“The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children" By Lisa Delpit

Talking Points

1. (beginning) One of the statements from the text that raised my curiously was posed as such a simple question, yet holds much more weight and value than it alludes to on the surface: Delpit inquires, "How can such complete communication blocks exist when both parties truly believe they have the same aims?" (2006, p. 23). This brings me back to the concept of perception, and if we truly ARE all looking through the same lens when we put our shared theories and goals into practice. The opening scenarios of each interviewee was sickening to read and envision the experience they endured. We should never have so many of these "unheard" experiences in our evolving society. This is all about what the message of the video "Stay Woke" spotlights!

2. (middle) Lisa Delpit delves into this concept of the "culture of power" in just about all angles, which truly clarified it well for me, since I hadn't thought about it in such an intentional way before, even though I may have reaped the benefits. It drove a mental knife into my gut when I read this quote about college applicants, especially those going for teaching programs: "A white applicant who exhibits problems is an individual with problems. A person of color who exhibits problems immediately becomes a representative of her cultural group" (p. 38). But, this is a real issue that continues to persist: "However, either by virtue of their position, their numbers, or their access to that particular code of power of calling upon research to validate one's position, the white educators had the authority to establish what was to be considered "truth" regardless of the opinions of the people of color, and the latter were well aware of that fact" (p. 26). We need to get out of our comfortable ruts and explicitly teach (and listen) in ways that combat the racial inequalities, drop the assumptions and self-righteous truths that limit freedom/autonomy, and break the cycle! 

3. (end) Ultimately, I know that our stakeholders (the children!) in the classroom determine my role as the teacher. Without a comprehensive understanding of their background and cultural exposures, I cannot say I'd feel remotely equipped to raise their potential for learning, and doing them a severe disservice. Delpit suggests that "although all "explicit" black teachers are not also good teachers, there are different attitudes in different cultural groups about which characteristics make for a good teacher. Thus, it is impossible to create a model for the good teacher without taking issues of culture and community context into account" (p. 37). The author also advocates of this culturally relevant pedagogy to the silenced dialogue is seen in the quote: "My charge here is not to determine the best instructional methodology; I believe that the actual practice of good teachers of all colors typically incorporates a range of pedagogical orientations. Rather, I suggest that the differing perspectives on the debate over "skills" versus "process" approaches can lead to an understanding of the alienation and miscommunication, and thereby to an understanding of the "silenced dialogue."" This has me once again reflecting on my own patterns and typical forms of communication with my students. Am I explicit enough? Not as direct as I should be? What way is in all my students' best interests? Is there even one list we could create that would have all the qualities of the good teacher? It just proves we need to keep continuing the conversation, and removing the layers of the proverbial onion.

Argument

Delpit argues that in order to make the educational experience of children one that empowers and supports them in the cultural respects they know and understand, we, as educators, must acknowledge and be willing to evaluate how OUR teaching is connected to that culture of power in our society, and decide if we need to make intentional changes in our own practice.