Review_Author: Gaysha Beard
Book_Author: Lisa Delpit
Book_Title: Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom
Reference: 1995, The New Press, New York
Date: 11/17/2004
Time: 10:19:26 AM
Remote Name: 128.175.34.35
Other People’s Children by Lisa Delpit A Brief Look Between the Covers: A Book Review “Let there be no doubt a “skilled” minority person who is not also capable of critical analysis becomes the trainable, low-level functionary of the dominate society, simply the grease that keeps the institutions which orchestrate his or her oppression running smooth” (p.19). Lisa Delpit is an educator that has focused her research in the area of multicultural education. Although many of the thoughts and beliefs which she expresses are believed to be extremely controversial, we cannot argue against the fact that her book, Other People’s Children, is a clear illustration of how she defines multicultural education and how she outlines the responsibilities of educators. After reading this text, one will notice Delpit logically organizes her thoughts around three important themes: purpose of education, role of the teacher, and literacy and the multicultural student. Focusing on each theme separately opens a new lens, or provides a new perspective in understanding her claims made about the minority student and their experiences in the American school system. What is education? What is its ultimate purpose specifically in the lives of minority children? According to the author, school is the domain for students to acquire the “codes of power.” Delpit is basing such a claim on the belief that the home literacies of our minority students are often different from the literacy found in the public schools. Schools have the responsibility of acknowledging the home literacies, as well as the responsibility to instill in our students the understanding that literacy needed to attain power in our society is in fact the literacy they find modeled in schools. Therefore, the role of American schools is to provide opportunities for students to acquire this “code of power.” Minority students must be taught that they can indeed succeed, but that the possibility to succeed is left to a power outside of themselves (p.xv). To further illustrate the role of the school Delpit introduces two different perspectives, traditionalist and that of anthropologically oriented liberals. The traditionalist looks at minorities as individuals that are not a part of the mainstream and because of that they believe them to be inadequate and are unsure if these individuals have the capability of learning. On the other hand, the anthropological oriented liberals also acknowledge that minorities are individuals who are not included in the mainstream population. However, such liberals go further and acknowledge the duty to instruct and inform these individuals about the community with which they are not accustomed. The only way to successfully do this is to first value the literacies and cultural differences each student brings with them and then educate them on the literacies of power. So we may then ask the question, “How do we teach the “codes of power.” Delpit suggests that as educators, especially those from the mainstream population, must first recognize the need to force oneself to broaden perspectives. She states through her own experiences as a teacher, “I first understood the need to step outside of myself and my beliefs in order to allow the perspectives of others to filter in”(p.xvi). Delpit states that we cannot assume that the voices of the majority speak for all of our students. There needs to be a voice that speaks about alternative world views that rings just as loud and clear. As teachers, we must understand that various cultures define and reverence authority in many different ways. Teachers must understand the expectations their students have for them as the ultimate authority figure in the classroom. In addition, teachers must understand the cultural differences when adopting teaching methods and assessment tools. More importantly, teachers must first value who their students are as individuals. This value does not mean to merely accept that they are of a different race, ethnic background, etc., but instead means learning about these cultures and including these cultural values and customs within the classroom curriculum. Lastly, and probably what Delpit would say is the most challenging, teachers have the responsibility of expressing to their students the importance of the cultural differences, while at the same time explaining the importance of learning the necessary tools that will make them successful in our world today. She suggests that this can be done through role playing, puppet shows, or reading selections of multicultural books, for instance. Delpit notes that as we are educating our minority students the focus should not be teaching them what is “right” (indicating their way is wrong), but instead teaching them to understand that within the world we live in, there is indeed a culture of power and our roles as educators is to teach them to be participants in this culture. One area of education that exhibits this struggle for power is literacy. One may conclude that literacy is often a focal point, for literacy or our means of communication in many regards defines us as human beings. Delpit understands its importance and spends a great deal of time addressing this issue in her book. She states, “[L]iteracy can be a tool of liberation, but, equally, it can be a means of control if the presses are controlled by the adversaries of the community, then reading can serve as a tool of indoctrination” (p.94). Literacy education should be conducted under the premise that “education, at its best, hones and develops the knowledge and skills each student already possesses, while at the same time adding new knowledge and skills to the base” (p.67). Therefore, as teachers encounter dialect differences they should not focus on changing or correcting such dialect. She raises the point that speaking nonstandard English does not stop one from learning how to read. As we come across differences in syntax, grammar or narrative style, for example, the best way to address these linguistic differences is by modeling and exploring such linguistic diversities. Through Delpit’s studies, she has found that teachers are busy correcting dialect which in return, shuts down their students and takes away their desire to learn. She states that “we shouldn’t conflict dialect intervention with reading instruction” (p.54). We must remember to first celebrate the differences and wealth of knowledge each student brings to the classroom and then provide them with insight into literacy practices of other communities, more specifically the community of power. Lisa Delpit teaches us that we must acknowledge that gatekeeping does in fact exist. Our society is designed to keep some individuals from entering into the world of success. She would never go as far as to state a belief that this characteristic of our world is justified, but she says that we have to open our eyes and accept the world in which we live. Once we have all agreed upon this fact, we must then realize that education for the minority student must stress the importance of fighting to break down these walls. Delpit believes that this is done by teaching our students the “codes of power.” With such codes they will have the tools needed to enter the gate and fight to hold positions in society and ultimately succeed. Yes, we are moving in the right direction to acknowledge and celebrate our children’s diversities, but Delpit would say that is not enough. We must go one step further and upon entering school, we should be providing instruction on “the appropriation of the oral and written forms demanded by the mainstream” (p.18). This is clearly illustrated by the quote below examining the teacher student interaction: “Let me help you find your voice. I promise not to criticize one note as you search for your own song.” Lisa Delpit suggests, “I’ve heard your song loud and clear. Now, I want to teach you to harmonize with the rest of the world.” (p.18)
Review_Author: American General
Book_Author: qout
Book_Title: lowest priced
Reference: ranking companies
Date: 3/2/2007
Time: 10:17:55 PM
Remote Name: 220.181.31.44
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