Talking Points:
While reading about aspects of power and their relevance, the first point made me rethink something many educators, as well as myself, often overlook. "Issues of power are enacted in classrooms." (p. 24) Classrooms are not neutral spaces. Every decision about what to teach, how to teach it, and whose knowledge counts as valid is a reflection of power. The teacher holds power over students, publishers hold power over curriculum, and the dominant culture holds power over what gets defined as "correct."
Continuing with these aspects of power, the second and third aspects stood out to me as well. On page 25, Delpit writes that there are codes or rules for participating in power, and that there is a "culture of power." She explains that "the rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power." This resonated with me deeply because it reframes what we define as successful students. The students that are successful do not have a gap in intelligence or effort, but a gap in access to unspoken rules. Children from middle-class homes often come to school already knowing the codes because those codes were built around people like them. Children of color and children from working-class families are expected to figure them out on their own, or fail but quietly.
Another point from this text that I felt was important to discuss was on page 25, “if you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier." When implicit codes are attempted across numerous cultures, communication breaks down. It made me think that, in education, leaving children to “discover” rules that children of power already know at home is simply abandonment. By not sharing or teaching the rules to students who do not have the access to the codes, we as educators are leaving them out. I also believe that it is important to find the balance between learning and teaching the different codes, while still staying true to their own cultural identities.
Argument Statement: Delpit argues that the "silenced dialogue" in education, where the voices and concerns of teachers and parents of color are dismissed or ignored which stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of power. Equitable education requires teaching students the codes of power while affirming the value of their own cultural identity.
Connections: From a student perspective, I think about how many students, especially first generation college students, arrive in academic spaces without knowing the hidden rules: how to email a professor, how to participate in seminar discussions, what office hours are actually for. No one tells them explicitly because those "in the know" assume everyone already knows. And even when no harm is intended, it is still a code that some students are not aware of. Delpit makes the case that good intentions are not enough, and I think that challenge extends far beyond the K–12 classroom.
As far as an educator standpoint, this reading made me think a lot about bias, something we talked about constantly throughout my undergrad. We were always pushed to examine our own biases, but I don't think I fully connected that work to power until reading now. If a teacher is unaware of their own biases, they are also likely unaware of the power they hold in the classroom. And that unawareness has real consequences. A teacher might unconsciously favor students who already speak, write, and behave in ways that mirror the culture of power, and interpret students who don't as less capable, less motivated, or as having behavior problems. Delpit shows us that this is not just a personal failing. It is embedded into systems and ideologies that well-meaning educators participate in without realizing it! That is what makes it so dangerous. You do not have to be an evil person to fail a student. You just have to be unaware. I honestly think that is the most uncomfortable takeaway from this reading.
Hi Giana! I also spoke about how much bias plays a role everyday especially in teaching. There is a system in place with these unwritten rules that we have fallen accustomed to. Like you said, I think many people don't want to accept the fact they have a bias but everyone does and it is uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteHi Giana, I like your comments and links about implicit bias, including how you may not even be aware that you have this. Unconsciously favoring certain students can take different forms, and not just with race or gender, as you point out, it may be the way that they speak. It could also be a student that may share an interest of yours, whether it be with sports or music, or just how they interact with you. You may be aware of this bias since it's human nature. Also, I like your comment that a beginning college student may be unaware that they can email a professor. I have a son who recently graduated from college, and I recall us telling him to contact his professors, which he became good at doing.
ReplyDeleteHi Giana, I appreciate and resonate with you when you talked about the unconscious bias we have within ourselves. You stated, "If a teacher is unaware of their own biases, they are also likely unaware of the power they hold in the classroom." It takes pushing ourselves to unpack the biases we have in order to realize them.
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