Assignment A #2

Argument Statement
Power in the hands of white educators has silenced many students of color. Lack of power in the hands of educators of color has harmed their ability to educate students of color.  In both cases students of color are harmed. 

Talking Point #1
Delpit discusses how educators from different backgrounds go about teaching students of color in different ways.  Delpit believes that the communication block that exists between these two groups of educators  "can be solved by "ethnographic analysis, that is, in identifying and giving voice to alternative world views." Essentially, these educators could better understand each other by seeing that the other sees the world differently than them -- yes!  This screams intersectionality!  She also stresses that people of color have been silenced when it comes to how they think their own should be educated. 

Talking Point #2
"The teacher can not be the only expert in the classroom." Yes!  It is so important to connect our students to their learning and make them have buy in.  With students of color this is particularly important because many historical figures, scientists, and writers we talk about in schools are old, white dudes.  We as educators need to expand the curriculum to incorporate the background of our students and let them be the experts and tell us what they already know!

Talking Point #3
When Delpit talks about skills she is referring to: "helping students gain a useful knowledge of the conventions of print while engaging in real and useful communicative activities."  Is this not what we want all of our students to do?  As a biology teacher I know that the majority of my students will not remember what the function of a mitochondria is in 4 years.  What I hope they remember is how to use the skills they have developed to work as a team, find and cite evidence, and look at data for patters.  Delpit stresses the importance of skills throughout this text, and I could not agree more!