This author Lisa Delpit argues that within the education system there is thing she calls “the culture of Power” and within this power are biases towards a certain group. Due to this bias, some students have an advantage in the way they learn over others. Specifically those of the upper and middle class have a better chance than those of the non-middle class. Because there are codes and rules that those who have the power instill in the classroom and  the students who are coming from the upper/ middle class society are already familiar with these codes. Based on what I have gathered from the readings her belief is that the liberal white teacher possess the power and in return teaches all the student no matter their, race, ethnicity or background the same material using their codes and rule. While the black and colored teachers thinks that this is unfair because if the students are not familiar with these codes and rule it make it hard for them to understand what is being taught to them and why. Hence, they are proposing a diverse approach to teaching in the classroom where they incorporate strategies appropriate for all the children in a classroom. By doing this students will learn to understand and appreciate the code they already have instead of having all the students submissively adopting another.

Again I can always go back to the Johnson reading where he states “the trouble we’re in privileges some groups at the expense of another.” This seems to be what Delpit is writing about. The upper and middle class is definitely more privileged than the non-middle class group and because of this privilege they have the power to know the code she speaks of. This attributes to the acceleration in their academic performance and the failure of the non-middle class.

Another reading I can relate this article to is the number seven point from white privilege by Peggy McIntosh where she wrote “I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.” This can be linked to the white liberal teachers and how they teach targeting only a certain group.

I had an experience with a supervisor I worked with that i am reminded of when i read this article. I asked him a question and he just kept saying what? What? What? Each time he said what I repeated what I said. Until it finally dawned on me that maybe he didn’t like way I phrased the question. So I switched it around and then he said “now isn't that better.” Then he gave me an answer to my question. I then had to ask him. Did you understand what I was asking before? He replied “yes but I could have said it better.” I don’t know if it was because of my accent or if it was because my code of English differed from his why he thought it wasn’t being said right, but when I pressed him to find out what the issue was he told me not to argue with him. I think he wanted me to speak in the code he was taught not because he wasn't understanding what was being said but because he thought his was the right way.

 

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107003/chapters/Diverse-Teaching-Strategies-for-Diverse-Learners.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeBscQfjqiw