Is Silence Really Golden? Not According to Delpit...

Perspective, Perspective, Perspective

Every year, when I pass out my syllabus, I always draw attention to the first rule of my classroom. The rule I point out focuses on the idea that history is all about perspective. I like to reiterate this fact with my ever-so-appropriate example of the Civil War. I explain to my students that, as Rhode Islanders, they learn about a (for the most part) Northern perspective of the war. However, I also explain that if they were sitting in a classroom in Georgia or Alabama, they would be learning about different heroes and different battle names for the exact same war because the story would be told from a Southern perspective. In fact, the Civil War itself has over 20 different names such as “The Brother’s War” and “The War to Suppress Northern Aggression.” Are either of these perspectives wrong? No, because it’s told through a specific point of view with detailed examples to back up that view. However, it is interesting to see what has been deemed as important in our classroom as far as curriculum goes. Delpit, similarly to Johnson, discusses this concept of “power.” An interesting example that Delpit brings up is this idea of “the power of publishers of textbooks and of the developers of curriculum to determine the view of the world presented.” (24). Think about it- how do we know about history? Well, it’s what has been written down. And who wrote things down? The well-educated. And who, throughout history, have typically been the well-educated? White males. So, it makes sense why we learn history from a white male perspective. I’m not saying whether it’s right or wrong, I’m just saying that’s why history is taught in this sense. Want to talk about perspective? The state of Texas has a huge determination factor of what curriculum is put in textbooks. Why? Because they are one of the largest purchasers of textbooks, and it makes sense for a publishing company to please their buyers as best as possible. What would be an example of how that power over curriculum is demonstrated? Well, despite the large Hispanic population that resides in Texas, the push for more Hispanic role models in textbooks was consistently shot down. No wonder why people of color seem to dislike history; it’s all about dead white people. If you are interested in other ways Texas controls curriculum, here’s an article from the NY Times: Texas Conservatives Win Curriculum Change

A Plea from a Parent

Lisa Delpit, in her article entitled The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy on Educating Other People's Children, discusses how when she has traveled to other places, she is usually informed about “appropriate dress, interaction styles, embedded meanings, and taboo words or actions.” (26) This probably made her feel more comfortable in situations that could be deemed as uncomfortable if she was not informed otherwise. But what if we were to walk into a situation, such as school or work, where we weren't told the societal rules but instead were just expected to figure it out? I thought of a letter I had to read my sophomore year of college entitled An Indian Father's Plea. This article is written by Robert Lake in defense of his son Wind-Wolf, who is a Native American going to a white school. He explains to the teacher that she could learn from his child, instead of just labeling him a slow-learner simply because he does not know white methods of learning. Wind-Wolf has been to various ceremonial dances and has learned about nature at a young age. He was not taught “traditionally” (in the white European sense), but his father argues that the other children can learn from his son as well if the teacher could just demonstrate a level of respect for his son. Maybe we, as teachers, can learn to pull from our students’ strengths to provide a proper education.

Demonstrating Diversity

                Delpit brings up an excellent point that “the world will be diminished if cultural diversity is ever obliterated.” (39) I mean, isn’t it cultural diversity that makes America so interesting? We live in a country where over 315 languages are spoken. Our history is built upon the idea that various groups of people have and will continue to come in and out of America. In some countries, that American dream is still alive and well (despite what the reality may be). Actually, what I truly enjoy is hearing about the blending of cultures. They say America has some very attractive people because of the different ethnicities that are found in an individual. I am amazed when people are bi-lingual. When I was becoming ESL endorsed, I met a woman from Senegal who spoke Walif (the native language), French (the language of school), and English (she used to watch Melrose’s Place in French subtitles but knew they were American actors.) I think it’s cool when traditional is blended with non-traditional. I mean, as teachers, don’t we all have different presentation styles? Don’t we look to see what other teachers are doing and combine different techniques? Isn’t that a kind of cultural diversity? I mean, I know it’s not exactly what Delpit is talking about, but it’s that constant blending of ideas that provides a new and fresh outlook. Without change, innovation, or appreciation for differences, life can get pretty stale and dull. I mean, sometimes people blend things I would never think could go together, but it works. Need a modern day example of this phenomenon? Check out this video clip from Britain’s Got Talent where the two performers combine Bhangra dance (from Punjab) and Michael Jackson (it’s really neat!):

Let’s Wrap This Up…

Much like Johnson, Delpit tends to focus on this issue of power, whether it is in our classrooms or in greater society. She mentions how, because people “act as if power does not exist”, then life will “ensure that the power status quo remains the same.” (39) To me, this is reminiscent of Johnson’s ideas of how people need to acknowledge that privilege exists in order to become active in changing societal norms and notions. Besides, isn’t it the ones with power who get to tell the story?