Lisa Delpit- The Silenced Dialogue

The Silenced Dialogue is a piece of literature that raises awareness about the "culture of power" and how it is transmitted into classroom settings. I was able to relate to the reading because I also struggle when writing papers. English is not my first language and it is difficult to find the appropriate words to express my thoughts when writing. I usually take longer while doing the reading and I try be mindful of the structure and language I use in my writing. It took me two hours exactly just to read this article and another one to write this blog. I recently took the ACT and struggled heavily with time management on the reading section. I was not able to pass the test and will be retaking it soon. At home, I speak Spanish, not English. However, teachers expect me to write exceptional essays and often compare my writing to my classmates, who have the liberty of speaking English at home, and may assume I am "falling short" or I failed to proof read. They take off points for every single mistake and make it extremely impossible to receive an A. I understand that corrections need to be addressed, but why do I have to be punished academically when English is not even my first language? I often hear some of my friends say, "I am not teaching my kids Spanish because they will be confused when they enter school because they wont know any English". This is an example of people submitting to the "culture of power" Delpit mentioned in the reading. People are aware that power exists and that its not distributed fairly. They just play the "political power game" and follow the codes to achieve success. I was forced to adapt to the formal English language because I don't want people to think I am uneducated. I have grown used to it and actually like to be challenged, but I am afraid this arbitrary mode of writing and speaking may enable many of us not to listen or understand people that don't speak formal English.

As future educators, what can we do to embrace multicultural classrooms and accept diverse dialects? How can we make it easier for students struggling to write in formal English? How can we control a classroom setting without being to harsh or lenient?

This is a video of a TED Talk about the toxic culture of education and how the culture of power has worked its way into classrooms.