Hofstede, Hofstede, and Minkov (2010), liken the acquisition of culture to mental programming. "The sources of one's mental programs lie within the social environment in which one grew up and collected one's life experiences (Hofstede et. al, 2010). Aspects of culture include symbols, heroes, rituals, and values. Individuals may not realize how their culture impacts their worldview because this information was gathered so early in life.
How do our students' "mental programming" or culture influence their attitudes towards school? What about their progress in school? As educators, how can we become more aware of our own mental programming in order to better serve our students?
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. (3rd Ed.). New York, New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN-978-0-07-166418-9
Being aware of my own mental programming -- that there are certain holidays and times of year that are taken for granted, for example -- makes me more aware of the culture of students and how that might affect them in the classroom, especially if their customs and holidays are different from the dominant culture.
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