Cultural Collisions
The relationship between international teaching assistants and American students can often be challenging — tips to ease the tension
By Anita Nahal
Much has been written about the sometimes contentious relationship between international teaching assistants and their American students. ITA’s sometimes unfamiliar accents, teaching styles and cultural nuances can create an environment where teaching and learning become a challenge. In an ideal classroom, both the student and teacher would be enriched by the other’s cultural experiences. However, rather than being a seamless union, classrooms and labs have often become the sites of cultural collisions, marked by confusion over pronunciation, word usage and social customs.
The frustration cuts both ways. Many ITAs over the years have found it difficult to adjust to a culture where students speak informally to their instructors, eat in class, arrive late and express visible impatience.
But now a diverse group of Howard University faculty, all former teaching assistants, have come together to offer tips to assist ITAs.
Dr. Folohan O. Aryorinde, a graduate professor of chemistry from Nigeria, suggests interacting and socializing with other students in order to become more comfortable in the academic environment. He also recommends speaking clearly and paying attention to voice modulation, inflection and speed.
Doris R. Corbett, professor of sport studies, says cultural stereotypes can blind the instructor from recognizing the values and skills students possess.
