Introduction
Italy is a country based in Europe. The country is well known for its culture and old practices that have been passed down the generations, thus is referred to as the fulcrum of a number of universal phenomena, a good example being the Catholic Church[ CITATION Hel08 \l 1033 ]. The Italian culture has so many aspects, and from this wide range of cultural activities and norms, people from other countries have adopted quite a lot from the Italian culture. This includes its cuisine, fashion sense, and many other things. Italy is well known for producing the some of the best poets, writers, musicians, and architects. Again, Italy is credited to be the birthplace or Western civilization, in elements such as religion, civil institutions, to list but a few.
Literature Review
Besides food, fashion and language, there are so many other aspects that constitute the Italian culture. Below are some of these aspects.
a) Customs and Norms
Under the customs and norms, elements like family values, religion, etiquette, and so many other elements[ CITATION Mar96 \l 1033 ].
Family values- the Italians have great reference for the family unit. The nuclear family forms the basic social unit and is the basis for national unity[ CITATION Hel08 \l 1033 ]. If the family is well run and organized, then the chances that everything is running well in the whole nation are high. More to that, everyone in the family is entitled to an inheritance.
Etiquette- the Italians have a culture of always embracing and kissing when they meet. When conversing, they maintain strong gazes into each other’s eyes, since they believe that if one cannot look straight into the other person’s eyes, then they must be guilty of something or hiding something[ CITATION Cha05 \l 1033 ]. The Italians have great respect for their elders and they always let the elders enter rooms first. Children are expected to be obedient to all that are older than them. Men and youngsters will always stand for the women. However, the Italians have a habit of cutting queues, but generally, they are very cautious to maintain one’s image and dignity. Another thing is that the Italians will always introduce themselves to a stranger before talking to them.
Religion- A large portion of the Italians are staunch Catholics[ CITATION Lou08 \l 1033 ]. The remaining small portion is split among other religions such as Islam, Protestants, and Judaism. With the religion comes a number of beliefs and practices; beliefs (witchcraft, charms, spells), practices (healing practices, and many other religious practices). The Italians have many Holy places that are used for their religious practices and ceremonies. These shrines, relics, and churches are also a major tourism attraction.
b) Education
Learning styles- the Italians have always believed and valued education. They have placed very high value in higher education and have over the years encouraged their children to study and get professional jobs such as law, and teaching. However, they always make sure that their language and culture are not killed and so these have become part of the school subjects[ CITATION Hel08 \l 1033 ]. In Italy, education is compulsory for every one aged between 6-14 years. The primary stage takes 5 years while the secondary stage takes 8 years. The secondary stage is divided into two and the type of education differs according to the activities and subjects, offered in the particular school. For higher education, there are many universities, colleges and academies, where those who complete secondary level are encouraged to join and further their education.
Methodology
The kind of methodology used in this study is research from various relevant texts.
Data analysis
The various texts were studied and a number of cultural issues brought forth[ CITATION Mar96 \l 1033 ]. The aim of the study being to find out if the Italian culture can be accommodated in a classroom, several facts about a normal classroom, including a variety of cultures, were compared against the Italian culture. The comparisons were made to find out how much has been borrowed from the Italian culture.
Results
The Italian culture has been proven to one of the richest cultures known. Again, the Italians have to be credited for their efforts to keep their culture strong. According to this study, it is very easy to accommodate the Italian culture. Another observation is that other cultures have borrowed so much from it.
Discussion
The primary Italian religion, Roman Catholicism is widely practiced[ CITATION Hel08 \l 1033 ]. It is only natural that religion be part and element of the learning system in any classroom. Besides the religion bit, the Italians have a culture of valuing education and so having their culture incorporated into a classroom would serve as a motivation.
Conclusion
The Italian culture has many positive practices that everyone can borrow or adopt. Italians are well known for their courtesy and strict beliefs in their religion (Catholicism)[ CITATION Cha05 \l 1033 ]. It would be a benefit to try to incorporate some of it into our cultures, including the learning systems.
References
Costantino, M. (1996). The Italian Way . New York: McGraw-Hill.
Fili, L. (2008). Italianissimo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best. New York:
Little Bookroom.
Killinger, C. (2005). Culture and Customs of Italy (Culture and Customs of Europe).
Connecticut: Greenwood.
Ruchti, H. (2008). La Bella Vita: Daily Inspiration from Italy. Tennessee: Xyzzy Press.
