Meeting of Multicultural Educators (2008) No Longer Being Updated

Meeting 14: Breaking Down National Stereotypes Discussion Meeting 2

2008-07-18T11:08:00.007+09:00

Here is a summary of what we did for Day 2 of the Breaking Down National Stereotypes Discussion.
1. Ice Breaking: 4 Corners
2. Presentation by Aelita Dongak, Russia
3. Mini Discussions with guests:
A) Follow-up on the guest’s presentation (Each group has 10 minutes to talk to a guest)
B) Until now, you have talked about how people in your country imagine your guest’s country, why don’t you ask your guest what her/his images of Japan were before she/he came to this country. How accurate were the guest’s images?
C) “Discussion on Values” activity
D) Closing words: JH

Meeting 13 "Breaking Down National Stereotypes" Discussion Day 1

2008-07-09T13:39:00.004+09:00

Day 1 of the Breaking Down National Stereotypes Discussion went relatively smoothly today. Our schedule of events was:
1) Introduction to MMCE
2) Ice Breaking "Kao janken"
3) Mind Map Viewing
4) Guest Presentations:

1. Ryan Miller, USA
2. Guilbert Benjamin, France
3. 王岩, 中国
4. Lucila Sotomayor de Gil & Alverado Gil, Mexico
---------
Next week:
5. Aelita Dongak, Russia

Please write a reflection of your group's guest's presentation as a comment to this post.

Here are some pictures of day 1 below:

Meetings 12, 13, 14: Breaking Down National Stereotypes Discussion

2008-07-02T14:30:00.005+09:00

From next week MMCE will hold the Breaking Down National Stereotypes Discussion. The goal of this discussion is to investigate the validity of commonly held stereotypes which we have about different countries. On July 9th and July 16th we will have 5 different guests from the following countires:
1) China
2) France
3) Mexico
4) Russia
5) USA
To prepare for the discussion each of the 5 groups in MMCE conducted a survey in which they asked 30 people to say the first three images they think of when they heard a group's country of concentration. For example, the group studing France asked 30 people to say the first 3 images they thought of when they heard the word "France". The results of each survey are below.
China
France
Mexico
Russia
USA

Today, July 2, each group in MMCE made a mind map based on their country data:

Here is the schedule for July 9 and July 16:

July 9: Day 1
The guests will answer the following questions about their country diagrams and add anything else they want to:
1) Are there any responses that you are proud of?
2) Are there any responses you do no think are true?
3) What else do you think we should know about your country?
The Discussion
10:30 ~ 10:35: Intro by JH
10:35 ~ 10:45 : Ice Breaking
10:45 ~ 10:55: Mind Map Gallery Viewing

10:55 ~ 12:00 Guest Presentations (5 minutes presentation + 5 minutes question and answer)

July 16: Day 2 (Tentative)
The Discussion
We will be working in our CLGs. The plan for July 16 is below.
1. Ice Breaking
2. Mini-discussions:
l Each group will have 10 minutes to talk to a guest. Here is some possible content to discuss.
A) Follow-up on the guest’s presentation
Did you understand all of your guest’s presentation? What parts did you not understand? Are there any words, phrases, or concepts you heard for the first time? Ask your guest questions about his or her speech to clarify what she/he said. You can also confirm your guest’s answers to the below questions.
1) Are there any responses that you are proud of?
2) Are there any responses you do no think are true?
3) What else do you think we should know about your country?
B) Until now, you have talked about how people in your country imagine your guest’s country, why don’t you ask your guest what her/his images of Japan were before she/he came to this country. How accurate were the guest’s images?
C) Talk on Values
If you have the time you might find the “Discussion on Values” activity interesting.

Meetings 10 & 11 Report on Global Issues Mini Conference

2008-07-02T13:56:00.009+09:00

On June 18 and June 25 we held our Global Issues mini-conference during MMCE. MMCE groups reported to each other about the following Global Issues:

<<To MMCE Members>> I am late in publishing this post but it is not too late to write your reflections about the Global Issues Mini Conference. Please write your reflections as a comment to this post.

1) Garbage
2) Global warming
3) Treatement of women
4) Treatement of children
5) The gap between the rich and poor

There were a total of 5 groups of 5 members each. Each group focused on a global issue. On the day of the discussion, we mixed the groups so that each member of a new group represented a different global issue. One by one each person presented about their issue and then held a small discussion. You can see the format of the presentations in the previous post.

After the presentations were over, the original groups reconvened and discussed

1) What about their presentations surprised people.
2) What were some suggestions given to solve the problem that they presented about.

Below is each group's record for 1) and 2).
>

Meeting 9: Preparation for the Global Issues Mini-Conference

2008-06-11T11:24:00.002+09:00

Procedures for Global Issues Mini Conference

Today, June 11, each group will prepare for their mini-presentation.

Next week, June 18, we will make 5 new groups of 5 people. The success of this meeting will depend on EVERY MMCE member attending. One absent member will affect the discussion. Each new group will consist of representatives from the other groups. The representatives will take turns presenting about their global issue. Each representative has 28 minutes to present and the mini conference will last for about 2 weeks. The content of your presentation will be based on the Global Issues in English textbook. An outline of your presentation is written below.

