Post #6

 In Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom, Lisa Delpit talks about how classrooms aren’t as neutral as we might think. She points out that schools reflect the culture and expectations of people in power, and the tricky part is that those “rules” are rarely explained. Students who don’t already know them can end up at a disadvantage without even realizing why.

One part that hit me was how teachers often see their own way of talking or teaching as “normal.” But that’s just one cultural style. When students show up with different ways of speaking or learning, it can get misread as disrespect, confusion, or even lack of effort. I’ve seen this happen and it’s not that the student doesn’t understand, it’s just that the teacher interprets the behavior through their own lens.

The biggest takeaway for me is that teachers should be direct. If there are certain expectations, like how to write, how to participate in class, or how to do well on assignments, those should be spelled out clearly. Leaving students to guess just reinforces inequalities. At the same time, teachers should reflect on whose rules they’re enforcing and whether those rules really allow space for students’ voices.

Discuss rules and norms with the class so they are clear to all!

Delpit makes a strong point: good intentions aren’t enough. To actually create fair classrooms, teachers need to recognize the culture of power
and make the hidden rules visible.