In our reading this week on managing cultural differences Moran, Abramson, and Moran (2014) discuss the importance of identifying and respecting the social norms of other cultures in order to be a better leader. (p. 52) In order to analyze this idea further, I wanted to introduce an article I read in my Linguistics 100 course, “Using AAVE in Oakland CA Classrooms; The Real Ebonics Debate: An Interview with Oakland Teacher Carrie Secret.” (2016). This article highlights the methods of teacher Carrie Secret and can help us learn about managing cultural differences.

 

Carrie Secret is an elementary school teacher in Oakland, CA who has an enlightening perspective on the use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) or more well-known as ebonics. The demographics of Miss Secret’s current class is one Lakota Sioux student, two Cambodian students, two Mexican students and 26 African American students. Miss Secret’s classroom is both global and highly representative of her local community, which makes for a good case in studying how a school teacher can use global leadership skills in a domestic occupation.

 

Miss Secret is unique in her approach to teaching students English. For most of her students, formal “Standard American English” as used in Academia and Professional environments is not spoken in their homes and, therefore, the students do not use this dialect for their common communication. However, for linguists, a Standard dialect is no more or less rational or “correct” than any other dialect. It is in this way that Carrie Secret wants to treat ebonics with equal respect and dignity as any other dialect or common language. Students freely use ebonics in their speech because that is their natural common language. Miss Secret is deliberate in her approach to teaching the “Standard American English” dialect, by requesting her students to speak in this way at certain times of the day, or for reading activities, or oral reports, so that they can practice the dialect that will be used in future academic and professional environments. At the same time, she respects their use of ebonics as one would with any other foreign language or variant English dialect that is spoken in a child’s home.

 

I believe that this example truly highlights Moran, Abramson, and Moran’s assertion that it is important for global leaders to respect others social norms. (p. 50) It is especially important to respect the cultural area of communication and language. This is a very specific example of showing respect for a culture and placing equal importance to using one’s common dialect while respecting the academic culture in the United States. Miss Secret is able to respect both American teaching cultural standards and student’s known common language. Likewise, the teacher is also showing a respect for the social norm of one’s sense of self. Because Carrie Secret never puts down a child’s use of ebonics and never treats it as a substandard dialect, she is reinforcing and encouraging the students’ sense of self.

I think that this story is a great example to follow in our approach to global leadership and managing cultural differences. For me, it called me to be more observant of others cultural norms. Although an action or behavior may not be the cultural norm for me, it doesn’t mean that it is a behavior that requires correction, nor should it spark and aversion in my mind. Instead, I will implore to notice these behaviors and then seek to learn where these behaviors come from. In doing so I can avoid cultural gaffes and will be careful not to unintentionally invalidate another’s sense of self. This will be an important tool for me to use in developing better global leadership.

 

Sources:

 

Moran, Robert, Abramson, Neil, & Moran, Sarah. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences. Oxford: Routledge.

 

Using AAVE in Oakland CA Classrooms; The Real Ebonics Debate: An Interview with Oakland Teacher Carrie Secret. (2016). Rethinking Schools.