Day One and Day Two Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom

I am not sure what to do so I am doing this.  What is my connection to all of this.  The work.  I can't make change unless I change myself.

The first thing I noticed when I looked at the news and saw that the "rioters and looters" were more than just angry 'black' men.  Not just because this is what was meant for me to see but this is what I wanted to see.  This was hard for me to accept, but this is my privilege. And using my privilege to deny and to turn away from these horrific problems is a form of racism. To deny this is to deny the change I need to make.  So I put it out here into the universe.

Lisa Delpit's recent introduction to Other People's Children shed light on the power imbalance during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.  Listening to her words initially I didn't connect.  But when I came home and really LOOKED at what was going on in Minnesota I saw the power imbalance.  I am not saying I didn't know it was there. It's more that it was easier for me to deny that it was there.  To sit in my privilege.
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My idea of helping my student find their voice is misguided.  Of course every student has a voice; I just wasn't really listening.  I appreciated Mrs. Delpit's ideas of balancing skills while still encouraging student's to use their language to define who they are.

I connected with the story of the teacher who encouraged and embraced the use of heritage language and taught formal language as a way to open the doors for a student's future and ability to share their heritage language with others.

I also connected with how to address issues with students indirectly vs. directly.  Sometimes it's not how a student reacts to what I say. First I need to analyze how I asked or what I said.  I am often indirect, realizing this can be confusing.  Although I do worry about being to 'authoritarian' when I approach directly.

Changes to make: Don't assume you are helping a student 'find their voice.'  Listen to what voice they already have.  Work on skills and formal language as way of sharing the students individual voice and heritage.  Let go of my perception when I think a student reacts negatively to what I say; first change self and respond differently.