The rise of the third/fourth/fifth culture kid

I'm in Singapore at the moment, enjoying a break from the madness that is my class. Although I'm not in my home, curled up on the couch surrounded by marking, I'm still at home. 

Why? I was a third culture kid. An ex-expat brat. Singapore is my second home.

I was lucky enough to spend 4 years living here, and studying at the Australian International School, where my mother worked (and is working at again now).  I was 14 when I moved here, and I would say that I 'grew up' in Singapore, as spending those formative teenage years in a culture so different to my own has shaped me into the individual I am today.

My younger brother, however, is a fifth culture kid. 

He spent time living and studying in Singapore, England and Abu Dhabi - he actually completed his education with a British qualification, and is now studying at an Australian university. Talk about culturally confused.

When you ask a third culture kid; that is a child who is living in a culture other than their own and that of their parents; where they are from, the answer is far from simple. Are you referring to their home culture, their parent's culture that they have been raised in, or the place they are living now?

And how about when multiple languages are brought into the equation? You may ask a child this simple question in English, but to answer it, they must first translate it to their first language in their head, answer it, then translate the answer back all within a socially acceptable timeframe so they don't look stupid.
 

Mean Girls is a great illustration of the life of a TCK. And is also hilarious.

Now, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my expat experience for anything - travelling the world, gaining an understanding an appreciation for cultures other than my own, developing a global mindset and receiving an international education - all positives and all amazing, life changing experiences that make me the fabulous individual I am today.

But just stop and think for a second. Reflect on your classroom/school/educational environment. 

How many children in your classroom are living in their own culture, and culture of their parents?

In my current class, I cannot name one student who is living in their family's home culture.

Think about the effect this would have upon your students - these children are developing a sense of identity in a world that is full of cultural idiosyncrasies that they must assimilate into their own sense of self. The battle of their family culture, their home culture, and how it fits into the social mores of the culture they live in will often clash and contradict, leaving the child unsure of what is 'right'. In addition, some are constantly translating between multiple languages, attempting to grasp a concept that is difficult in one language, let alone two.

And with all this going on - we expect them to SIT DOWN, STOP TALKING, STOP FIDDLING AND LISTEN!!!!

We need to consider that we are not educating the all - Australian (or all - American, all - Singaporean, whichever 'culture' you teach in) child anymore. In fact, all our students are living in cultures other than their own - technology makes sure of that for our 21st Century learners.

As teachers, we need to take on a  global mindset when teaching, even if our entire class is living in their home culture, because their experience of their world and their development of 'culture' is one that does not follow geographical borders anymore - it is unbounded.