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Show lessons, Spring/Summer 2002 page 7 how I was being perceived [by the students], not on how the classroom discipline was being perceived," she says. Although these distinctive teaching challenges pose barriers to overcome, the related new experiences and discoveries are priceless. Von Sivers said he recently returned to Germany to teach at the University of Munich for a semester. He realized that he had become so accustomed to the American teaching style and culture that he wasn't impressed with the formal setting and wished students would participate more in class. He said he missed teaching in America. "Students in America try to gain a better understanding and appreciation of other cultures, and I am very impressed with how open and broad the awareness is, especially in Utah," he says. De Raedt has also discovered and enjoyed the U's system of emphasizing creativity while teaching. She agrees that participation should be taken into consideration when determining a student's overall grade. This encourages students to voice their ideas, opinions, beliefs and questions. Many non-native instructors enjoy teaching in America because they find pleasure sharing knowledge and experience about their countries and cultures. "If it was only American teachers teaching, the perspective would be very dry and would limit the students' education," Savvides says. The instructors say that students are generally accepting of their culture and teaching style. Danielle Hawkes, a junior, took a political science class from Savvides. "He knows dynamics about different cultures," she says. "Therefore, I am learning many different views from many different countries." Hawkes believes that Americans have a more simplistic conception of instruction, and tend to teach from a one-sided viewpoint. But non-natives teach from experiences of many different cultures. She agrees that her personal outlook is enhanced by outside cultural influences. Professor Comollo says his students have a greater appreciation of Italian culture because of his direct experience in Italy. "Natives know more about the language and culture," he says. However, students do not always seem to appreciate this integration of native culture. Sophomore Max Vadnais said that it depends on the type of class taught. He took a math class taught by an instructor from Romania. He not only felt that the instructor's accent was difficult to understand, but the teaching was also too advanced for the level of the subject and the students taking the class. Senior Michelle Chambers agrees. She says she took a computer science class from an instructor from Fiji and found it difficult to understand his way of teaching and the logic of the computer course. On the other hand, she compares that to a Spanish class she took from an instructor native to El Salvador. She says the instructor's cultural experiences were very appropriate for the subject and that she gained a better understanding of the material because of the direct correlation. Despite possible negative aspects, most students agree that non-native instructors contribute to the diversity of college learning. Many students gain insight and appreciation for the instructor's culture, contributing to a vibrant educational environment. Senior Dave Hall laughed as he recalled the time his Calculus teacher from Japan started writing on the chalkboard in Japanese. "He didn't realize what he was doing. We were all confused and stunned, but we all had a good laugh afterward," Hall says. This class provided cultural insight, which Hall believes he wouldn't have received from American teachers. "I think all students should take at least one class from a foreign teacher to get personal insight of a new culture and lifestyle," Chambers comments. Hawkes agrees that non-native professors are beneficial. She says that they give students a better idea of how the world perceives America and how cultures are different. Although non-native instructors must overcome many teaching barriers, their uniqueness adds value to any university and a student's college experience. Learning about other cultures helps students to appreciate and understand their own, while also developing a multicultural understanding. American students and their non-native instructors can learn a lot from each other with cultural sensitivity and devoted effort. Instructor Philippos Savvides welcomes frankness from his students and incourages dialogue about his native country in his political science classes. |