Girma Berhanu

Normality, deviance, identity, cultural tracking and school achievement: The case of Ethiopian Jews in Israel

This article reveals the intrinsic connection between the constructs normality, identity, meaning, cultural tracking, and school achievement. In particular, it illuminates the indirect connection between cultural tracking and a reduction in the meaningful engagement of school tasks. As documented elsewhere, learning proceeds in a meaningful environment with meaningful goals embedded within the broader framework and context of human life, with identity anchored in a stable cultural and communicative framework. What my study shows is how Ethiopian students are in a state of identity crisis as they grapple with two cultural systems and structures of meaning which confuse their sense of direction. In the process, meaningfully propelled learning dispositions and an affectively driven urge to achieve scholastic excellence deteriorate. Thus, the lagging academic performance of these children is partly caused by the school system which has little knowledge of the way these children and their parents feel and think in terms of identity, belongingness and negotiation of meaning. It is not that Ethiopian students are unmotivated, they work hard to achieve excellence. It is more that the process of learning a new code of behaviour, values and school culture is taking place rapidly without the original cultures active participation as a basic link and a vehicle for further learning. The article also points out the extent of the economic and otherwise power‐related differences between black and white Jews in Israel.

Indigenous Conception of Intelligence, Ideal Child, and Ideal Parenting among Ethiopian Jews in Israel

A community’s conception of child development, “native theories” of socialization, the meta-communicative framework, the cultural meaning and value system—including the parent-child dyadic relationship—as part of the wider historical and cultural process significantly influence the construction of a person. It includes reference to literacy events, parents’ conceptions of the ideal child, their educational objectives, and indigenous conception of “intelligence,” all of which can influence the academic progress of Ethiopian children. Although these cultural practices, native theories of development, and conceptions of “schooling” are “functional” and valued within the group—especially in their Ethiopian socio-cultural and economic milieu—the group’s encounter with the Israeli schools and other social systems has created a conflict that works to the disadvantage of Ethiopian children. The data presented here show the rift between school ethos and home environment of Ethiopian children, which inadequately prepares them for formal demands of the Israeli school system. There is a discontinuity between home and school, non-existent among middle class Israeli children.

Parenting (Parental Attitude), Child Development, and Modalities of Parent-Child Interactions: Sayings, Proverbs, and Maxims of Ethiopian Jews in Israel

The author presents and discusses typical (traditional) modalities of parent-child interaction based on proverbs, sayings and maxims, and on participant observation, informal talks, and personal experience working with Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Although the author’s assumptions are clear that there is no direct causal link between a single proverb/saying and the behavior associated with it, he also assumes that all the tens of sayings presented combined with the relevant ethnographic data may reveal some patterns of the psychological theories of the caretakers and something of their “native” theories of how children should be socialized in order to become ideal children. Some core values in child growth and development, learning, and parenting that may have great influence on children’s preparedness for formal schooling,, hence their success in scholastic achievement, are also suggested. The principal conclusion drawn from this study underscores the significance of cultural meaning systems and meta-communicative frameworks in which proverbs and sayings are embedded and highlights the largely unconscious effect they can have on socialization processes and various cognitive activities. This may also shed some light on problems related to group-based inequalities in scholastic achievement. Further, there is a need for heightened awareness of intercultural education in order to bridge the broad gap between the culture of the Ethiopian home and the Israeli school culture.

Mediated Learning Activities Between Caregivers and Children Among New Immigrants and Veteran Families in Israel: An Experiment on Two "Home-Based" Tasks

The author presents a study of the systematic observation of Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) among Ethiopian immigrants in Israel. The study was based on “semi-naturalistic” observation of two tasks–one experimental task with the new immigrants, another with veteran immigrants. The observation was conducted mainly on the basis of MLE parameters. The study illustrates the components of MLE that are most valuable and ones that are more emphasized than others as part of the overall cultural practice and its value system. Generally, Ethiopian parents infrequently use the mediation of transcendence infrequently and rarely provide mediation of competence and reward, especially in the explicit verbal form of a direct reward. More emphasis is placed on the accomplishment of actual acts with little room for making errors. The mediation of regulation of behavior is done with a more commanding and direct manner–sometimes scolding–with an authoritarian voice and body gestures. The overall picture of MLE among this immigrant population indicates that there is still a huge disparity between the mediational teaching style expressed as ideal in schools and the mediational styles that Ethiopian children are familiar with at home. This suggests a discontinuity between home and school that might inhibit a rapid adaptation to the school’s learning style for the children.