I still haven't found anyone "Mexican" to interview. I had decided not to do it, but I keep thinking I might get some great info if I did. So I thought I would post the questionairre, and then maybe I might get a couple answers from someone. So we'll see how it goes.
1) FAMILY
a. Who is in the family? Who among these (or others) live in one house?
b. What is the hierarchy of authority in the family?
c. What are the rights an responsibilities of each family member?
d. What are the functions and obligations of the family in the larger social unit? To the school? To its individual members?
2) THE LIFE CYCLE
a. What are the different stages, periods or transitions in life?
b. What are attitudes, expectations, and behaviors toward individuals at different stages in the life cycle? What stage of life is most valued?
c. What behaviors are appropriate or unacceptable for children of various ages? How might these conflict with behaviors taught or encouraged in the school?
d. How is the age of children computed? What commemoration is made of the child's birth (if any) and when?
3) ROLES
a. What roles within the group are available to whom, and how are they acquired? Is education relevant to this acquisition?
b. Are there class differences in the expectation about child role attainment?
c. Do particular roles have positive or negative characteristics?
4) INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
a. How do people greet each other? What forms of address are used between people in various roles?
b. Do girls work and interact with boys? Is it proper?
c. How is respect shown?
d. How are insults expressed?
e. Who may disagree with whom? Under what circumstances?
5) COMMUNICATION
a. What kinds of language are used in the community? By whom? When? Where? For what purposes?
b. What roles, attitudes, or personality traits are associated with particular ways of speaking?
c. What gestures or postures have special significance or may be considered objectionable? What meaning is attached to direct eye contact? To eye avoidance?
d. Who may talk to whom? When? Where? What about?
6) DECORUM AND DISCIPLINE
a. What is polite behavior? How important is it for the individual and for the group?
b. What is discipline? What counts as discipline and what doesn't?
c. What behaviors are considered socially unacceptable for students of different age and sex?
d. Who or what is responsible if the child misbehaves? The child? Parents? Older siblings? School? Society? The environment? Or is no blame ascribed?
e. How is the behavior of children traditionally controlled?
7) RELIGION
a. What is considered sacred and what secular?
b. What religious roles and authority are recognized in the community?
c. What is the role of children in religious practices?
d. What should an outsider not know, or not acknowledge knowing?
e. What taboos are there? What should NOT be discussed in school; what questions should NOT be asked? what student behaviors should NOT be required?
f. Are there any external signs of participation in religious rites? (e.g. ashes, dress, markings?)
8) HEALTH AND HYGIENE
a. Who or what is believed to cause illness or death (e.g. the germ theory or supernatural causes?)
b. Who or what is responsible for curing?
c. If a student were involved in an accident at school, would any of the common first aid practices be unacceptable?
9) FOOD
a. What is eaten? In what order? How often?
b. What foods are favorites? What are taboo? What is 'typical'?
c. What rules are observed during meals regarding age and sex roles?
10) DRESS AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE
a. What clothing is typical? What is worn for special occasions?
b. How does dress differ for age, sex and social class?
c. What restrictions are imposed for modesty?
d. What constitutes a compliment and what form should it take?(e.g. in traditional Latin American culture, telling a woman she is getting fat is a compliment.)?
11) HISTORY AND TRADITIONS
a. What individuals and events in history are a source of pride for the group?
b. How is history passed on?
c. To what extent does the group in the United States identify with the history and traditions of their country of origin?
d. For what reasons and under what circumstances did the group or individuals come to the United States?
12) HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS
a. What holidays and celebrations are observed by the group and individuals?
b. Which are especially important to children and why?
c. What cultural values do they intend to inculcate?
d. Do parents and students know and understand school holidays and behavior appropriate for them (including appropriate nonattendance)?
13) EDUCATION
a. What is the purpose of education?
b. What kinds of learning are favored?
c. What methods for teaching and learning are used at home?
d. Is it appropriate for students to ask questions or volunteer information?
e. What constitutes a 'positive response' by a teacher to a student?
f. Are there different expectations for boys/girls? Different social classes? About different subjects?
14) WORK AND PLAY
a. What behaviors are considered work and what play?
b. What kinds of work are prestigious and why?
c. Why is work valued (e.g. financial gain, group welfare, position in the community?
d. What is the purpose of play? What kinds of play are appropriate for different children?
15) TIME AND SPACE
a. What values are associated with time? How important is punctuality?
b. Is control of children's time required (i.e. bedtimes, watching TV)?
c. Are there taboos associated with different seasons?
d. How do people organize themselves spatially in groups (e.g. in circles, on the floor)?
e. Are there specific areas allotted in the home for different activities?
16) PETS AND OTHER ANIMALS
a. Which animals are valued and why?
b. Which animals are considered appropriate as pets? Inappropriate?
c. Are there taboos associated with particular animals?
d. Which animals may be kept in the classroom? Which may not and why?
17) EXPECTATIONS AND ASPIRATIONS
a. What defines the concepts of 'disadvantaged' and 'successful'?
b. Is it appropriate for an individual to express future goals? (Is it ok to ask 'What do you want to be when you grow up?)
c. What beliefs are held regarding 'luck' or 'fate'?
d. Do parents expect and desire assimilation of children to the dominant culture as a result of education?
