A Primer on Lisa Delpit, Spring 2014
- 1. Essential Questions for to chew on . . . In what ways are the 5 areas of the culture of power relevant to life in schools? What are the educational implications of power and literacy? How can we stop training teachers to expect less of certain children? Skills? Whole Language? Workshop? Phonemic Awareness? Black? White? UGH!!!
- 2. A little bit of background Lisa Delpit course about the historical, multicultural, & philosophical roots of American schooling. Delpit emerged during the “great Ebonics debate”; Read here to find out more Remember, this is a Check out this video: Dr. Ernie Smith- Ebonics and The Afrikan Tongue (it is really interesting from an historical point of view) Delpit’s Bio Consequently, we need to understand where we have been so as to know where we are going
- 3. Recall a time in your life when you felt that you were left out of a secret. When you were left out of something that everyone else, but you, knew….
- 4. Do Blacks and Whites and Others see the world of education differently? In other words: Do Blacks and Whites approach teaching and learning differently? What are the common grounds?
- 5. A Black Educator in a White World? A White Educator in a White Word?
- 6. Process Skills What are the differences between the two? What is Delpit’s position on the two?
- 7. • OK, WE ALL HAVE BEEN RAISED OUR WHOLE LIVES TO BE “RACE NEUTRAL” IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER •HOWEVER, DELPIT’S ARTICLE, IN SOME WAYS, IS A VICIOUS ATTACK ON THE “WHITE WAY” OF KNOWING THE WORLD. DELPIT POINTS OUT TO THE READER THAT WE (COLLEGE PROFESSORS & TEACHERS) HAVE BEEN SOOOOOO “VYGOTSKIED” OUT THAT WE THINK ALL PEOPLE LEARN BY: COOPERATION, EXPLORING, DOING, ETC. . . . •DELPIT IS LIKE A SLEDGE HAMMER THAT SCREAMS, “WHAT ABOUT TEACHING KIDS SKILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
- 8. Ways of knowing How do you feel about this issue? What is Delpit challenging us to see? Are you mad when you read her? If yes, you might not like what she has to say because she is challenging some basic assumptions. Do children of different races learn differently?
- 9. 2 1 3 POWER 4 5 Where have you seen each of these aspects? What the heck does power have to do with skills vs. process instruction? Do you see the five points Delpit talks about?
- 10. Statement Made Differing Perspective “I want the same thing for everyone else’s children as I want for mine” Parents outside of the culture of power often want something else: “My kids know how to be black – you all teach them how to be successful in the white man’s world.” “Child-centered, whole language, and process approached are needed in order to allow a democratic state of free, empowered adults, and because research has shown that children learn best through these methods” Teachers do students no service to suggest that product is not important. They will be judged on their product, regardless the process, in life.
- 11. Statement Made Differing Perspectives “Children have the right to their own language, their own culture. We must fight cultural hegemony and fight the system by insisting that children be allowed to express themselves in their own language style” “It’s really a shame that she seems to be so authoritarian, so focused on skills and so teacher directed. Those poor kids never seem to be allowed to really express their creativity” We must accept students but also take responsibility to teach them. Tell students that their language and cultural style is unique and wonderful but that there is a political power game in America – they have to access the power codes. Different cultures address each other in different styles. Take Shirley Brice Heath’s study, “What no bedtime story means” for example. We can’t judge one culture by the values of our own.
- 12. Please read this excerpt from. . . Lisa Delpit