Wed, May 22: The Culture of Power

In the excerpt that we read from “Other People’s Children,” Lisa Delpit argues that the appropriate education for poor children and children of color can only be devised in consultation with adults who share their culture and because this is not currently happening, children are not being taught how to function successfully in a white-dominated society and they are suffering because of this.

Talking point 1: “Many of the ‘progressive’ educational strategies imposed by liberals upon black and poor children could only be based on a desire to ensure that liberals’ children get sole access to the dwindling pool of American jobs.” 

That’s the thing, I don’t feel like I use strategies with the purpose of keeping black and poor children unsuccessful in society. However, I do feel like that is what is the result my teaching is producing. I remember thinking at the end of my first semester things like, ‘did I really teach some of these kids anything??’, ‘did I get any of these kids prepared for college?’ The answer is no. I know that certain students learned literally nothing in my class. And I know that few of them are ready for college, and the ones who are, already came to me that way! I really am a bad teacher, but I was blaming that on the fact that I am inexperienced. But is it because I was taught to teach liberal strategies that don’t work? Who is to blame isn’t important, what is important is that I get better at teaching ASAP.

Talking point 2: “Rather, I suggest that schools must provide these children the content that other families from different cultural orientation provide at home.” 

I think we need to think about this more.

Talking point 3: “This sense of being cheated can be so strong that the student may be completely turned off to the educational system.” 

This scares me so much. When I have a bad day, or a lesson doesn’t work as well as I had planned, I always comfort myself by thinking, ‘at least I was there for them; I am better than not having a teacher at all.’ Well, I stand corrected. I could possibly be worse than having no teacher at all…

Talking point 4: “I tentatively attribute the problem to teachers’ resistance to exhibiting power in the classroom. Somehow, to exhibit one’s power as an expert source is viewed as disempowering one’s students.” 

This cut me deep. This fear was placed into me when I was student teaching with TFA. I really need to reevaluate the things I have been taught about being a white teacher in a classroom with majority students of color.

Talking point 5: “...working class mothers use more directives to their children than do middle and upper class parents.” 

This was eye-opening. I didn’t realize I spoke using questions to deliver directives, but I do, and that is bad because my students may not understand what I am asking them to do.

Talking point 6: “If the children in her class understand authority as she does, it is mutually agreed upon that they are to obey her no matter how indirect, soft-spoken, or unassuming she may be. Her indirectness and soft-spokenness may indeed be as I suggested earlier, an attempt to reduce the implication of overt power in order to establish a more egalitarian and non authoritarian classroom atmosphere.” 

Wow, it is like Lisa Delpit is talking directly to me. I am a soft-spoken person, and I never realized that I did it to try to abdicate my power. But I do, and now I am bringing that with me into my classroom and that just sucks.

Talking point 7: “...this student was proud of the teacher’s ‘meanness’”

I think as a teacher it is only natural to worry that we are being too mean. Especially because I don't have kids and I have no experience disciplining them... I always wonder where the line between being too permissive or being too strict actually is located. Maybe it is just me, but I really struggle with this! Do I let stuff go because I want to be understanding? Is holding them accountable for certain things too ridiculous and mean? Or without that structure/consequences will they actually be worse off? In this case, Lisa Delpit is arguing that yes, they will be worse off.

This is the first time I was introduced to Lisa Delpit, was through her book, Multiplication is for White People. Below is a video of her talking about her book. Check out the video below, if you want.