Education, all in all, takes on more than one role,
however most relevant to this discussion is its assistance in shaping ones
identity and culture, while also allowing for the production of a
“classification system through which we learn to interpret the world in
particular ways” (Wadham, Pudsy &
Boyd, 2007). In understanding the concepts of culture, identity and education,
I can confidently say that my own educational experience has been one that
reflects their complex relationship.
Let’s trace back to myself a four-year-old attending
a local pre-school in a small suburb of South Sydney. As toddlers, we begin to
assess our surroundings and find ways to interpret our world. Being exposed to
other children from so many different backgrounds was a first step in shaping
my own identity, as well as my perceptions of culture. When I look back, its
truly amazing how things like what we looked like, what language we spoke at
home, what kinds of food we ate and the way we prayed, or didn’t, wasn’t
important. Our identity based on our culture was not familiar. It was pretty
much not a big deal what our cultural background was.I began
to form my identity on the basis of elements that had more to do wirth things
like personality, likes and dislikes. I was Mariam; a little bit shy, a little
bit bossy, I always shared my food and toys, and I’d discovered my love for
school. My educational experience began taking its effect on my sense of
culture and identity by allowing me to create my own norms that I transmit till
today.
Attending a private Islamic primary school, located
in Sydney’s southern suburb of Kingsgrove, a more defined sense of identity and
culture was understood. My primary school education allowed me to comprehend a
different side to myself. I began to see myself and be seen as a Muslim… a
Lebanese-Muslim… an Australian-Lebanese Muslim… an Australian-Lebanese Muslim whose
father was born in Lebanon and whose mother was born in Argentina. All these things, through exposure to the fact that they were
social identifiers, began to define me.
I was surrounded by students who were also Muslim, however came from different and diverse cultural backgrounds. I understood things like the differences between being Lebanese and Egyptian, the fact that ‘Muslim’ did not mean one was ‘Arab’; it in essence had nothing to do with cultural heritage, even understanding the similarities between my religion and others. My education on culture and identity itself was also developed; and was somewhat more advanced than most my age. Specifically, the fact that I was taught to read and write Arabic at this time, and the fact that it was a mandatory part of my education, may be perceived by an outsider as a representation of the complexity of the relationship between my education, identity and my culture; that each one had some influence on the other.
I was surrounded by students who were also Muslim, however came from different and diverse cultural backgrounds. I understood things like the differences between being Lebanese and Egyptian, the fact that ‘Muslim’ did not mean one was ‘Arab’; it in essence had nothing to do with cultural heritage, even understanding the similarities between my religion and others. My education on culture and identity itself was also developed; and was somewhat more advanced than most my age. Specifically, the fact that I was taught to read and write Arabic at this time, and the fact that it was a mandatory part of my education, may be perceived by an outsider as a representation of the complexity of the relationship between my education, identity and my culture; that each one had some influence on the other.
High school was definitely the most vital time of my
schooling experience when my education was shaping my identity, and exposing me
to the notion of culture, inclusive of its complexity. Being at a public all
girls high-school in Beverly Hills introduced to me not only a deep
understanding of multiculturalism, as my school was mostly made up of girls
from non-English speaking backgrounds, but it also introduced the notions of
gender and class structure to the picture. Jason Yat-Sen Li’S article “Being Australian is not about the colour of
your skin” (2013) resonates the strong correlation between the three vital concepts. Li (2013) speaks of his experiences as an Australian adolescent, surrounded by many
ethnic minorities in his schooling, but also understanding that they were
indeed minorities that were commonly subject to racism and told to “go home”.
This was something he found baffling. This is something I also found baffling,
having gone through the same thing. Although my micro world was multicultural,
I knew that most of the girls in school were of a minority group. We were
different, but we had a shared identity. We were Australian, but we were also something else.
Within the school gates, we all understood each other and there was hardly a
trace of racism, but it was a different story outside of school. In essence,
our identities and cultures were complex.
Basically, to sum up, I
agree with Sen Li’s statement that “to be Australian has nothing to do with where you come from, or the
colour of your skin; but has everything to do with your contribution and
commitment to Australia”. To me, this reflects the conclusion I’ve made of my
own identity and culture through my educational experiences.
Sen Le. J.Y. (2013). Being Australian is not about the colour of your skin. Retrieved on September 2013, http://www.smh.com.au/comment/jason-yatsen-li-being-australian-is-not-about-the-colour-of-your-skin-20130830-2sv06.html
Wadham, B.
Pudsey, J. & Boyd, R. (2007). Culture and education. Sydney: Pearson
Education. Chapter 1: What is culture?
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