1. Towards the beginning of Delpit's article, she states that there are five aspects to the "culture of power". The fifth aspect really stuck out to me. Delpit describes the fifth aspect of the culture of power as "Those with power are frequently least aware of it- or least willing to acknowledge- its existence. Those with less power are often more aware of its existence." This really stuck out to me and it made me think of the analogy used in class about tapping on the glass. Those who have power would rather not tap on the glass and just leave things they way that they are because they are working out great for them but those who have less power are ready to tap on that glass and tell those around them that they do not hold the power.
2. On page 34, I did a lot of self reflecting. Delpit mentions the difference between how a white parent/educator and a black parent/educator might give a direction. She brought up the example of a white teacher saying something like "is that where the scissors go?" and a black teacher stating this as a direct command of "put those scissors on that self". Both of these are direct commands to place the scissors where they are meant to go but the white teacher would frame this as a question but still expects the same response as the black teachers direct instructions. Delpit goes on to talk about how these are codes that middle class white students are learning at home but that black student are most likely misinterpreting the instruction because those are code they are not aware of and I thought of myself as an educator. I have said things and said instruction in the form of a question like the example given and this article has made me look at this in a different way.
3. There is a section of this reading where Delpit is writing about a class she observed and how they had this board that the teacher split in half. One half was titled "our heritage language" while the other was tiled "formal English" this is something that made me think about the area in which I grew up and the idea that there was a "right" and "wrong' way to speak. In the first article, we read that example of the word "ask". it is common that the word be said in a different way such as "axe". This article talks about the idea that there are times where the heritage language is fast but I think of this word ask and how it really doesn't make a difference. if someone were to say "can I axe you a question" we would all know what the person was trying to say yet there is this belief that saying "axe" is "wrong".
Argument Statement: The author, Lisa Delpit, argues that there is a code to being successful in education and in American life and that this code should be explicitly taught to all so that everyone can be successful in American life.
You capture this very well, Hannah. I can see it made you think and refelct about your own practices!
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