Monday, April 23, 2012
Help me answer questions my students have about Americans.
I'm working on a little project that tangentiated (this isn't a real word, but it should be) from a lesson I gave about stereotypes in Oral English. We talked about stereotypes that Americans have about Chinese people compiled from my own experiences and conversations with people in America and from a list that was in their Oral English textbooks. I had them write letters to Americans who believe these stereotypes about Chinese people, and I got some great responses. While reading through a few of them before class was over I got an idea and shared it with them. I told them I would type up some of their letters and post them online on my blog. I want to give them a chance to tell Americans how they feel about stereotypes and to teach Americans about China and Chinese people. I'll post these up in a later post.
Then I had them write any questions they have about Americans on the back of their letters. I told them I would answer them throughout the semester. After reading through them, I decided that perhaps I shouldn't be the only American to answer these questions. After all, mine represents only one perspective, and since I've spent a large part of my life living abroad, it doesn't represent the majority.
So, I'd like your help in responding to some of these questions. I've typed them up exactly how they wrote them, and I numbered them in no particular order. If you'd like to respond to one, please type the number of the question you're answering or repeat the question. Multiple responses to one question are welcome, as it would also demonstrate the diversity in American thought. Remember that none of these students have met more than a few (if any) Americans in their entire lives. What they know comes from American movies, TV shows, pop music, and their fallacious textbooks and Chinese news media. Throughout the rest of the semester, I'll take some time in class each week to share your answers with my students.
To respond, leave a comment on the blog post or to this Facebook post or email me at mkeel09@gmail.com. Sui bian, dou keyi.
Thanks!
Questions about America and Americans:
1. Do American youth study hard in high school to pass the examination to college?
2. Will you be my guide if one day I come to America?
3. Do you like Chinese people?
4. Do you like to marry Chinese?
5. Do all of you accept homosexual?
6. In my opinion, you are outgoing. Are you all good at building social relationship?
7. Do you have a good time and have fun a lot in your childhood, or even when you enter the high school?
8. Do you feel you are under too much pressure even you have entered college and still find many things to do in college?
9. You think American government have right to influence policy of other country?
10. Do you like being in touch with foreign culture?
11. Would you blindly believe the newspaper?
12. Do you still live with your family when you are 18?
13. Do you have to pay your college expense instead of your parents?
14. Do you think China is a good country?
15. What's your habits in daily life?
16. Why do you like rugby?
17. When you parents become old, do you look after your parents like Chinese do?
18. When you fall in love with others as a teenager, are your parents and teachers against it?
19. Do they have guns?
20. Does most of the American like dance such as streets?
21. Is it hard to get along with black American?
22. Do Americans like the lifestyle of Chinese?
23. How old do Americans usually marry?
24. Do Americans like vampires and werewolves?
25. What do you think about China?
26. Do all the American are so open?
27. Do all the American aggressive?
28. Do all the students are relaxed in high school?
29. Do all the Americans like Chinese?
30. Do all the Americans don't like the Britain people?
31. Do all the American have a bad impression about Chinese?
32. How can Americans make cartoon movies so attractive?
33. What do you think of China and Chinese?
34. What's your government attitudes towards the wars and the peace? Do you really think that national interests is more important than peace or other things?
35. Does everybody own a gun?
36. Do all Americans fond of fast food?
37. What's your opinion about Chinese policy? After some years, do you think China will over America and become the first in the world?
38. How do you think Chinese lifestyle?
39. Does America have a high crime rate?
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5. I think its depends on the part of country you are from and the way you were raised. Many people fight for equality of people and believe we have a choice to love who we want. We still have a long way to go. Many people where I live (the Bible Belt) are against it for "religious reasons" so i definitely would not say all people accept homosexuality...yet!
ReplyDeleteThanks! We talked a bit about homosexuality in my stereotypes lesson and I tried to get the same idea across. I think your words will help!
Delete35. Although I know many people who do, mostly for hunting, I've never owned a gun, and my parents didn't either. I think that America has too many guns, particularly automatic and semi-automatic weapons. These often result in needless deaths and injuries.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I've gotten several different responses to this. Some from gun owners and some who are a bit critical. I think the students were fascinated by the differences in opinions.
Delete4. I dated a 2nd gen chinese woman. She broke my heart.
ReplyDelete5. It really does depend on how you grow up, what you are exposed to in your local society. People are susceptible to social normality, meaning that they, too, can form stereotypes and opinions before they even get to know someone who is homosexual. I've grown up with a few so I don't really see what the fuss is all about.
6. Nope, there are certain circumstances that unfortunately will allow for young adolescents to segregate and shun others, or for individuals to feel as if they don't belong in certain social settings. I deal with some of these high school students and counsel them as best I can. It still baffles me a little bit, despite the fact I study psychology. Most high schoolers, however, are quite outgoing, if only because it's valued in our society. Plus, I used to be a bit antisocial myself.
