From Student to Teacher

             Culture can shape our brains. And no, I am not referring to the physical form, but to that conscious and unconscious part of our being. What is it to be a good person? What actions are shameful to do? What does my worth depend on? What is doing the right thing? What consequences can certain actions bring? The answers to these questions vary from culture to culture. Our beliefs and behaviors are heavily influenced by cultural assumptions. Such assumptions cause us to see ourselves in certain ways, and also to see and even judge others in certain ways. Why? Because we have a perspective of life and how to live it. And this can affect the relationships and interactions we have with people for better or worse. And this applies to a TESOL classroom. Having students from diverse cultures means having many perspectives gathered in one place. One of the most important jobs of teachers, is to guide and understand them. There will be many t...

  There is a famous saying in my country that goes, “A donde fueres haz los que vieres.” Translated it would be "Wherever you go, do what you see people do". However, we can also find other variants such as "When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do". But what do these sayings want to tell us? What is their meaning? Well, they advise us about the adaptation we must have. Adaptation to what? To other cultures, customs and manners. Because manners are not the same all over the world. Even, what for you may be an act of being polite, for others may be strange and even offensive. Some cultures won't mind so much if you break or don't follow certain etiquette, either because they understand that you're a foreigner or it's just not a big deal. In other countries, however, they may take drastic measures. It is important to keep in mind that the vast majority of people, and that includes students within a classroom, bring ingrained customs and habits that hav...