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TEACHERS LEARN SUBTLETIES OF ASIAN CULTURES.


Byline: Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writer

Teacher Annette Sheehan has always wondered why her Vietnamese and Cambodian students rarely bring their problems to her, whether they're having trouble with a lesson or other personal struggles.

But after attending a conference Saturday, which offered educators glimpses into customs of Asian- and Pacific-Americans, she now knows better.

``I learned a little about Confucianism and respect for elders, and I realize they will never confront me with anything,'' Sheehan said. ``I'll have to think of some creative ways to work on that.''

About 80 teachers, parents, school nurses and counselors attended the fifth annual conference on education and Asian- and Pacific-Americans at Carson High School Carson High School can refer to:
  • Carson High School (Carson City, Nevada)
  • Carson High School (Los Angeles)
 in Carson.

The all-day event, part of Asian Pacific Heritage Month and sponsored by the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850.  Unified School District's Asian Pacific Education Commission, offered workshops on differences between Asian groups, including learning habits, customs, immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important.  history and experiences in America.

``I'll be able to see my students in different ways and understand their backgrounds,'' said Sheehan, who teaches English at the Wilson-Lincoln Adult School in Lincoln Heights Lincoln Heights may refer to:
  • Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California
  • Lincoln Heights, Ohio
  • Lincoln Heights, a neighbourhood in Ottawa
  • Lincoln Heights, the ABC Family original series
. ``Now I just want to learn more.''

However similar they may seem, Asian-Americans are diverse in many ways, said Jeff Tung, a volunteer on the commission.

On Saturday, Tung lectured on the history of Chinese immigration to America.

``Asian-Pacific-Americans are lumped into this one group, but we're a very large and diverse people,'' said Tung, who lives in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley

Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills.
. ``(Chinese-American) ways of teaching and how to approach families may not be true for all Asians.''

Some of the insights on Asian- and Pacific-Americans shared by speakers during the conference include:

In many Asian countries Noun 1. Asian country - any one of the nations occupying the Asian continent
Asian nation

country, land, state - the territory occupied by a nation; "he returned to the land of his birth"; "he visited several European countries"
, teachers are regarded with the same respect and as being of the same social status as physicians. Parents are less likely to get involved in school and campus events, not because they don't care
This page is about the music single. For the meaning relating to digital logic, see Don't-care (logic)


"Don't Care" is a 1994 (see 1994 in music) single by American death metal band Obituary.
 about their children's' education, but because they have complete faith that educators can do on their own.

Some Southeast Asian families, such as Cambodians, may urge youngsters to work for the family or close to home during or immediately after high school. But Filipinos are more apt to support children through college and not push them to take jobs before their highest attainable degree is completed.

In the Samoan culture, working to help others and their families oftentimes of·ten·times   also oft·times
adv.
Frequently; repeatedly.

Adv. 1. oftentimes - many times at short intervals; "we often met over a cup of coffee"
frequently, oft, often, ofttimes
 takes precedence The order in which an expression is processed. Mathematical precedence is normally:

1. unary + and - signs
2. exponentiation
3. multiplication and division
4.
 over earning advanced academic degrees as a means to achieve personal wealth and financial stability.

Guest speaker Dhyan Lal, a district student career adviser and author of books on youth gangs, spoke about Asian gangs. Lal said some of the Los Angeles area's most well-controlled and least suspected gangs are often those organized by Asian Pacific students striving to belong. Often, gang leaders are among the district's most affluent Asian-American youngsters, Lal added.

``They're the slickest and the smartest and the ones we suspect the least, because stereotypically the Asian student is quiet. But if we are blinded by that, we are not doing them a service,'' Lal said.

But the conference wasn't all work.

Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population.  students performed traditional dances from Samoa, Fiji, Hawaii and other Pacific islands as part of a Hawaiian-style luau.

Asian- and Pacific-American students make up 6.7 percent of Los Angeles Unified, or 44,730 of the district's 667,624. They are the fourth largest group, trailing Latinos, African-Americans and whites.

COMING EVENTS

May is Asian Pacific Heritage Month nationwide, with festivals and a wide array of events scheduled to commemorate and celebrate Asian- and Pacific-American culture and experiences. Here are some of the coming events planned for the Los Angeles area:

Today: Hawaiian handcrafts, a class on making traditional Hawaiian seed crafts, will be offered to children and adults at the Japanese-American National Museum from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at 369 E. First St., Los Angeles. For more information call: (213) 625-0414.

May 22: UCLA's ``Finding Our Roots: Evening of Asian Pacific Islander Pacific Islander
n.
1. A native or inhabitant of any of the Polynesian, Micronesian, or Melanesian islands of Oceania.

2. A person of Polynesian, Micronesian, or Melanesian descent. See Usage Note at Asian.
 Sights and Sounds,'' an evening of performing arts from Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, region of Asia (1990 est. pop. 442,500,000), c.1,740,000 sq mi (4,506,600 sq km), bounded roughly by the Indian subcontinent on the west, China on the north, and the Pacific Ocean on the east. , India, Korea, the Pacific Islands and more. It will be held at the university's North West Campus Auditorium in Westwood. Admission is free. For more information, call (310) 825-7184.

May 29: Asian-American fashion show, sponsored by the Asian Business Association, at Universal Hilton, 555 Universal Terrace Parkway in Universal City. It will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets, which include dinner and entertainment, are $40 per person.

May 31: Asian Pacific Islander Youth Heritage and Talent Night at Pierce College's campus center, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at 6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills.

For more information, call Chia Rhu Yang at (818) 703-8693.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: Hula dancers Hula Dancer (foaled 1960 in Kentucky) was a French Thoroughbred filly racehorse. She was sired by Native Dancer, the 1954 1954 United States Horse of the Year and a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee.  try to teach steps to participants at the conference.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News

Box: COMING EVENTS (see text)
COPYRIGHT 1997 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1997, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:May 18, 1997
Words:803
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