The Culture Tree is a concept developed by educator and author Zaretta Hammond. It is a visual representation of culture that consists of three levels: surface culture, shallow culture, and deep culture.
Key Facts
- The Culture Tree: Zaretta Hammond, an educator and author, has developed the concept of the Culture Tree as a visual representation of culture. It consists of three levels:
- Surface Culture: This level includes observable and concrete elements of culture such as food, dress, and music.
- Shallow Culture: This level encompasses the unspoken rules and norms of everyday social interactions, including attitudes towards elders, concepts of time, nonverbal communication, and rules about eye contact.
- Deep Culture: This level comprises tacit knowledge, unconscious assumptions, and worldview that govern ethics, spirituality, health, and theories of group harmony.
- Importance of Cultural Understanding: Understanding and appreciating different levels of culture is crucial for creating inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments. It helps build trust, rapport, and empathy among students and teachers.
- Classroom Application: Educators can integrate the concept of the Culture Tree into their teaching practices by:
- Recognizing and integrating surface culture through activities related to food, dress, and music.
- Acknowledging and incorporating shallow culture by considering communication techniques, personal space, and social norms.
- Engaging with deep culture by exploring decision-making processes, spirituality, and beliefs about the world.
Surface Culture
Surface culture includes observable and concrete elements of culture such as food, dress, and music. These elements are often the most visible and easily recognizable aspects of a culture.
Shallow Culture
Shallow culture encompasses the unspoken rules and norms of everyday social interactions. This level includes attitudes towards elders, concepts of time, nonverbal communication, and rules about eye contact. These elements are often less visible and may require more effort to understand.
Deep Culture
Deep culture comprises tacit knowledge, unconscious assumptions, and worldview that govern ethics, spirituality, health, and theories of group harmony. This level is the most complex and difficult to understand, as it is often deeply ingrained in a culture’s history and traditions.
Understanding and appreciating different levels of culture is crucial for creating inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments. By recognizing and integrating the Culture Tree into their teaching practices, educators can build trust, rapport, and empathy among students and teachers.
Classroom Application
Educators can integrate the concept of the Culture Tree into their teaching practices in several ways:
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Recognizing and integrating surface culture
This can be done through activities related to food, dress, and music. For example, teachers can have students share traditional dishes from their cultures or create a bulletin board displaying different types of clothing from around the world.
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Acknowledging and incorporating shallow culture
This can be done by considering communication techniques, personal space, and social norms. For example, teachers can discuss the different ways people greet each other in different cultures or have students role-play different social situations.
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Engaging with deep culture
This can be done by exploring decision-making processes, spirituality, and beliefs about the world. For example, teachers can have students research different religions or discuss the different ways people view the afterlife.
By integrating the Culture Tree into their teaching practices, educators can create more inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments that help all students feel valued and respected.
Sources
- The Culture Tree: Getting to Know Yourself and Your Students – CENTER FOR THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION OF TEACHERS (https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/news-press/the-cultural-tree-getting-to-know-yourself-and-your-students)
- Overview of Culturally Responsive Practices : The Culture Tree (https://sitesed.cde.state.co.us/mod/book/view.php?id=8030&chapterid=8125)
- Hindi Urdu Classes, South Asian Events – The Culture Tree (https://theculturetree.com/)
FAQs
What is the Culture Tree?
The Culture Tree is a visual representation of culture developed by educator and author Zaretta Hammond. It consists of three levels: surface culture, shallow culture, and deep culture.
What is surface culture?
Surface culture includes observable and concrete elements of culture such as food, dress, and music.
What is shallow culture?
Shallow culture encompasses the unspoken rules and norms of everyday social interactions, including attitudes towards elders, concepts of time, nonverbal communication, and rules about eye contact.
What is deep culture?
Deep culture comprises tacit knowledge, unconscious assumptions, and worldview that govern ethics, spirituality, health, and theories of group harmony.
Why is it important to understand the different levels of culture?
Understanding and appreciating different levels of culture is crucial for creating inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments. It helps build trust, rapport, and empathy among students and teachers.
How can educators use the Culture Tree in the classroom?
Educators can integrate the Culture Tree into their teaching practices by recognizing and integrating surface culture, acknowledging and incorporating shallow culture, and engaging with deep culture.
What are some examples of how to integrate surface culture into the classroom?
Educators can have students share traditional dishes from their cultures, create a bulletin board displaying different types of clothing from around the world, or play music from different cultures during class.
What are some examples of how to integrate shallow culture into the classroom?
Educators can discuss the different ways people greet each other in different cultures, have students role-play different social situations, or teach students about the different ways people communicate nonverbally.