Here are my questions on Delpit Ch. 2, pg 21- 47 and the Lareau reading.

(1) In Delpit's The Silenced Dialogue, she tells her experience of teaching a Native American woman who submitted a paper with severe technical mistakes (in a senior- level teacher education course). On pg. 39, Delpit says :
"What the experience led me to understand is that pretending that gatekeeping points don't exist is to ensure that many students will not pass through them" (39).
Delpit is referring to the way students of color are taught, by some white liberal progressives among others, without gaining basic skills to understand what she calls the culture of power.

In your opinion, in what ways should you teach students the skills necessary to understand the dominant culture? How will you explain it to them?

(2) In Lareau's, Social Class Differences in Family- School Relationships, she discusses how 'working class' families see the job of the teacher to 'teach' their kids, as opposed to a teacher/parent combination supported by middle class families. However, Lareau says there is no difference in how the families 'value' their education.

Explain how both working and middle class families can value their kids education the same, when the working class families are not as 'involved' in their academic education?
Do you think mainstream educators understand these relationships, and does it relate to the 'They don't care about their kids' attitudes?

Take it easy,

Jeff