The Silenced Dialogue and Lessons for Teachers

           Having read Lisa Delpit's The Silenced Dialogue last semester I took this as an opportunity to reevaluate my original stance. Last semester, like many of my peers at the time, I was rather taken aback by her angry approach. While I understood her concerns and arguments, I believed them to be a tad one-sided. I still stand by my original thoughts. I see where she is coming from with the idea of a "culture of power," but I do not necessarily agree with the way she presents her ideas or the reasons that seem to motivate her. I realize however, that what she discusses can certainly happen in any society, no matter the racial/ethnic majority. She makes a point to claim that we should teach to the student. I agree that using a given student's background may increase the likelihood of that student's understanding of the concept or task. As a whole however, we cannot please every minority group in the country. Someone will always be left out in the cold. The two most common languages utilized in this country are English and Spanish. Would we teach every class to the Algerian, or Filipino standards? I think not. Black students and white students alike, no student is the same. Just as a white student may originate in Ireland or Russia (two very different places), a black student may have family  originating in Haiti, or Ghana. To generalize is absurd regardless. Even in urban districts like Newark, we cannot hope to please every represented minority group. I agree with some of Delpit's points, in that we may teach to a white majority, but how can we nationalize if you seek to teach differently; with different standards based upon race or ethnicity? Ebonics may be what someone speaks outside of school, just as we often text with words like LOL, BRB, OR GR8, and often find ourselves shouting LOL out loud. We would not be allowed to write them on paper. Our standards are set by people of various groups, not simply whites, so how would we know if we teach to a certain race? If a student can't handle something due to personal restriction it's typically taken into account, but to say a black student can't learn from a white teacher and visa versa is inherently absurd. Everyone teaches in their own style, just as everyone has a different hobby or personality. Women and minorities fought for equal  rights in education but stereotyping and discriminating would counter that. Delpit claims that our teaching towards the culture of power does just that. We as teachers must be understanding of others' cultures; specifically those of our colleagues, our students, and their families. We should never teach one student any differently than the next. We simply need to prepare teachers for these situations. As a future teacher of social studies, I find this to be a highly relevant topic. We spend so much time on US history, but not enough time on topics regarding South America, Africa, or Australia. I for one, know nothing of Australian history. I believe we should be well-rounded. In that respect I agreed that more content should be integrated. I do not believe we should base it off of color. 
            Delpit's Lessons for Teachers was much different. I found it to be rather useful. I intend to take the majority of her suggestions into account in my own practice. At some points she contradicted her other article, when she suggests to "ensure all children gain access to conventions/strategies essential to success in American society. The only way to ensure this is to standardize based on the population majority. For instance, in areas where Spanish is the predominant language, such as Miami, an option for bilingual instruction exists. 

Economics and Poverty

The three items we looked at for our discussion on children and poverty were certainly informative, but did not necessarily change my view on poverty altogether. I definitely found them to be insightful nonetheless. From the reading, I was able to take a closer and more in depth look at the self-sufficiency standard. While words may affect the heart and mind, a much greater impact can be gained from visual representation; especially with a subject such as this. That being said, it should be of no surprise that I gained more from the Frontline segment. The podcast had more of an impact than the reading, but not enough to stir any emotion. The situation Mr. Puente faced did not seem so foreign to me, as I’ve had friends experience similar situations. I certainly do not discredit it as a source of understanding. As for the video, I’ve already mentioned the effect it had, but now I will share why.

Frontline chose three families, whose situations were described through the eyes of their children; for the most part. Seeing it through the eyes of a nine year old girl, or a twelve year old boy made it strike me that much more. Each family had a completely different situation, and the kids handled the changes differently. While neither of them were happy about being “poor,” I found it more incredible how much pride Britney had in her family. She wasn’t ashamed, she was simply glad her family members were okay (with the exception of her mother of course). Her school’s Nutrition Club idea was excellent, in my opinion.

Kaylie’s mother lost it all in an attempt to further her education. This alarms me, and is unfortunately something our country must work on. Education is so costly, yet without it, we are often doomed to failure. Many employers will not hire those without a degree, pushing families beneath the poverty line. Kaylie’s mother could not afford childcare, and therefore could not work multiple jobs to afford a living as a single parent. Her and her brother Tyler could not even attend school, because they moved constantly. As a result it’s now affecting their futures even more than before. I’ll admit I dropped a few tears when they had to choose which dog to give up for adoption.