24. Werewolves.
30. I have no feelings towards the English or British, but for some reason the few I've met seem to have their own stereotypes against Americans. I think it has more to do with your education towards another's cultural background and experiencing other people in general. We may like the same things as individuals, we may not. I will say, however, I truly do get hypnotized slightly just from listening from someone who's lived in London. And I used to be a bit of a Spice Girls fan when I was younger.
31. Once again, I dated a Chinese woman, she broke my heart. I don't hate her because she's Chinese, I only slightly, barely dislike the fact that she tore my heart out, handed it back to me, and said "sorry."
35. I don't carry or own a gun, never felt the need to.
Thanks for your reply, Pat. I always wondered what became of your relationship with her. How are things going man? It's been years!
Delete3. As far as I know, I don't know any Chinese people. I live in a pretty rural area, with few immigrants in the city I live.
ReplyDelete9. I can tell you that the government believes it has the right to interfere. Personally I think it's a very fine line...sometimes, like in Greece's recent economic crisis, it seems like the right thing to do. Other times it goes too far.
10. I do, and I think America as a whole does too. We explore other cultures in our food, our entertainment, and by traveling abroad.
11. It depends on the context. For news stories, yes I would. If a newspaper in America was found to be providing false information, major repurcussions would follow. Anything that can be opinion based, like politics, should be taken carefully though.
12. I still lived with my family at 18, but only during breaks from college.
13. Most of my college tuition was taken out as loans, which I am paying.
17. Americans do not have the same ideas of responsibility to their parents that the Chinese do. Some will care for them in their home, many will arrange for their parents to live in a retirement home, and still others will take no responsibility for their parents at all. It varies greatly from person to person.
19. I have never owned (or even held) a gun, but there is a great part of the population that is proud of their weapons.
21. Race relations are so much better than they were even half a century ago, but we're nowhere near perfect. I personally have no issues dealing with people, regardless of their ethnicity, but racism is definitely still a problem in America.
23. I think the average marrying age in America is something like 27. I personally got married when I was 21.
24. Americans have always had a fascination for mythical creatures, and the werewolf/vampire trends have never been bigger than they are right now.
32. This is a funny question. A lot of people in America think the Eastern style of animation is superior.
36. The majority of Americans love fast food, even though we know it is bad for us. It comes fast, cheap, and you often don't even have to get out of your car.
37. As a nation, I am nervous about China's growing political, economic and military power. They continue to grow their world presence, and I hope they can use that power for the good of humanity.
Thanks so much! Great answers!
Delete1. Some people study hard, others don't.
ReplyDelete2. America is a big place. If you come to Indiana I will be your guide in this state, but I don't think I have enough vacation time to guide anyone around the entire country. (Have Koscielny get in touch with Gloria if the journey to Indiana ever happens so I know that my tour guide skills are needed!)
5. Some people are accepting, others are not. Lack of acceptance I associate most with conservatives and older generations. Some religious groups, that are not conservative, are accepting, and most young tend people to be accepting or indifferent. Personally, I am religious and my home congregation is accepting of homosexuality and homosexuals, so acceptance does not go strictly down religious lines even if more often than not religious people are intolerant.
8. Generally, no, college is not too much pressure. It depends on what we want to do after college, because for people who want to go to grad school or who will have difficulty finding a job without good grades there is more pressure.
9. No, but that is what happens anyway. I don't know how to change that reality.
10. Yes, it is fun to learn about the world.
11. No, but some newspapers are more credible than others, so I would believe some of them most of the time. It is still good to do other research to verify information and get other perspectives.
12. Kind of. When I turned 18 I went to work and live elsewhere for the summer, and then I went to college. So I would really only come home for holidays, but even several years later I have a room there still.
13. Some people pay all of their own college expenses either out of pocket or with loans, and other people's parents pay all of their college expenses. To pay for my college I got a lot of scholarships and then my parents paid the leftover amount. For graduate school I have some scholarships and my parents are putting a little bit of money toward it, but mostly I am taking out loans to pay for it.
16. We don't like rugby. At least, not the way we like other sports. Americans mostly really like sports that originated in America: American Football, Baseball, and Basketball.
19. Some people have guns, but others don't. I don't have a gun and most of my friends don't, but some of my friends do. My friends and family that live in rural areas like to go hunting, so they have shotguns that are just for fun rather than for using in conflicts with other people. However, gun violence in some areas (typically poor urban ones) is unfortunately frequent.
27. Some Americans are aggressive, others are not. Everyone has different personalities.
30. Americans and British people are cool now.
34.The government views national security as the most important thing in terms of national interests and peace concerns. I, personally, think peace is more important than national security because I think the playing field will become more level eventually anyway and security will inevitably decline.
35. No, I do not own a gun. Most of my friends do not own guns. However, some of my friends do own them. My boyfriend has one (a Russian bayonet from WWII for the history of it - he has not fired it since he got it). Some of my relatives have shotguns for hunting, but lots of people do not have guns.
36. Some like it more than others. I eat 'out', fast food or sit-down restaurant, about once every week. I never eat out if I am just going to eat by myself, it is something I do to meet up with friends.
Thanks for your answers! I'm going to share some of these in class!
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