Quince Orchard High School Celebrates Diversity
People Around the World
Volume 1, Issue 4
Bimonthly Faculty Newsletter
May 2007
Asian Culture Blossoms at QO
In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, students and staff share similarities and
differences in education, traditions, lifestyle, and more!
CHINESE, CHINESE-AMERICAN , and TAIWANESE STUDENTS & STAFF
Q: How do you feel your culture is different from
American culture?
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Chinese language has more than a hundred dialects
and each dialect has different tones.
Chinese writing is not alphabetical and there are
thousands of Chinese characters we use in our writing.
Family names always come before given names.
Our culture is very traditional and strict, whereas in
the US, there is so much freedom.
We are in school longer, more hours.
We eat healthier food; it’s more balanced.
Americans are very generous, for example, if your car
breaks down on the side of the road, someone will
stop to help you. In China, nobody would stop.
We seldom hug people; we don't usually touch people.
Most Chinese families do not allow their children to
have a boyfriend or girlfriend when they are young
and sometimes the parents choose their spouse for
them.
There is much emphasis on the son who is the male
linkage/ continuation of the family name.
QO’s Chinese 1 Class
(on left) taught by Julie
Chen
“I want to ask many questions but I am shy.”
“I respect teachers and those who are older than me.
I like to help people in trouble.”
“I want them to see my hard work, my personality and
my leadership.”
“I come from both cultures.”
“I am dedicated to this country and my own country.”
“I’m handsome, cool, smart and the best!”
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We share things. We offer our seats
to seniors.
I think there is nothing similar with
American culture.
Both cultures have family reunions
on holidays.
The holidays are big and important.
There are a lot of the same values
such as education, work ethic, sense
of responsibility, etc.
In school, we get a summer and winter break.
I wear American style clothing and
English.
ESOL Teacher JiaEre Wang when she
was a student in
Taiwan
speak
Above-Mooncakes, LeftProud Formosa Club Members at International Night
Q: Name one tradition or cultural expectation that conflicts with American culture or school life.
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WHAT I WANT TEACHERS TO KNOW
ABOUT ME:
Q: How do you feel your culture is
similar to American culture?
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We often have a week off for Chinese New Year in our countries, but here we have to go to school.
During the Year of the Horse, I had to always wear red for
good luck.
Americans do not respect older people, especially teachers.
Calling people older than you by their first names is considered disrespectful.
One would never open a gift in front of guests; this is rude.
We usually live with our parents, and if we don’t, we visit them
frequently.
We don’t encourage our children dating until they are in college.
We don’t encourage girls to wear make-up at young ages.
In our culture, children are quiet and disciplined. They listen and rarely ask questions or talk
back. Yet, American teachers expect students to raise questions and actively participate in
Special Education Teacher Tina Sisson shares pictures
of her mother doing traditional Thai dancing .
INDIAN CULTURE
DIFFERENCES: In Indian culture, adults are given respect by not calling them by their name, but by works
like “brother”, “sister”, “teacher”, etc.
SIMILARITIES: The racism in American is a lot like the
castism in India.
CONFLICTS: Dating and marrying of one’s own will is
very different; couples have to get the consent of their
parents to get married.
SPECIAL EVENTS: We celebrate Onam in our South
Indian culture during the month of March. We make a
floral display and we make a lunch of some 50 varieties
of vegetarian dishes (below). www.onamfestival.org/
INDONESIAN CULTURE
DIFFERENCES: At school we wear uniforms and we
have a flag raising ceremony every Monday. (Picture
above of girls in traditional costumes.)
SIMILARITIES: We both have strong patriotism.
SPECIAL EVENTS: Kartini Day in April is the birthday of
Raden Ajeng Kartini. She could be described as the Indonesian “Susan B. Anthony”. She led the women’s
emancipation movement. On this day my family says
thanks to women who helped us on this day and we
have a festival. www.expat.or.id/info/holidays.html
KOREAN CULTURE
DIFFERENCES: We have big families and we meet
often, but Americans have small families.
CONFLICTS: At school we can be absent many
times at school, but in the US we can’t because
Jun Ahn, student we lose credit.
SPECIAL EVENTS: New Year’s Day is a great event because I can see many relatives this day.
THAI-AMERICAN
DIFFERENCES/CONFLICTS: It is considered
disrespectful to touch someone on the
head and to look someone directly in the
eyes when greeting them. When greeting
someone, Thais bow their heads and place
their
palms
together
and
say
"Sawadeeka" (female) and
"Sawadeekup" (male).
SPECIAL EVENTS: I watched
my mom worship at the
"Temple of the Golden Buddha"
- Wat Trimit (the largest solid gold structure
composed of 5 1/2 tons of pure gold.)
www.chimburi.com/thai3.htm I was taught
when praying not to direct the feet towards the Buddha
but back and away. Also, monks roam the streets
throughout Thailand, and you are never to look directly
at them for it was very disrespectful.
BURMESE/ MYANMAR CULTURE
DIFFERENCES: Everything is different, for example the
food, dress, and politeness.
SIMILARITIES: Music, for example we use the same
instruments like harp, flute and drums.
SPECIAL EVENTS: New Year Thingyan Water Festival–
the three-day water festival celebrated in mid-April to
ring in the Myanmar New Year .
www.otan.dni.us/webfarm/emailproject/burmese.htm
VIETNAMESE
SIMILARITIES: We have copied some things from
American culture. Nowadays Vietnam has hamburgers,
American clothing and rap music.
SPECIAL EVENTS: We celebrate Chinese New Years.
The family gathers around and has a party. There is lots
of food at the party. We do fun things as a whole family.
At the end of the party, each married couple gives each
child a red envelope that contains money inside.
ALL CULTURES: Do you feel QO is an accepting environment for different ethnic groups?
Everyone interviewed (total 20 students & staff) said “yes” with the addition of these comments.
“QO is a place where people of different ethnic backgrounds come together to learn. It’s a really friendly atmosphere.”
“I feel that QO is tolerant in some ways of different cultures, but still much education in diversity is needed.”
“I think there could be more events, classes, assemblies that could educate the American People about the
similarities, differences, likes, etc. so ethnicity is not something different.”
“I feel comfortable because teachers don’t hit me. Students don’t bother. Everybody is good to me.”
“QO would be more diverse if we had more Asian staff.”
“But there are so, so, so many racial stereotypes.”
“People aren’t racist to your face, so that’s better.”
“It helps a lot of people to get along with other kinds of races. It also shows us that we have to treasure friendship the most.”
“The teachers [at QO] like to help immigrants from different countries.”
For contributions, ideas and feedback, please contact Elizabeth Fuhrman (ESOL).
PAW issues are now available online at http://esol.qohs.org/PAW/PAW.htm.
A Quince Orchard High School ESOL Department Publication