1 Topic Introduction: Briefly introduce your topic (3 minutes)
2 Helpful Words: Quiz people on the new words. (5 minutes)
3. My Global Issue: Read the information about your global issue and then ask 5 – 8 questions about it to the other group members. (10 minutes)
4. Discussion: Discuss the following (5 minutes)
- Do you have any questions about the presentation, please ask!
- Did anything surprise you about the presentation? What? Did this presentation change your thinking in any way, how so?
- Are you affected in any way by this problem? How?
- Are you doing anything (unintentionally) to cause this problem? What?
5. Solution: Let’s brain storm things that we can do to make this problem better. (5 minutes)

At the ending of the second meeting, each base group will gather again and share what was said in 4 and 5.

Meeting 8: National Cultures, Generalizations and Stereotypes

2008-06-03T22:15:00.004+09:00

Agenda:
I Write categories for the respondents' answers.
II JH's presentation on national cultures, stereotypes and prejudice
III Watch two movies
Movie 1:

SNL - Chris Farley - Japanese Gameshow
Uploaded by bismarck_sinker

3. How did these videos make you feel?
- scared (both but especially 1)
- bad for children (both)
- a little bit sick (1)
- uncomfortable (1)
- cruel (both)
- a little bit disgusted (both)

Meeting 7: Oh no!

2008-05-27T22:34:00.003+09:00

Meeting 7: May 28, 2008

Country Information and National Cultures

MMCE will begin at 10:40 AM Today

I Explain about our first MMCE crisis
II Our Basic Country Information

Pictures of MMCE in action:

III How to do the survey

Meeting 6: Values and National Cultures

2008-05-14T12:09:00.011+09:00

Agenda:

I Review
1. Values and Power distance
Our definition:For the people in large power distance societies there is a far distance( inequality)between members of a group. It is natural.

II Values (20 minutes)
2. Individualism

3. Masculinity
Should fighting among kinds be tolerated?

4. Uncertainty Avoidance
Can teachers say, “I don’t know”?

Value identification exercises:

What value dimensions do you see in "Maybe we go ice skating"?

Uncertainty avoidance: The Japanese girls did not want to go ice skating, because they had never skated.

Collectivisim: The Japanese girls did not say their own opinions by themselves.

Masculinity(+): The Dutch students are assertive but the Japanese girls are not assertive.

"Top Gun"

Individualism: He is 一匹狼

Masculinity: He is assertive because he is aggressive towards his favorite girl.

III Explanation of Breaking Down National Stereotypes Discussion

MMCE Invitation
Excel File
Directions on how to do the survey

IV Preparation for next meeting:
1. Invite your guest to the MMCE discussion (MMCE Guest Invitation)

2. Go to the >CIA World Factbook
As a group find out the following information for your country. Be prepared to report your information in the next meeting:

Environment:
Area: (How much bigger is the area than Japan?)
Climate:
Natural Resources:
Current environmental issues:

People:
Population
Age Structure
Infant Mortality rate
Life expectancy
Ethnic groups
Languages
Literacy

Government
Country Name (conventional long form)
Capital
Government type

Economy
GDP per capita
Population below poverty line

3. Go to this site and take a geography quiz of your region. Be prepared for a geography challenge for the next MMCE.

Meeting 5: Considering Values

2008-05-13T21:52:00.008+09:00

Agenda for Meeting 5

I Review
What are symbols?
What are heroes?

II Main Agenda:
What are rituals?
What are values?
General definition

Discussion on "Maybe we go skating"
1. What were the values of the two groups?
- Japanese girls were cooperative. We don't like isolation. The standing nail gets hammered.
- Japanese girls' value is harmony with other people.
2. What was the conflict?
- They did not try to understand each other's values.
3. Were these girls' values similar to your own?
- Yes and no: When I talk with friends it is yes but in class we debate with others.
- In the same situation it is yes because especially in Japanese we have fellow feeling.

Hofstede's 5 Dimensions:

1. Power Distance:
Should teachers’ authorities be challenged?
- Yes. Because if they make a mistake (time, stereotpye) we have to change the worng to the right.
- Sometimes yes and sometimes no. In the case of the stereotype, we say you are wrong because we are not sure that "all Japanese like sushi" so we say I think you are wrong softly. In the other kind of stituation, if I have time we do not say you are wrong but if we are in a hurry we tell the teacher "I have no time, we have class by 12."

2. Individualism:
Should all students be treated the same?
- We think yes and no. Because in complusory education it is yes but in another education, for example, high school and university it is no.
- Alm,ost the same but in elementary school sometimes 習熟度別学習　is good. For example once a week, and after school.

3. Masculinity:
Should fighting among kinds be tolerated?

4. Unvertainty Avoidance:
Can teachers say, “I don’t know”?

5. Long-term Orientation
Which do you agree with most?
Marriage is for love.
Marriage is for starting a new family and contributing to your own family.

