Names: Shivani and Ivy Pagatpat June 21, 2024

Cultural Assignment
1. Identify and describe/ summarize two cultures you are not familiar with.

 Italian culture
Italian culture is famous for its long history, beautiful art, and unique traditions.
Italy has greatly influenced the world in many areas like art, music, fashion, and food.
Cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice have amazing old buildings and famous artworks
that people travel from all over to see. Family, food, and spending time with others are
very important in Italian culture. Festivals, religious events, and local customs are a big
part of everyday life. Italians are known for being friendly and welcoming hosts. They
communicate expressively, using a lot of hand gestures. Strong family bonds are highly
valued in Italian society. In simple terms, Italian culture celebrates its rich heritage
through art, architecture, traditions, and a focus on close-knit families and social
gatherings centered around food. This vibrant culture has had a major global impact over
the centuries.

 Indian Culture
The Indian culture is an incredibly diverse and rich tapestry with a history that
spans thousands of years. It encompasses a wide range of traditions, languages, customs,
and religious practices. Indian culture is renowned for its dynamism and liveliness.
Additionally, Indian cuisine is celebrated for its aromatic spices and flavors, with
regional variations that reflect the diverse culinary traditions across the country.

2. Commonalties and Difference on how they raise their children and their ways of
interacting/parenting their children.

ITALIAN CULTURE
Parenting Style:
 Italian families often prioritize strong family bonds and nurturing environments.
They raised their children with a deep sense of belonging and security.
 Parenting tends to be permissive, with parents providing a lot of affection and
warmth. Italian parents may allow more freedom for children to explore and
express themselves.
 Social skills and manners are highly valued. Children are often included in family
gatherings and social events, which they believe will help them develop strong
social skills from an early age.
 For them education is important, but there is a balanced approach where academic
success is encouraged without excessive pressure.
 Interaction with Children:
 Italian parents encourage open communication and emotional expression.
Children are allowed to express their feelings and thoughts freely.
 Children are actively involved in daily family activities, including meal
preparation and social events, fostering a sense of responsibility and community.

INDIAN CULTURE
Parenting Style:
 Indian parents often adopt an authoritative parenting style, emphasizing respect
for elders, discipline, and academic success.
 The extended family plays a crucial role in child-rearing. Grandparents, aunts,
uncles, and cousins are often involved in the daily lives of children, providing
additional support and guidance.
 Indian parenting practice cultural and traditional values. Children are taught to
adhere to family customs and religious practices, especially Hinduism.
 Academic success is highly prioritized, to excel in studies and participating in
extracurricular activities.

Interaction with Children:

 Indian parents maintain a structured environment with clear rules and routines.
There is a strong focus on discipline and proper behavior.
 Indian culture emphasizes collectivism, where children to think about the family's
well-being in their actions and decisions.

COMMONALITIES
 Strong Family Bonds:
- Both Italian and Indian cultures place a high value on family relationships and
emphasize the importance of close-knit family ties.
- Extended family members play an important role in the upbringing of children in both
cultures.
 Respect for Elders:
- Respect for elders is a key value in both cultures. Children are taught to show respect
towards older family members and others.
 Cultural Traditions:
- Both cultures have rich traditions and cultural practices that are passed down through
generations. Children are often involved in cultural and religious ceremonies and rituals.

DIFFERENCES
 Parenting Approach:
Italian Culture: Parenting tends to be more permissive and nurturing, allowing
children more freedom to express themselves and explore their interests. There is
a balanced approach to discipline and affection.
 Indian Culture: Parenting is more authoritative with a strong focus on discipline,
respect, and adherence to family traditions. Academic success is highly emphasized.

 Social Interaction and Expression:

Italian Culture: Encourages open communication and emotional expression. Children
are included in social events and family activities from a young age.
Indian Culture: While social skills are important, the focus is more on respect and
proper behavior. Emotional expression may be more restrained, and there is a greater
emphasis on collective family values.

 Educational Focus:
Italian Culture: Education is important for them but there is less pressure on academic
achievement. Their focus is on overall personality development and social skills.
Indian Culture: Parents often closely monitor and guide their children's educational
progress wherein there is an emphasis on academic excellence and extracurricular
achievements.

3. How were you raised and what influenced your behaviour? What are the
similarities and differences between you and your partner?