Jasmine’s family, though in a shelter, seemed to be making an effort to break free. The argument her brother had with her mother about shoes made me remember situations I’d been in growing up. When my parents first divorced, it was a bit rough monetarily. There were things many of my friends had that my father simply could not afford (I lived with my father). After a while I accepted it, though as a child it was a hard concept to grasp, and we know how mean kids can be. It seems as though Jasmine’s brother hasn’t reached the acceptance point yet.In order to be successful in situation teachers need to have an open mind. They must also be understanding of the students’ circumstances when grading and assigning assignments. For example, a teacher should not assign a project that requires money to be spent on supplies, unless the school can offer them to these specific students for free. Students should not be afraid to come to their teachers for help, or simply to have someone to talk to. Britney’s family had Nutrition Club, and I think schools should implement similar programs, if they are not already established. Teachers and administrators must encourage excellence. It may be good to host an assembly that will accomplish this; if the school can afford it. In turn, the government needs to work more towards improving educational options for those who cannot afford it. A woman in Kaylie’s mothers situation should have had access to grants. What can we do to encourage more attention to be paid to this aspect of education?

Not Enough to Live On

Last weeks group activity gave me more insight into the economic diversity we face in New Jersey. We were forced to focus on various counties and simulate the decisions people must make when deciding upon a suitable location for them and their families. Due to the heightened estimates provided by the self-sufficiency standard its is much easier to see the factors that contribute to the hardships of living. While employment of all adult parties in a given household may certainly help to support one's family, the high cost of living still makes a comfortable living quite difficult. The group exercise done in class helped me to understand the various types of families one may encounter in a given community. A teacher must understand that there might be hardships at home contributing to ones actions in class, such as starvation, close living quarters, no personal space, lack of attention paid to education, absent parents, etc. Teachers must help students to overcome outside obstacles while at school. They must encourage students to strive to achieve their best in an effort to provide for a better future. There are economic inequities that cause each student to differ, and a teacher must be able to cope with varying types of students. Not Enough to Live On explains, in depth, the actual inequities that occur in New Jersey. It also provides charts to better visualize where the variations occur and to what extent. This document provides potential solutions to narrow the gap between what is necessary and what is available (monetarily speaking). It breaks up the family types more extensively, and shows what groups fall at what points on the "scale." 

The Real Cost of Living in 2008

The Real Cost of Living in 2008, while quite lengthy, is a rather useful tool. It aids in our understanding of the economically diverse demographics of the state of New Jersey. As mentioned in the document, the self-sufficiency standard measures the actual cost of living in New Jersey. The self-sufficiency standard is used a means of comparison to the poverty level.

To start, coastal states tend to be much more densely populated that those further inland. New Jersey faces the issue of overpopulation in a handful of its counties. The state is also known for its heightened diversity. By diversity I’m referring to its sociocultural differences, dependent on both differences in heritage and geographical differences. In New Jersey, many new immigrants flock to a neighborhood that will make their transition easier to handle (as with most locations throughout history). In Marlboro (the town I grew up in), for example, most of my fellow residents were either Italians or Eastern Europeans, many of whom originated in Brooklyn. Prior to that I was living in Edison, where the majority of residents are of Asian origin. Head further north to Passaic, and you will find a heavily Latino community. Unfortunately, communities heavy in minority tend to be more likely to face greater economic instability. If one generation cannot fund education for the next, the cycle will continue. Fortunately our society values education as highly as it does, paving the way for a much improved devotion to working around the issue. That being said education is certainly not equal across the board, as many communities cannot afford the same luxuries as others.

In addition to the cultural differences the state contains, there are typical familial differences to contend with as well. Not all families are set up the same. Some may have two parents and two kids; some may be single parents with three kids. Though less common but still possible, there are families in which grandparents are added to the household as well. The number of people in the household will greatly increase ones cost of living. This document emphasizes the self-sufficiency standard for those who are single parents. For that reason, it does not help us to understand other family types to the same extent. The poverty level, according to the article, is a bit too low, that being said there are still families who fit the mold. What this article will help to do is to show us which families may better benefit from extra educational assistance. We as educators must make our own efforts to narrow the gap, to improve the education experience, so job attainment will be made easier, and provide more stable pay.