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"My Three Sons"

Cooper

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Monday, May 30, 2011

The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children --Talking Points-Argument

  Lisa Delpit

In the article "The Silenced Dialogue:  Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children", author Lisa Delpit  addresses  concerns about "skills" versus "process" approaches to writing instruction in regards to how these approaches affect students who do not belong to what she calls "the culture of power."  
Delpit uses the debate over process-oriented versus skills-oriented writing instruction as the starting-off point to examine the "culture of power” that exists in society in general and in the educational environment in particular. She analyzes five complex rules of power that explicitly and implicitly influence the debate over meeting the educational needs of Black and poor students on all levels. Delpit concludes that teachers must teach all students the explicit and implicit rules of power as a first step toward a more just society. "When implicit codes are attempted across cultures," Delpit explains, "communication frequently breaks down." These students often find themselves being held accountable for knowing a set of rules that no one has taught them.
Delpit argues that teachers should directly and explicitly educate students who don't know or have exposure to specific codes, rules, styles and values that exist within the culture of power, and that these same teachers must also reinforce to students the value that their own culture has. Delpit also argues that this kind of  instruction can best be done by adults who share their culture," the Black teachers and parents whose concerns haven't been heard.  These are the voices and points of view that have been silenced by those who have created the culture of power. 


Delpit also argues that we must learn to be vulnerable enough to allow our world to turn upside down in order to allow the realities of others into our consciousness. Delpit claims "This can only be done, however, by seeking out those whose perspectives may differ most, by learning to give their words complete attention, by understanding one's own power, even if that power stems merely from being in the majority, by being unafraid to raise questions about discrimination and voicelessness with people of color and to listen, no, cohear what they say. Delpit suggest that the results of such interactions may be the most powerful and empowering coalescence yet seen in the educational realm for all teachers and for all the students they teach." 


What I think Delpit was saying is that  there is a "culture of power" that exists in our society and our schools.  Also that those in power need to open their ears, minds, and hearts in order to listen to the view points of others who can help successfully educate ALL our children.  She seems to want to express how differently children of color or other cultures learn and at the same time let the readers know that those who are in a position to help are being "silenced".  I think the main problem stressed is the problem of communicating across cultures and in addressing the more fundamental issue of power, of whose voice gets to be heard in determining what is best for poor children and children of color".  Everyone shuld be heard when it has to do with educating children.  We all need to look inside ourselves even if we don't like what we see in order to fix the problem.  Lastly, students who are poor or of color have not been exposed to or taught the rules of "the power of culture" and when in the classroom teachers need to teach these rules explicitly to those students to level the playing field.  Teachers must speak clearly and explicitly so tha ALL students understand. We've got to remember how different races etc. view authority and many other aspects that would effect teaching and learning.

I have to be honest in saying when I first began to read this article I was "taken back" by the first three statements from educators of color.  I was not sure what the tone of the article was going to be like.  At first, I felt like I was being placed in a stereotypical group of white educators who DON'T LISTEN or shall I say "HEAR" what educators of color are trying to say. I felt attacked by their comments and wanted to tell them that not all white educators treat people like that.  Feeling that way got me thinking about how they must of felt experiencing what they did and being treated in the way that they were.  They were doing exactly what the white educators were doing which was placing them in a particular category based on their race with neither side knowing what the other person is about, what they feel, stand for, or what they have to offer professionally.  I of course realize now that is NOT what they were doing.  What they were doing was responded to their personal experiences.  To quote Delpit, " How can such communication blocks exist when both parties truly believe they have the same aims?"  She is right in saying someone is not hearing the other and it definitely has got to change if we are going to work together to educate children from all cultures.  I completely agree that their is a "culture of power" and it exists in our schools and classrooms.  After reading this article I understood how much control and power the white-middle/upper class holds.  What I am not sure about is how to change those beliefs so many hold and that are so embedded into most of our societies way of thinking.  We have a big job ahead of us.


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4 comments:

  1. Hello Nina,
    I greatly enjoyed your visuals that you added to your blog. It was nice to see what Delpit looks like and your youtube video was very relevant to your argument. I believe you really understood Delpit's argument and clearly explained it to you readers. Your question at the end of the blog about how we can change these beliefs within our society is one that I asked myself often while reading this article. These beliefs are so engrained into society that any minor change would be fought. I wonder what can be done to change the beliefs and how can it be done so that everyone is on board with them. Jenn L

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  2. Hi Nina, I like your take on Delpit's article. The idea that we all need to be more willing to be vulnerable, open ourselves up to expose our own beliefs and become accepting of the beliefs of others is a powerful notion. Admitting and accepting who has power and who doesn't is central to being able to understand the other's point of view and to eventually being able to effectively teacher children from cultures different than our own.

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  3. Hi Nina, First I wanted to say congrats on being teacher of the year in North Providence. Thats is such a big accomplishment in someone's life. You should be so proud of yourself as a teacher! While reading through everyone's blog postings. I have to say yours was very interesting to read. I also felt at little taken back at first when I read Delpit's article, but it opened my eyes to matters that are really happening right in front of my eyes, but we just don't see it. I had to really look into what she was saying as well, and understand where she was coming from and the key points she just needed to make about people of color.

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  4. Nina,
    I agree with your statement, "Delpit argues that teachers should directly and explicitly educate students who don't know or have exposure to specific codes, rules, styles and values that exist within the culture of power, and that these same teachers must also reinforce to students the value that their own culture has." I discussed this same point in my blog. I think it is important for teachers to educate all students explicitly. This includes those students on the Autism spectrum that also need to be explicitly taught the "rules and codes".
    P.S. I don't think Cooper can see anything. : )

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