Culture of Power: Lisa DelpitIn what ways are the 5 areas of the

culture of power relevant to life in schools?

What are the educational implications of power and literacy?

How can we stop training teachers to expect less of certain children?

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Skills? Whole Language? Workshop? Phonemic Awareness? Black? White? UGH!!!

A little bit of background

Delpit emerged during the “great Ebonics debate;

Dr. Ernie Smith- Ebonics and The Afrikan Tongue (it is really interesting from an historical point of view); please watch the video

Please read Delpit’s bio.

Remember, this is a course about the historical, multicultural, & philosophical roots of American schooling.

Consequently, we need to understand where we have been so as to know where we are going

Lisa Delpit

Personal Connection

Recall a time in your life when you felt that you were left out of a secret. When you were left out of something that everyone else, but you, knew….

Getting to the Core

Do Blacks and Whites and Others see the world of education differently?

In other words: Do Blacks and Whites approach teaching and learning

differently?

What are the common grounds?

According to Delpit, What does it mean to be a . . .

A Black Educator in a White World?

A White Educator in a White Word?

Process vs. Skills Instruction

Process Skills

What are the differences between the two? What is Delpit’s position on the two?

Process vs. Skills Instruction

• OK, WE ALL HAVE BEEN RAISED OUR WHOLE LIVES TO BE “RACE NEUTRAL” IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

• HOWEVER, DELPIT’S ARTICLE, IN SOME WAYS, IS A VICIOUS ATTACK ON THE “WHITE WAY” OF KNOWING THE WORLD. DELPIT POINTS OUT TO THE READER THAT WE (COLLEGE PROFESSORS & TEACHERS) HAVE BEEN SOOOOOO “VYGOTSKIED” OUT THAT WE THINK ALL PEOPLE LEARN BY: COOPERATION, EXPLORING, DOING, ETC. . . .

• DELPIT IS LIKE A SLEDGE HAMMER THAT SCREAMS, “WHAT ABOUT TEACHING KIDS SKILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Ways of knowing

How do you feel about this issue?

What is Delpit challenging us to see?

Are you mad when you read her? If yes, you might not like what she has to say because she is challenging some basic assumptions.

Do children of different races learn differently?

The Culture of Power

POWER

1 2 3 4 5

Where have you seen each of these aspects?

What the heck does power have to do with skills vs. process instruction?

Do you see the five points Delpit talks about?

Statements from the Culture of Power

Statement Made Differing Perspective“I want the same thing for everyoneelse’s children as I want for mine”

Parents outside of the culture ofpower often want something else:“My kids know how to be black – youall teach them how to be successful in

the white man’s world.”

“Child-centered, whole language,and process approached are neededin order to allow a democratic state

of free, empowered adults, andbecause research has shown thatchildren learn best through these

methods”

Teachers do students no service tosuggest that product is not

important. They will be judged ontheir product, regardless the

process, in life.

Statements from the Culture of Power

Statement Made Differing Perspectives

“Children have the right to theirown language, their own culture.We must fight cultural hegemony

and fight the system by insisting thatchildren be allowed to express

themselves in their own languagestyle”

We must accept students but alsotake responsibility to teach them.

Tell students that their language andcultural style is unique andwonderful but that there is a

political power game in America –they have to access the power codes.

“It’s really a shame that she seemsto be so authoritarian, so focusedon skills and so teacher directed.Those poor kids never seem to be

allowed to really express theircreativity”

Different cultures address each otherin different styles. Take ShirleyBrice Heath’s study, “What no

bedtime story means” for example.We can’t judge one culture by the

values of our own.

Ten Factors of SuccessLisa Delpit

Please read this excerpt from. . .