Abstract:
Since schools in many parts of the world must now enrol students from cultures different from that of the home school, problems of working successfully with these diverse cultures are beginning to create difficulties for teachers. In popular terminology, we are speaking here of "cultural clashes". Many schools are no longer culturally homogeneous while, at the same time, teachers find themselves unprepared for different personality profiles and personal expectations among their students. Further, these differences are also found between students and teachers. It is the thesis of this paper that current teachers could profit from inservice training concerning cultural diversity and that students yet in teacher training institutions should receive similar education.
This paper will outline some of the problems that have been encountered in the USA as well as in other countries. It will present some of the solutions that have been attempted to work with these cross-cultural situations. Topics discussed are: development and maintenance of personal motivation, setting levels of aspiration, time utilisation and time perspectives, determination of locus of control and differences in leadership styles. Some research-based conclusions are also presented.
This paper will outline some of the problems that have been encountered in the USA as well as in other countries. It will present some of the solutions that have been attempted to work with these cross-cultural situations. Topics discussed are: development and maintenance of personal motivation, setting levels of aspiration, time utilisation and time perspectives, determination of locus of control and differences in leadership styles. Some research-based conclusions are also presented.