Lisa Delpit~ Other People's Children

 Reflection~ Michelina Irons

Something I wanted to reflect on from Lisa Delpit's Other People's Children (p24), was the discussion on the 5 key aspects of power and more specifically power in education. These aspects offer an idea for analyzing how power is enacted, how rules for participating in power are established, and how these rules reflect the student's education. The Delpit's analysis reveals that Schools are not neutral spaces but are areas where power is both exercised and contested. Delpit goes into great depth explaining the dynamics of power within educational settings and how these dynamics shape educational experiences.  Her passages provides a comprehensive examination of the concept of "the culture of power" and its implications for understanding educational injustices and communication issues. The text stresses the significance of recognizing and correcting inequality of power in education. By understanding the laws of the culture of power and making these rules explicit, educators may create more fair learning environments. This strategy involves not just understanding the power dynamics at play but also actively working to make the educational system more inclusive and responsive to the needs of all students. teachers could consider adopting methods that make implicit cultural norms more obvious, such as setting clear rules for communication and behavior, and offering support to students from varied backgrounds to help them adapt to these new equal ideas.

1. Issues of power are enacted in classrooms. 

The first aspect emphasizes that power is inherent in educational settings. This includes the authority of teachers, the influence of the induvial who create the curriculum, and the socio-economic connections of schooling. Delpit's assertion that schooling is closely linked to economic status and power shows the nature of educational inequality. Schools often maintain existing power structures rather than challenging them, which can lead to injustice in educational outcomes based on socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

 2. There are codes or rules for participating in power; that is, there is a "culture of power."

The second aspect highlights that there are specific codes or rules linked with participation in power. These codes contain linguistic forms, communication techniques, and behavioral expectations that match with the dominant culture's standards. This perspective is vital for understanding why students from different origins could struggle inside the educational system if their cultural practices and communication styles are not recognized or valued.

 3. The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power. 

The third aspect explains how the rules of the culture of power reflect those of the group in power. Educational achievement is often related to one’s ability to adapt to the majority cultural standards, which can disadvantage students from a minority backgrounds. This discovery is essential in explaining why middle-class students, who are already aware with these norms, tend to perform better academically.

 4. If you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier.  

The fourth aspect indicates formal teaching in the rules of the culture of power might ease access to power. This idea challenges the premise that implicit understanding of these standards will be fair. By making the rules of power more apparent, educators can help students from varied backgrounds better navigate the educational system, so addressing some of the differences in educational outcomes.

 5. Those with power are frequently least aware of -- or least willing to acknowledge -- its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence.

The fifth aspect offers a vital insight: those with power are often less aware of their own power and its impact, while others with less power are intensely aware of these dynamics. It might lead to misconceptions and a lack of efficient communication between different groups. 

lisa delpit the silenced dialogue