POST 2: "Other People's Children" Lisa Delpit

 "Other People's Children" by Lisa Delpit

ARGUMENT

 

    Lisa Delpit is an educationalist aimed at reforming education practices in the United States. She has published works such as "'Multiplication is for White People:' Raising Expectations For Other People's Children" and this particular work "Other People's Children" from 1995.

 

    There is much to unpack with Delpit's unraveling of "the silenced dialogue." She makes several claims pertaining to different ways in which both educators and children of color are silenced in the school setting. The silencing force Delpit describes is the "culture of power" that benefits middle and upper class in the power structure. This "power" effects the content and speed at which students learn, their language skills, and the level of attention given to teachers of color by their coworkers. 

 

   How does this power structure work? There are a variety of levels that Delpit describes within the school setting. These levels are based on both privilege and expertise in differing fields of study. The teacher has power over the student in what they learn and the pace in which they are taught. The author shows this to the reader through interviews with students reflecting about experiences with past educators. To this point, the author makes it important to place experience of those with “less power” over research of those “in power.” Many times, research is placed above personal experience as a way to diminish the arguments of those lower in the power structure.

 

            One of the examples Delpit uses relates to the use of language in the classroom. Many students are only taught formal English, ignoring certain cultural speech and dialects that are important to them. Delpit uses an example of a Native Alaskan educator who teaches both formal English and the speech they use within the village. This way, the students in the class have more experience being in touch and growing appreciation for their cultural speech, which is unique to them, while also learning the importance of formal speech as well.

 

The author also explains the role of teachers within the power structure being below certain other teachers with more power and expertise. This ties in with the argument of experience as opposed to research. Many educators Delpit interviews for her piece relay personal anecdotes and experiences they’ve shared being “silenced” by someone who had power over them.

I am still introducing myself to the field of education, but I hope that in the decades since this piece had been published, this culture has been greatly reformed through people who really do care about the communities they teach in. No opinion should be taken for granted for everyone should be validated for both their experience and knowledge of certain topics.