The Role of Culture in Socio-Emotional Development Essays

The Role of Culture in Socio-Emotional Development Culture passes down the expectations for social and emotional conduct from one generation to the next. Be liefs about what is healthy and dysfunctional in socio-emotional development differs among societies and across groups over time (Woodhead, 1996) . In order to uphold children's right to develop based on what is normal for their context, a perspective is demanded that is inclusive of a variety of developmental paths that promote the well-being of the chil d (Woodhead, 1996). Bronfenbrenner and Morris' (1998) transactional-ecological model posits there is a "bidirectional-influence" involved in shaping interactions between children and their context, meaning the child's behavioral interactions mold and become molded by these spheres of influence. With young children, the majority of their culture is derived from the home, religion, and community. Accordingly, educators can be mindful of how their own cultural values impact their beliefs, bi ases, behaviors, and teaching methods. This can unlock different ways of responding to bias and including culture in the classroom in ways that promote positive socio-emotional development. Family A part of natural social development is the desire to belong to a cultural group and be accepted by its members. The family is the long-term cultural group, and instead of working to promote acculturation of the dominant beliefs about how children should develop socially, there should be efforts to integrate aspects of family culture into classroom interactions in ways that support students. At home, behavioral expectations and rules come from consistent or inconsistent parenting, sibling interaction, and interaction with the family. However, discipline may be enacted by grandparents, aunts and uncles, older cousins, and close friends of the family Consequently, teachers should inquire about the important players in the child's life that help shape and model behaviors. These players can be used as potential cheerleaders and referenced for input on behavior modification with consent from primary caregivers. In many cultures, children as young as 3 or 4 have responsibilities or chores that are vital to the function of the home. Including the ways that children may be integrated into the home and community can show appreciation for the values of a culture. Children benefit from being "active contributors" to their classroom and can benefit from becoming connected with and depended upon by others (Punch, 2001 p. 818; Weisner, 1989). This responsibility can promote competence, self-efficacy, and skill development. Incorporating more responsibility for students in the classroom sends the message that the teacher believes they are competent and can be responsible for helping the classroom community function. This can include having each child and family be responsible for an integral part of the curriculum each week or as simple as having a child feed the classroom pet as their weekly job. Religion Learning about various belief systems and promoting an understanding of how they are beneficial to each person's way of being should begin in early childhood. Understanding the values of other cultures can help teachers promote observation of rituals in school in ways that do not interfere with the curriculum. Teachers can also help the child and family develop language for talking about what they are doing when and if they are questioned by peers. A positive regard for a child's active participation in family cultural activities is one way teachers can validate a student's socio-emotional development. Teachers should be willing to support families and students in finding the words to express their activities with peers to further interest and build connections to other student family customs. Community Community impact varies based on location and resources. Some communities have more funding than others to provide services that help promote youth engagement in productive activities, such as arts, sciences, sports, and nature. Teachers can develop a list of likes, dislikes, and interests that may lead to connections between students and possibilities for additional activities. At all times, educators should be mindful of the cost of recommended programs as many families may not have the means to finance additional activities, and presenting the idea to the child before speaking with a parent may result in disappointment. However, this does not mean that the only programs suggested to low-income families should be free because this underestimates the ability of