Delpit "The Silence Dialogue"

     The text for review this week is based on the work of  Lisa Delpit and her book "Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom". In this section of her text, she points out the reality between white students, people of color, and other minorities in a classroom setting. Specifically, the cultural power that exists between those who are in the upper and middle class and those who are not part of these social classes. Delpit highlights these into five main categories. With the first 3 being of more importance. 1) Issues of Power are enacted in the classroom. 2) There are codes and rules for participating in power. 3) The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of people who have power 4) If you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier. 5) Those with power are usually unaware of its existence, while those with little power are most aware of it. 

    Everything about this text I definitely agreed with. There were moments where I felt like I was being called out when reading only due to the fact of currently being a TA. Where I could see myself teaching from the culture of power and wondering if my abilities to teach are even able to be effective for the students I help out. It makes me wonder if I should change how I teach to better help with my student's abilities.  I also thought it was very interesting reading about how people who weren't in the culture of power made it seem like those from it couldn't understand or try to understand what was happening. I know that objectively that isn't the case. It is just interesting that those who don't have the resources education-wise feel like they are by themselves even though some are actively trying to help them. Even if the attempts might not be effective, at least people are trying to bring people up into the culture of power. The only thing that I hope as teachers of the future is to try and recognize this as best we can so that our students don't suffer from their education. Lisa Delpit's work on this really got me thinking and I hope to check out more of her work once my schedule college-wise has been freed up. 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Quality_Education_as_a_Constitutional_Ri/twDfDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA4&printsec=frontcover