Learning Environments
"A learning environment is structured to promote particular ways of engaging in a specific set of activities, and the features of every learning environment reflect the cultural context in which it is situated." (HPL II, p. 138)
Classroom Culture: Phyiscal Classroom
A classroom's culture includes the activities and lessons planned, classroom layout, materials on the walls, and the various cultural artifacts placed around the room. Combined, they send a message about what is important, what to focus on, and how it will be accomplished.
Classroom Culture: Conduct
Students bring their own understanding of what a classroom is and how to behave in one with them and teachers do the same. When these assumptions are not clarified, a student can find themselves at a disadvantage.
Research has been conducted that shows, "the structures of rules, assignment of classes, and grading in secondary schools match poorly with adolescens' needs for more space..." (HPL II, p139)
Culture of Belonging
When a student does not feel part of the culture, they could be at risk for academic failure, suspension or dropping out.
"School characteristics, such as supportive leadership, dedicated and collegial staff...,and effective academic instruction helped to minimize the risk of delinquency." (HPL II, p. 139)
To further incentivize teachers to create a cuture of belonging, students who feel like they do belong have better academic acheivement and behavior.
There is an interesting article on the topic linked to the picture to the left.
Appendix
Cultural Differences in the Illustrations of Native American
and Non-Native American Children's Books
Native American Illustration
Native American illustations from children's books include a wide variety of angles, get closer to the subjects and various perspectives. Nature is at the foreground.
Non-Native American Illustration
Non-Native American illustations from children's books tend to have wide, panoramic pictures with less close-ups, further distances from the subjets of the stories, with nature as a back-ground subject. These images remove the reader from the story by placing them in a voyeur perspective.
Fishing with Grandma
As an example, "Fishing with Grandma" by Maren Vsetula and Susan Avingaq tells the story with a wide variety of angles--up close and distant, over the shoulder and panoramic.
Typical goals for Native American children versus European American can greatly differ. While a European American goal may be to value and treasure nature, a Native American goal may be to realize you are part of nature.
"Cultural differences like these can have consequences for students who do not come from European American backgrounds and encounter a classroom that implicitly endoreses European American perspectives."
(HPL II, p. 139)