Lauren Nakaso

TIGER P.R.I.D.E
IDI REFLECTIONS (PRE-TEST)

Intercultural communication is a form of communication across

different cultures and social groups. In a social context such as a school, it is
made up of individuals from different gender, cultures, social, religious, and
ethnic backgrounds. This sense, it is being able to be open and accept others
for who they are because every one is raised differently. There are many
cultures in the world and being able to adapt and accept everyone can be a
challenge.
I grew up in a very suburban area. My high school was located in a
very populated region of Asian Americans and Indians. On my cross- country
team, majority of my teammates were all petite Asian or Indian runners. No
surprise I was part of the mix but I felt different not being as close with my
culture as some of my teammates. I felt like I associated myself closer with
my soccer teammates who were majority Caucasian. The transition from my
hometown to Stockton was very different and difficult.
Taking the IDI, I struggled on some of the questions and I did not know
how to answer them. I had to think about my personal culture and how
others may perceive another culture. My perceived orientation score fell in
the acceptance category at 119.62. The PO reflects where I personally place

Lauren Nakaso

myself along the intercultural development continuum. There are many

options on the scale: denial, polarization (defense/ reversal), minimization,
acceptance or adaptation. In this acceptance category, it means I can
identify my own culture and recognize other cultures. My developmental
orientation score was a lot lower. The DO score indicates my primary
orientation toward cultural differences. The score was 82.33, which places
me on the cusp of polarization defense/ reversal. When I got my results back
I was shocked, confused, and felt terrible. The IDI report reported a 37.29point gap. A gap score of 7 points or higher can be considered a meaningful
difference between where I perceive you are on the developmental
continuum and where the IDI places me on the level of intercultural
competence. Shannon informed me right away this is totally normal and not
to worry. The more I talked to her about the results; I understood why I
scored so much lower on DO. It is because I have not had much experience
working with other cultures. It makes sense why I am on the border of
polarization and minimization. In polarization it states its a judgmental
orientation that views cultural difference in terms of us and them. In a
setting, I am capable of finding the main picture but have a more of a
difficult time knowing individuals on a deeper level. I tend to overlook the
situation. I told Shannon I am open to learn about other cultures and learning
about them but I need to make the time and put myself out there to get to
know other people from different cultures.

Lauren Nakaso

I believe the intercultural communication is a very important trait for

any teacher or staff member because in any school setting, there will be
cultural differences. To be an effective teacher, the teacher needs to start
with making changes learning ways to adapt the learning environment to
create an enjoyable and positive environment. If a teacher does not take
action, they will be able to communicate effectively with the students with
cultural barriers and the learning atmosphere will not be the same. Before I
started Tiger Pride I did not have much experience working with a diverse
population.
According to my results, it shows I am strong in some areas but have
many weaknesses I need to improve on. Tiger Pride will definitely help me
improve my development of my intercultural communication. Most of my
students in Tiger Pride are Hispanic and if I can understand their culture, it
will be easier for me to connect with the students and help find a more
effective way to benefit all the children. I would love to be able to connect
with the students on more of a personal level and learn about their culture
and their way of everyday life. Also, if I can improve on my deliberation and
way to communicate with them to catch their attention better will improve
my class as a whole. I know when I talk in front of an audience I talk fast and
can slur my words together. Making more eye contact with individuals and
talking slower to the students will help improve my communication when
dealing with a diverse group. It is important to always smile and have fun

Lauren Nakaso

when teaching the lessons because the students can feel the energy off our
teaching.