Argument: Delpit argues that there is a culture of power, with unspoken rules in place that is seen by those who don’t have power while being unseen/ignored by those who do have power. Those in the culture of power make the rules, and should teach those rules to those not in power for two reasons. One is to increase the ability to communicate between different culture groups, and two is so those not in power can understand the “rules” and increase effectiveness in that culture. The problem is that those who realize this don’t have the power and can’t make this change, while those who do have the power don’t recognize it so they don’t feel the need to explain the rules. This is explained in the example of a school setting, where the teachers with the power (the cultural majority) feel they know the best way to teach all kids regardless of culture/background, and don’t listen to input from those with less power (the cultural minority).
Delpit highlights how this culture of power would affect students in school. Teachers who are in the culture of power teach children based on as if they were all from the culture of power. Doing this leaves behind those students who aren’t from this culture, and don’t have the same advantages and skills learned at home. Delpit believes that schools need to start teaching these skills to make sure everyone is on an even playing field, or at least more even than what it would be otherwise.
Hi Ben! I agree with you that Delpit's main argument is the culture of power. Not only does she emphasize the role that the culture of power plays in our world, especially education but also how there are many unwritten rules that put students who are not part of the culture of power at a disadvantage. I remember this saying but I'm not sure where it's from..."it's not about what they remember but how they felt." Not sure if I worded it correctly but the point of this quote is that how a student feels in the classroom is much more important than the content they learn. If they are advantaged in the classroom then they will feel empowered to learn and accept information but those who are disadvantaged will feel powerless and less likely to be active in the classroom. While this is a generalization and not all students in these groups would behave this way, but the root of Delpit's argument was to recognize that there is a culture of power. This culture of power separates people by an imaginary line which will impact their future in education and the real world. Great job Ben!
ReplyDeletehey ben, your blog cough my attention i agree with your argument, i like what you said here, " Teachers who are in the culture of power teach children based on as if they were all from the culture of power. Doing this leaves behind those students who aren’t from this culture, and don’t have the same advantages and skills learned at home. " I think that educators should always work to understand how culture affects learning. actively discovering the communities and cultures of pupils. Whether or not such cultures are represented in the class, learning about the values and beliefs of many civilizations.
ReplyDeleteYes. Excellent way to capture Delpit's major argument! You talk about "culture" and "power" -- do you think she means Race? Class? Gender? Looking forward to talking more in class!
ReplyDeleteHi Ben! I really like the picture you chose in order to depict Delpit's message. I agree that no two children are the same and because of this they all learn at different rates and in different ways.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you have said in your argument about how teachers who are in the culture of power teach children based on as if they were all from the culture of power. how at the end it doesn't fit into all students because they are all diverse and are stripped away their learning advantages.
ReplyDeleteHi Ben! I totally agree with your statement! Well written!
ReplyDeleteThis is why I believe that it is important for teachers to teach kids who they can relate to, that way they can teach kids what they learned about life and how to navigate it. You never know what someone goes through unless you have gone through something similar. For example, I have special needs so I feel like that makes me a perfect candidate for a special needs teacher.
ReplyDeleteHi Ben, The culture of power can be anywhere in this world but it starts in schools. And I agree that this process needs to start in schools because this is where children learn a lot of things about life. This is a life problem that can be taught so it will change society.
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