not live in a time or place where books are being widely banned. These freedoms that are significant to our culture often benefit schools. There are restrictions that prevent chaos, but for the most part, because of the society we live in, I can teach a media class!

We also care about hygiene and appearance, hence the deodorant, dental products, and hair straightener. People are usually only acceptable if they are clean and smell good. I remember in my 5th grade class a girl was often made fun of because she smelled funny. If everyone smelled bad, it would be hard to concentrate in school, but these cultural norms can be a hinderance in school if someone is being picked on because of it. They worry about their self-esteem in regards to their peers instead of having an overall perspective of their learning and where education can take them.

I have a washing machine, a microwave, a dishwasher, and a refrigerator, which also shows that I come from an affluent culture. It also shows that as a culture we care a lot about saving time. These artifacts prevent us from taking as long to cook and clean or go to the store so often. In the Philippines I took half of my preparation-day to wash my garments by hand. The timeliness of our culture can sometimes be a hinderance to education. Sometimes we're focused on the amount that can be done, rather than the quality. The affluence (also represented with a theater ticket stub, DVDs that are not pirated, and a television), however, benefits our school systems greatly. If teaching in a wealthier school, there is access to more resources, or students are able to pay fees for art classes. When students are poor within this system, though, it can cause them to feel self-conscious and limit opportunities because of inability to go on school trips or lack of equipment in schools.

In my church culture, those who have served missions develop very strong ties to the people and culture of that place and it becomes infused with their own. I have a Filipino flag to represent my missionary service and my love for the Philippines. I have pictures of Christ by my bed and a nativity in my home. My beliefs are important to me and those in my household so we represent their significance through visual reminders to ourselves and those who enter. We also have an advent calendar to countdown to Christmas up in my apartment. We celebrate Christmas as christians (and we're also lazy college students who don't care/don't have time to take old decorations down). My personal copy of scriptures, not only shows my American culture (which includes freedom of religion), but my religious culture where members are to seek answers for themselves and not just learn from the scriptures through a religious leader. My religious culture does not really affect my role as a teacher unless I inappropriately incorporate it and get in trouble with the school system.

My college culture is characterized by the cereal boxes, the wedding invitations, and the YSA directory. The latter two are very BYU specific. My college culture is infused with my religious culture here and as such people are focused on meeting people and getting married. As a teacher, this makes no difference to me, but as a student priorities of education may be pushed aside and hinder academic progress and excellence. The cereal boxes show the close tie of my American culture to my college culture. Time is of the essence so cereal may be lived off of for days. If my students are in a similar boat, they may not have the nutrients they need to concentrate.

The piano book represents my family culture. They wanted me to be involved in extracurriculars and encouraged me to take piano. They were concerned with me becoming a well-rounded individual. Extracurriculars often help with development of time management, but more school-related is the relationship of parents with their children. If the parents are involved, the students are more likely to succeed.

Overall, culture has its limitations and affordances.