The Silenced Dialogue

   

    Lisa Delpit argues that one of the main problems in education is black educators and students being left out of the educational dialogue. Delpit draws attention to the fact that white educators listen but do not hear what black educators are actually saying. She continues by saying that it is important to educate black students like they are black rather than teaching them like white students.

    The first point I wanted to bring up is this quote: "A related phenomenon is that...seem to act under the assumption that to make any rules or expectations explicit is to act against liberal principles, to limit the freedom and autonomy of those subjected to the explicitness." If I'm being honest, I was very confused reading this section. I read over it multiple times and even called my mom to see if she could explain it to me. This is the first reading in my entire college education career that has really challenged me to think. I didn't understand how the liberal perspective could be hindering education when most of education takes a more liberal path and I always just assumed it was for the best. Delpit clarifies in this quote that she is defining liberals as those who seek to "maximize individual freedom and autonomy" and because of this definition I think I finally came to an understanding. I believe the point that is being made is that by trying to allow students to have freedom and autonomy in their education by tecahing implicitly rather than explicitly we are actually doing a disservice to many students, especially non-white students. The reason why I wanted to use this as my talking point is I'm hoping that if anyone chooses to comment that they may be able to weigh in on this matter and inform me as to whether or not I am on the right track in terms of this specific section.

    The next point I would like to bring up is to further the discussion of implicit versus explicit teaching. Delpit points to the difference in verbal directives given by middle class "townspeople" teachers who may say things like "Is this where the scissors belong?" or "you want to do your best work today." In fact, I was actually taught to speak to students like this during my undergraduate program and mostly still talk to my students like this. I would further say that when non-educators think of someone with a teacher voice or how they talk that is what they would typically think of. Delpit continues to compare this to how black teachers are more likely to say "put those scissors on that shelf" and "put your name on the papers and make sure to get the right answer for each question." When I tell you that this revelation had me talking about this to anyone who would listen I am not exaggerating. I never thought about how being more explicit with my verbal directives could create a better outcome in my classroom. Delpit goes on to discuss how students of color expect authority figures to show their authority rather than to just claim their authority and that extends to their home life as well. As of last week I have started to be more explicit with my verbal directives and I have to say it has made a noticeable difference in the responses of my students. During instruction, teaching implicitly only demonstrates the power that teachers hold over their students. When a teacher is teaching implicitly they are withholding their knowledge from their students. Teachers should instead explicitly gives their students the steps they need to take to succeed. In the same stance as Johnson, Delpit states that to act as if this power "does not exist is to ensure that the power status quo remains the same."

    Finally, there is the debate of language that is brought up. My whole life my dad always talked about how black language was improper and "how could anyone expect to be taken seriously when they talk like that?" As much as I have never held that same point of view, I know that he is not the only American to see it this way. But I would like to point out people from the south have their own accent, slang, and terminology and we do not criticize white southern people for their dialect in the same way society does to black people which should immediately tell you that is not about language but rather race. The example of the teacher that puts on the board the students heritage language and the equivalent of the same statements in standard or formal English. This is a great thing for students because it prepares them for what colleges and jobs may expect of them but also teaches them to appreciate their language just the way it is. Even though I recognize how expecting students to be proficient in formal English as the dominant form of English contributes to the privilege and oppression cycle "there is a political power game that is being played" (Delpit pg. 40) and we need to teach these students to survive a white mans world. I recommend reading this article by Dillin Randolph about black English in the classroom especially if you teach a high percentage of black students like I do.