III Preparation for Next Meeting:
As a comment to this post, please write the following:
How well did you understand the talk on values?
A: Very well
B: Well
C: Not so well
D: Not at all
What was easy for you to understand and what was difficult for you to understand?

I will ask you to complete the task below in two weeks:

1. Go to the >CIA World Factbook
As a group find out the following information for your country. Be prepared to report your information in the next meeting:

Environment:
Area: (How much bigger is the area than Japan?)
Climate:
Natural Resources:
Current environmental issues:

People:
Population
Age Structure
Infant Mortality rate
Life expectancy
Ethnic groups
Languages
Literacy

Government
Country Name (conventional long form)
Capital
Government type

Economy
GDP per capita
Population below poverty line

2. Go to this site and take a geography quiz of your region. Be prepared for a geography challenge for the next MMCE.

Meeting 4: Symbols, Rituals, Heroes and Values

2008-05-06T23:16:00.009+09:00

Agenda for Meeting 4

I Review of Last Meeting

1. What is culture 1 and what is culture 2?
2. Discussion of Martian meets Earthling Role Play

II Reveal Countries for "Breaking Down National Stereotypes" Discussion

III Symbols, Rituals, Heroes and Values
1. Symbols
2. Heroes: Our heroes are
Mother
Principal
JHS Teacher
Father 3
No idea
Mother 6
Grandmother 2
Mr. Kamada
Spiderman
Grandfather
MLK jr.
Mr. Ueda
James Brown
Mr. Hall

This means that:
1) Our heroes are close to us, we love them.
2) We are easily influenced by close people. We want to trust who we can trust
3) They give love to us, we all receive a lot of love
4) We have courage to do anything we want to do

Discussion of "We go ice skating" :

Preparation for next time:

Please read "maybe we go ice skating" and answer the following on this blog:

1) What were the values of the two groups and why did they conflict?

For meeting 5 we will discuss:

1. Heroes; 2. Rituals, 3. Values

Resources used for MMCE Meetings 4, 5, & 6

1.Hofstede, G. (2003). Culture and Organizations: Software of the Mind. London: McGraw-Hill 2. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences. London: Sage Publications.
3.G.　ホフステド (1995). 多文化の世界　有麦：閣東京
4.Cultural Perspectives in Educational Studies (A141) taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Education by Dr. Kai-ming Cheng
5. Campagnoli, M. (2005). Baka Pygmies: Right of initiation to the Spirit of the Forest. <<http://www.pygmies.info/baka/initiation.html>>
6. Smith, J. (2003). Components of Culture: Symbols, Language and Values. <<http://www.fulbright.org.nz/events/fulbrighthays-projects/smithj.html >>

7. Hofstede, G. Pedersen, P. & Hofstede, G. (2002). Exploring Culture. London: Intercultural Press

Meeting 3: A Introduction to Culture

2008-04-28T17:43:00.009+09:00

April 30, 2008

In this meeting we will learn about visible and invisible culture as well as have an intercultural communication experience.

This is our Agenda:

1. Discussion <<20>>

a) "By nature people are nearly alike, by practice they got to be far apart."

Group Answers:

1) "All the people must be the same but in reality they are very different"

2) "People are the same but they change by a different environment"

3) "For example, people who live in the USA and people who live in Japan are the same but people who live in Ausralia and people who live in Africa are different based on their clothes etc. In other words, people are the same but they differ by food, clothes, house, hair color."

4)"When we were born we did not know anything and we were the same but we experienced different things which made us as individuals."

5) "When we were born we were almost the same but we grow up to be a totally different person depending on the country and environment. So this phrase means that our essential is the same so we can understand eachother."

b) "We go ice skating" ** We might do this in the next meeting.

2. JH will talk about culture <<20>>

3. Intercultural Role Play: the Martians meet the Earthlings <<40>>

You can see the descriptions of the Martians and Earthlings here. Below is footage from the role play:

For next meeting:

Reflect on your "Martians meet the Earthlings" experience. Were you an earthling or a martian? Did you get along well with members of the other group? What was your impression of them? Did this experience teach you anything about intercultural communication? Why or why not?

Meeting 2 - The State of the World

2008-04-22T19:42:00.008+09:00

The State of our World

I. Ice Breaking <<Done>>
1. Make a circle and count

2. CLG introductions: 2 facts and one lie

II As a group, discuss about the following: If there were 100 dollars in this world, how much money would the following regions have? Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, The Former Soviet Union, Africa, Middle East, South Asia, South/Southeast Asia, Oceania, North Africa, South Central America and the Caribbean <<Done >>

III Please fill in the information on this sheet by yourself and then watch the movie If the world were 100 people . (To view the movie, you might have to download the Adobe Flash Player Plug-in)

When you have finished III, please write a comment to this post and discuss your reaction to the information you received in II and III as well as to meeting 2 of MMCE in general.

Meeting 1: Welcome to MMCE

2008-04-15T11:27:00.002+09:00

Welcome to MMCE. I am looking forward to learning about cross-cultural understanding and world issues with you all this semester. Below is our schedule for meeting 1:
1) Introduce MMCE and the syllabus
2) Make CLGs
3) The world geography challenge