Delpit: The Silenced Dialogue Argument

In "The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children" by Lisa Delpit, she argues that culture of power in education is very flawed and corrupt. The culture of power is the difference of education between the diverse people according to race, economic and cultural upbringing. She backs this up with personal research that she conducted and through the culture of power points that she makes. One of her main points that Delpit makes about the culture of education in the article was somewhat Machiavellian. “In this country, students will be judged on their produce regardless of the process they utilized to achieve it” (Delpit 31). It doesn't matter the means, as long as the end result is proficient. Test scores and are more important that actual knowledge and retaining the information that is given. This creates the culture of power. Many students just study for the test and forget the information after they take it. This is because teachers are less diverse in their style of teaching. White teachers in communities teach their students how to live and prosper in an upper-middle class world, so students that do not have those opportunities, who are the colored members of society according to Delpit, are left in the dark and begin to feel isolated, like they do not have a place in the education system. She says that straight out telling the underprivileged the rules of power makes it easier for them to be able to thrive in the world and become more successful. White teachers are not doing this on purpose, they are subconsciously focusing more on the success of their white students. In her opinion in this reading, it is important that white people actually listen to and hear what people of different races have to say.

Unfortunately, without even noticing it, people of color are
still seen an inferior to white people (which infuriates me)

A point for me to bring into the classroom is that it shouldn't matter how the student learns the information, as long as they not only retain it but actually comprehend it. It should not just be about spitting back dates and quick answers. Students should be able to think analytically about the content given to them. Not all of the students in a classroom learn material exactly the same way, therefore a teacher needs to be able to teach students no matter their needs, including those of differing backgrounds and cultures. Not everyone goes into school with the same prior knowledge. When students feel that they are a necessity to the classroom, it shines through their attitude and the classroom is a better place to learn and for everyone to thrive.

As a total side note, this article was very confusing to me and her use of language was tedious. I couldn't understand half of what she was trying to say I was more squinting at my computer trying to figure out what half of her vocabulary was rather than actually retaining the information that she was trying to express. I feel like some of the points she could have said more simply, rather than complicating it to that extent. I understand she is an educated woman with a large vocabulary, but there were some parts that did not have to be so outdrawn.


March 2, 2015This is my added connection!
I can connect this reading to Rodriguez's "Aria". When he was a child and learning English, Rodriguez's teacher erased Spanish from his life altogether. His teacher completely changed not only his entire language but his home life and social upbringing. This shows the culture of power. Those who have power make the rules. She was the English speaking teacher so she had power over the Spanish speaking student and his family. I can also connect this to SCWAAMP because those who have power follow the guidelines that SCWAAMP gives.