- We are Filipino and Indian, and these are some of our similarities and differences.
Filipino (Ivy)
Parenting Style
- Filipino families have a very close-knit ties, with a strong emphasis on respect for elders
and family unity. Children are often raised in a nurturing and supportive environment.
- In the Philippines, they actively practice religious and values in their daily family life
and parenting.
- Discipline in Filipino households is typically gentle but firm. Parents often use a
combination of verbal instructions and moral guidance.
- Social interactions and community involvement are encouraged wherein they call it
bayanihan (community spirit), where neighbors and extended family members help
each other.

Influences on Behaviour
- Being raised in a close-knit family and a supportive community influenced values such
as respect, cooperation, and empathy.
- They do regular participation in religious activities shaped moral values and behaviors.
- Parents emphasize to their children the importance of education and hard work to
improve one’s life.

Indian (Shivani)
Parenting Style
 -Indian parents often adopt an authoritative parenting style, with clear expectations and
an emphasis on discipline and respect for elders.
-Indian cultures practice a strong emphasis on traditions, rituals, and family heritage.
Wherein, these values are integrated into daily life and parenting practices.
- Extended family plays a crucial role in child-rearing, with grandparents, aunts, and
uncles actively involved in the child’s upbringing.
- Indian culture highly valued academic success, and parents often invest heavily in their
children’s education and extracurricular activities.

Influences on Behaviour
- Growing up in a family that values traditions and respects elders influenced behavior in
terms of adherence to cultural norms and respect for authority.
- A strong focus on education and achievement influenced the drive for academic and
professional success.
- Participation in cultural and religious practices instilled a sense of identity and
belonging.

Similarities:
- Filipino and Indian are both cultures that place a high value on family relationships and
respect for elders. They believe that family is considered the cornerstone of social life.
- Both Filipino and Indian cultures prioritize education and academic success to secure a
better future.
- Both cultures emphasize the importance of community support and involvement. Social
gatherings and family events are common in both cultures.

Differences:
 Parenting Approach:
Filipino parenting may be more nurturing and lenient, focusing on emotional
support and community spirit, while Indian parenting can be more authoritative
with a focus on discipline and adherence to traditions.
 Religious Influence:
While both cultures have strong religious influences, the specific practices and
values differ. Filipino culture is predominantly influenced by Catholicism and
Christianity, whereas Indian culture includes a diverse range of religions such as
Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism.
 Extended Family Dynamics:
In Indian culture, the extended family often lives together or close by, playing an
active role in daily life. In Filipino culture, extended family is important and there
may be more nuclear family living arrangements with strong community ties

4. Explain/describe what Cultural Competence means.

- Cultural competence is the ability to effectively understand, communicate with, and
interact with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. It entails a deep awareness
 and respectful acknowledgment of cultural disparities, along with the capacity to adapt
one's behavior and communication style to bridge these gaps. Embracing an open-minded
and nonjudgmental approach, individuals strive to learn from and about other cultures to
foster mutual understanding and respect.

5. Provide Specific examples of how you would teach and set up the environment to
demonstrate Cultural Competence. Please put them in the chart.
Two for preschool 1. Allow children to wear traditional
clothing from different cultures and
share stories about them.

2. Learn basic words and phrases

from different languages through
songs, games, or flashcards.
Children practice pronunciation
and simple greetings.

Two for Kindergarten 1. Play games that are popular in

various cultures. Children learn the
rules and discuss the games
cultural origins and significance.

2. Organize "culture days" where

children can dress in traditional
clothing from their own or other
cultures, and share stories or facts
about their cultural background to
foster a sense of pride and
belonging.

6. Going forward, how are you going to develop your own Cultural
Competency?
 Participate in diversity training, workshops, and discussions to expand
understanding of cultural competence such as by reading books and talking to
people from diverse backgrounds.
 We will take part in cultural festivals, try different foods, and attend community
events. Experiencing cultures first-hand will allow me to appreciate them.
 Remain open to feedback and actively seek out diverse perspectives to ensure
sensitivity and respect for cultural differences in interactions and
communications. For instance, ,make friends with people from varied cultures.
Having open conversations with them will help me understand their perspectives
and traditions directly.
 Actively seek out opportunities to learn about different cultures, histories, and
perspectives through literature, media, and interpersonal interactions.
7. References :
BIBLIOGRAPHY Italy. (n.d.). Retrieved from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/search?
query=italy

Gielen, U. P., & Roopnarine, J. L. (Eds.). (2004). Families in global perspective.

Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.