Cultural Customs of Nepal

Throughout my first few tutoring meetings with S., I have noticed some tendencies that reflect his cultural background. Each time we meet up for tutoring, we exchange greetings and farewells that consist of a firm-proper handshake and S. also gives me a subtle head bow, something that is an integral part to Nepali culture. Younger people in or from Nepal often view anyone older or more mature with great respect, even a westerner like myself. I may be only two years older than S., but due to his cultural background, he naturally treats me with similar respect as he would treat a teacher. Another custom from Nepal that S. still carries with him is their cultural unawareness for punctuality. S. has shown up to our tutoring meetings late each time, but for Nepali standards, he would not necessarily be tardy. Nepali time, in regards to casual appointments, is later than the time mentioned, perhaps maybe even by one to two hours. S. teachers informed me that he is often late before I met him, but they also mentioned to me one area of western custom that S. has made improvements on, and that is communication. Apparently when he was first started out as a student in the United States, he did not understand the importance of communicating with teachers when he was going to be absent and figuring out what he needed to do while he was absent. Now that he has gained more time in American society and the education system, he has adapted a better sense of communication and the importance that it carries. It is important for teachers to understand the cultural backgrounds of their students because it allows them to put situations like these into a greater context. Students that come from different cultural backgrounds carry prior customs from another country, and if a teacher is aware of these customs they have, they will better be able to reach their educational needs.

Winooski Placement 4: 10/20/16

This visit started off being very similar to my last visit, as S. was not present in the class we were scheduled to meet in. This was at a surprise, for no one called into the attendance office for him and none of his teachers had received e-mails regarding his absence, something he had been on top of. The teacher then received a phone call from his father explaining he had sent him off to school, and suddenly all the teachers were concerned for his safety at this point. It turned out he had dropped the class I was meeting him in and had just been in a study hall to fill the time period. The ELL  teacher at Winooski High School was soon able to meet up with S. to discuss the schedule change and the miscommunication between the teachers and student. As a future teacher, a situation like this reminds me the first responsibility teachers have over their students, and that is to ultimately ensure their safety. The student was in a safe space, but due to miscommunication, people who were responsible for the student did not know.

Winooski Placement 3: 10/13/16

Last Thursday, I had gone on my third visit to Winooski High School to see S. We did not meet the Monday of that week because the school district had Columbus Day off. They also had Tuesday the 11th off to recognize Vijaya Dashami, which is the 10th day of the holiday Dashain in the Hindu tradition. Dashain is a total of 15 days, so the holiday was to continue for the rest of the week. S. and his family observe this holiday very dearly, so he was unable to come to class when we were scheduled to meet. I remember on my first visit he had mentioned this holiday very briefly, and he talked to me about how he and his family had spent time decorating the house and preparing the food in preparation for Dashain. From the standpoint of a future teacher, I feel it is critically important to allow students to observe holidays within their religious traditions freely and not be stressed by the burden it may cause on their school work if they happen to be absent. Practicing these traditions within their religion allows them to spend time with family in a faithful setting. This is how students grow into a complete individual, by devoting time to their religion if they are to practice one. S.'s teachers are very open to him observing this holiday even when school is in session, as long as he is in direct communication with them about assignments and other work. Attached is a piece I was reading regarding religious holidays in public schools. Parts of it can be related individual circumstances like in the situation of S., and other parts of the reading is more administrative details. 

http://www.teachhub.com/how-handle-religious-holidays-public-schools

Winooski Placement 2: 10/6/16

It was my second experience going in to Winooski High School to see S., where I was expecting to see him present his learning plan for his project on the Nepali Civil War. It turned out he was absent for a doctor's appointment, and I knew of this because his teachers had received e-mails from him notifying them that he will be absent from class. No teacher is exactly thrilled when a student who is scheduled to present is absent on that day, but the teachers were extremely pleased by the fact that S. notified them. In instances before, S. did not tell his teachers when  he was going to absent from class. Although his teachers did not see him present, they were still able to measure growth in this situation by recognizing that S. is now taking the proper steps to communicate with others, which is something that will have much value in his life later on. The teachers were able plan around his absence and scheduled him for another day.

Winooski Placement 1: 10/3/2016

On Monday, I was able to meet my ELL placement, and for the sake of privacy throughout the blog, I will refer to the student as S. Much of our first meeting together was sitting side-by-side watching his classmates present their plans on how they are going to complete their semester long project. He did not present his plan in this class, but he was scheduled for next class. He chose to do his project on the Nepal Civil War, an event that has effected him personally due to the fact that he is from Nepal himself and came to the United States because of this same civil war. Through conversation towards the end of class with the little time we had left, I was able to figure out a little bit of background behind his family values rooted in Nepal. In Nepal, his family, along with other traditional families believe in the Hindu Caste System, something that S does not observe personally himself. The caste system is a cultural phenomenon in Hindu countries that classify its citizens into certain categories, and what partly lead to the Nepali Civil War was the Royal Party of Nepal deepening the division between the multiple castes. S was apart of the Brahmin caste in Nepal, one that is atop the pyramid of castes that largely includes the religious class of the country. It will be interesting to see what views his immediate family holds towards the caste system considering the fact that he completely rejects it and any divisions that may come along with it.