A few years
ago, a colleague's husband became unemployed and had to work on his own
providing transportation services. One day he gave a ride to a person who had
just robbed a store and the affected person identified my colleague's husband's
car as the accomplice of the robbery. Shortly thereafter, the police arrested
him. The man was really in trouble even though he was innocent of what had
happened. My friend was a teacher, and when she arrived at the police station
where her husband was being held, she recognized the officer in charge. She had
been his teacher. And the officer recognized her too. Fortunately, the officer
had good memories of her teacher and considered her an honest person. This
previous experience was enough to release my partner's husband.
On the other hand, about 20 years ago, there was a terrible case of rape of a young woman named Linda Loaiza. Although the news outraged the whole nation, the criminal never paid his sentence because he was from a very important business family in the country. A couple of phone calls among his network of friends was enough to get him off the hook.
What is the middle ground, is there a middle ground, should there be a middle ground, how to survive in a polychronic culture?
Although I was born in a Latin American country, I must confess my monochronic nature. For me, both cases are irregular, even if one of them was really innocent. The investigations should have been carried out to free the innocent and to convict the guilty. But such are polychronic societies.
How do you deal with these cultural differences in a TESOL classroom? These are real challenges inherent in the culture! I particularly consider the need to preserve institutions with a monochronic stance. Managers and teachers must be sure to keep clear what the rules of the game are. It does not mean that we become a society of insensitive people, but that we can all enjoy the guarantee offered by the norm. Advantages can never be seen as an act of mercy or faith. Either everyone has the benefits or no one has the benefits. That is called equal opportunity. And in a polychronic society, you can only access those opportunities according to the level of influence you have in your networks.
On the other hand, about 20 years ago, there was a terrible case of rape of a young woman named Linda Loaiza. Although the news outraged the whole nation, the criminal never paid his sentence because he was from a very important business family in the country. A couple of phone calls among his network of friends was enough to get him off the hook.
What is the middle ground, is there a middle ground, should there be a middle ground, how to survive in a polychronic culture?
Although I was born in a Latin American country, I must confess my monochronic nature. For me, both cases are irregular, even if one of them was really innocent. The investigations should have been carried out to free the innocent and to convict the guilty. But such are polychronic societies.
How do you deal with these cultural differences in a TESOL classroom? These are real challenges inherent in the culture! I particularly consider the need to preserve institutions with a monochronic stance. Managers and teachers must be sure to keep clear what the rules of the game are. It does not mean that we become a society of insensitive people, but that we can all enjoy the guarantee offered by the norm. Advantages can never be seen as an act of mercy or faith. Either everyone has the benefits or no one has the benefits. That is called equal opportunity. And in a polychronic society, you can only access those opportunities according to the level of influence you have in your networks.
One thing I admire a lot in the US is its
institutions. Bringing a president of the republic to court to face justice
sends a clear message to all citizens of that nation. The family is the nucleus
of society and the school is our second home. It is worthwhile to review how
the inner workings are in order to infer what kind of citizens we are forming.
That is what our society depends on.
References:
Cultural differences in Concerning TIME. https://video.byui.edu/media/04+Cultural+differences+in+Concerning+TIME/0_1cjop6lc
Images by Pixabay
Your culture and mine are very similar because we live in a polychronic culture where the networks are the most important. In my country is calling "compadrazgo" and we can see all the time in politic situations. It is very hard to see this situations but I think that education can make changes then ESL teachers prepared can make a difference to demonstrate the important of syllabus in the classroom are not a game.
ResponderEliminarI believe flexibilization is important in some cases and circumstances. But many countries and societies pay a high price because of the polychronic mindset of the population in general.
ResponderEliminar