I truly believe that is is not fair to make any assumptions or generalizatione about a race, sex, or culture by virtue of it’s population.  That, to me, is the number one mistake that people make about others, regardless of their inent.  As with any other ethnically diverse population, education about the culture can help to enhance our teaching and understanding of our students.  It has been my experience in working with “Asian Americans” (not a generalization) that education is truly valued in these homes.  Their is a level of respect for authority and an understanding that success comes with hard work.  Those values are not reserved for Asian immigrant families.  Those values should not be restricted to a particular class.  Those are the values that enhance the education system and help to foster success for all it’s students. 

I admire the respect that the Asian immigrants described in this article show for their culture and families.  Most were raised with a value system that is not evident in mainstream America.  I also understand the self-consciousness associated with learning a new language and it’s public use.  Many Asian-American children continue to be raised in homes where they do not speak unless spoken to.  However, there needs to be strong Asian American voices in homes, schools, and communities.  Dialogue needs to occur in a respectful, meaningful manner to envoke self-confidence in young children and promote positive leadership skills for life.  Everyone needs to have a “voice” and feel as though he/she is being heard.  If that dialogue cannot be practiced in the home, then certainly opportunities must be made available in school.  Successful members of other minority groups have reported that their success, despite their racial and social issues, have resulted from an ability to “code switch” when it was time to go to school.  They speak and behave differently when with their peers and/or family than they would when in school or at work.  In a sense, Asian Americans need to do their own “code switching” by accommodating their behaviors to unique situations.  Respect for one’s culture can be found in honoring traditions but it can also be evident in setting positive examples and “paving the way” for future generations so that every voice can be heard.