That is interesting, Charlotte. Having never had the opportunity to grow up in -- or even visit -- Hawaii, I would have never known of that culture clash.
Thinking about it, I am sure there are other cases where the same clash would occur. I am equally sure that I would be unlikely to anticipate all of them. A relative, who works for the State Department, tells me that they have courses for people being assigned to overseas embassies -- sometimes, rather extensive courses. I also know that the military has recognized a need for specific instruction in such matters. Serious question: When cultures clash on matters of this sort (manners, expectations, appropriate behaviors, etc.), who decides which culture is to acquiesce to the other? (Assuming we do not want a court to decide.) Charlotte Manly wrote: > > Actually, the original post at the bottom of this message reminded me very much of >home. (I grew up in Hawaii.) I would imagine that these instructions are intended >in part for mainlanders who move to Hawaii (or perhaps HCC, is that Honolulu or >Hawaii?, Community College only hires locally). The first item in particular would >be pretty obvious to most locals, although perhaps worth reiterating anyway. > > In any case, it is a culture which emphasizes allowing people to "save face" and >this means not embarrassing them even when they are in the wrong. They are in the >wrong, you know it, and they know or soon will realize it, but the idea is that it >doesn't help to rub their noses in it just because you're right. That is also why >the suggestion not to single out individuals but to comment on the group. > > In addition, not allowing people to save face generally produces more trouble than >allowing them to save face. So the suggestions from HCC are indeed hitting the nail >squarely on the head, for that culture. This is a concept that mainlanders, >specifically mainland haoles (read approximately as "whites") don't get when they >move to Hawaii, and it makes their transition difficult. > > Charlotte > > >Looks like I might have to reinstate the Golden Hammer Award (for > >hitting the nail squarely on the head). I am with you, Don. > > > >(I no longer have to worry about such things, though, since my class > >load is made up entirely of Internet-based courses. Another in a long > >list of advantages.) > > > >(Now that I think about it, this makes two things the Golden Hammer > >could be handy for.) > > > > > >don allen wrote: > >> > >> Hi Jim- > >> > >> Maybe I'm getting too old & crusty for this job, but I'm not sure that I > >> understand the rationale of "Don't embarrass talkers". These people are > >> being rude and disruptive. There isn't one of them who doesn't know that it > >> is impolite and an infringement on the other students. Why shouldn't they be > >> embarrassed about their egregious behaviour? While I always try to deal > >> with such individuals in a low key manner at first I have no hesitation in > >> ejecting repeat offenders from a class. In every case where I've had to do > >> this the students later came to my office, apologized, and behaved > >> appropriately for the rest of the term. Is there any data to support the > >> "no-embarrassment" approach or is this just a mantra from the warm&fuzzy > >> crowd? > >> > >> -Don. > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: "jim clark" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 10:28 AM > >> Subject: RE: Class noise > >> > >> > Hi > >> > > >> > Glad to hear that a soft, personal approach worked. I did some > >> > searching of psychinfo and the internet, including various > >> > teaching-related links I had previously connected, without a lot > >> > of success. I did find the following list of suggestions at: > >> > > >> > http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/ > >> > teachtip/behavior.htm {all one continuous url} > >> > > >> > ----------------------------------------- > >> > Don't embarrass talkers. > >> > > >> > Ask their opinion on topic being discussed. > >> > > >> > Ask talkers if they would like to share their ideas. > >> > > >> > Casually move toward those talking. > >> > > >> > Make eye contact with them. > >> > > >> > Comment on the group (but don't look at them "one-at-a-time"). > >> > > >> > Standing near the talkers, ask a near-by participant a question > >> > so that the new discussion is near the talkers. > >> > > >> > As a last resort, stop and wait. > >> > ------------------------------------------------- > >> > > >> > I also found some rather "harsh" approaches being recommended at > >> > a number of what would seem like respectable sites. > >> > > >> > Best wishes > >> > Jim > >> > > >> > > >> ============================================================================ > >> > James M. Clark (204) 786-9757 > >> > Department of Psychology (204) 774-4134 Fax > >> > University of Winnipeg 4L05D > > > > Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > CANADA http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/~clark > >> > > >> ============================================================================ > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > --- > >> > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > >> --- > >> You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >-- > > > >----------==========>>>>>>>>>> ��� <<<<<<<<<<==========---------- > >Sometimes you just have to try something, and see what happens. > > > >John W. Nichols, M.A. > >Assistant Professor of Psychology > >Tulsa Community College > >909 S. Boston Ave., Tulsa, OK 74119 > >(918) 595-7134 > > > >Home: http://www.tulsa.oklahoma.net/~jnichols > >MegaPsych: http://www.tulsa.oklahoma.net/~jnichols/megapsych.html > > > >--- > >You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -- > =============================================== > Charlotte F. Manly, Ph.D. Psychological & Brain Sciences > Assistant Professor 317 Life Sciences Bldg > ph: (502) 852-8162 University of Louisville > fax: (502) 852-8904 Louisville, KY 40292 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.louisville.edu/a-s/psychology/ > http://www.louisville.edu/~cfmanl01 > > USE 40208 ZIP CODE FOR FEDEX > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- ----------==========>>>>>>>>>> ��� <<<<<<<<<<==========---------- Sometimes you just have to try something, and see what happens. John W. Nichols, M.A. Assistant Professor of Psychology Tulsa Community College 909 S. Boston Ave., Tulsa, OK 74119 (918) 595-7134 Home: http://www.tulsa.oklahoma.net/~jnichols MegaPsych: http://www.tulsa.oklahoma.net/~jnichols/megapsych.html --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
