Breakdown of communication

A Native American teacher to her students...

We listen to the way people talk and judge them, but to tell what part of the river they come from. These other people are not like that. They think everybody needs to talk like them. Unlike us, they have a hard time hearing what people say if they don't talk exactly like them. Their way of talking and writing is called "Formal English". We have to feel sorry for them because they have only one way to talk. We're going to learn two ways to say things. Isn't that better?

I found this quote as the most essential idea to walk away with from reading Other Peoples Children. In America we have one way of doing things. One way to live, one way to act, and one way to speak. It may appear that there are more options out there, but in reality if we try to do one of these "other ways" we are criticized, ridiculed, and possibly worse.

The hard part for me to separate in my mind was how to create an environment that embraces multiple ways of life? It is fine for us as teachers to say ok little Billy you can say "all right" just like that, and to say ok little Tyrone you can say "a'ight" (pardon the spelling, as well as the stereotyping comment, it is just for the purpose of argument), just like that. Or even more common word of "not" vs. "aint", a teacher can be culturally sensitive, but how does this help the children from said culture fit better into the dominant one?

Delpit went into a section talking about the African American parents getting upset when teachers were not teaching their children the "white" English. Yet there are parts where parents get onto arguments with teachers about not respecting their culture. This seems like a very sticky situation. What do I do to not offend someone? Or is it inevitable?

I think that one of the most important concepts that we need to remember is to keep dialogue open with parents and community members. It hurt me to read about how the parents and minority teachers decided to stop talking to the white teachers and administration. As one black woman stated in this book about the advice and instructions given to her by the white people "I shut them out...I'm not going to let any man, woman, or child drive me crazy- white folks will try to do that to you if you let them. You just have to stop talking to them, that's what I do. I just keep smiling, but I won't talk to them (22)." It is this breakdown in communication that makes me so sad for everyone in the situation.

I think that Delpit really just wants everyone, black and white and Native American, to be socially aware. I know that it may be more difficult for someone like me, coming from a middle class white culture, to know what is going on in the Alaskan village, or the projects, but the adults from those areas are beneficial to our teaching process. They can contribute an additional understanding of their context. I believe that it important to take what the parents feel is important into consideration while planning lessons as well as what I know from my own education. It will be this well rounded community that will produce the best leaning environment.