“The Silenced Dialogue: Power Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children”

“The Silenced Dialogue: Power Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children” Delpit, Lisa

1. “Those with power are frequently least aware of - or least willing to acknowledge - its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence..”  (Delpit, 26). As we discussed in class last week, the first step in promoting equality in acknowledging the existence of prejudice and privilege that you hold. This is especially important for the white teachers teaching nonwhite students because Delpit argues that since they are not as aware as teachers of color, they do less to help make those students feel welcome and included, ranging from seeing students that look like them in picture books to being treated differently based on having a different writing style, like the Native American woman example.

2. “It was the lack of attention to this Concern that created such a negative outcry in the black community when well-intentioned white liberal educators introduced "dialect readers." These were seen as a plot to prevent the schools from teaching the linguistic aspects of the culture of power, thus dooming black children to a permanent outsider caste. As one parent demanded, "My kids know how to be black - you all teach them how to be successful in the white man's world." (Delpit, 29). This is an example of an although seemingly innocent, microaggression. I am sure the teachers who tried putting this into place meant well, but using dialect readers wipes out a whole population of children and hinders their learning based on their race and culture.

3. “I am also suggesting that appropriate education for poor children and children of color can only be devised in consultation with adults who share their culture. Black parents, teachers of color and members of poor communities must be allowed to participate fully in the discussion of what kind of instruction is in their children's best interest, Good liberal intentions are not enough.” (Delpit, 45) This quote strongly relates to my first talking point, we must bring attention to mending equality in the education system, but we need to have diversity on the board of folks designing these learning plans. If we have high-class, straight, cisgender, white, men who hit all points of the SCWAAMP, will not do these children justice.

Delpit argues that nonwhite students feel left out in the classroom due to the majority of their teachers being white and unable to relate to them, not at the fault of the children, but as the instructors who are not even attempting to connect or relate to these children. However, this article found on Slate.com, proves that this is not always the case in today’s present society, many years after Delpit’s work was published.