Other people's Children

 Lisa Delpit's novel, "Other People's Children" is an insightful read about the cultural differences that exist in our society today. For some background information, Lisa Delpit is an African American who at a young age was forced into an integrated school district. She has written "Other People's Children" to share her beliefs on racism, mistreatment, and ignorance of our culture today. The book is divided into three sections, each consuming of a plan of action to create a more culture friendly society for teachers, students, and administration. Delpit's suggestion about her non-traditional approach to teaching is extremely insightful. Delpit focuses on teaching children of color, but her strategies and advice can be used to benefit all types of students. The first section of the book, "Skills and Other Dilemmas of a Progressive Black Educator" discusses the ins and outs of our societies idea of a "language progressive" ideology. Here, and through out her entire novel, Delpit shares stories that have actually occurred in her life. For example, she talks about the idea of "black vs. standard English." Throughout her childhood, many would try and correct her grammar. This did not sit well with Delpit due to the fact that she believed she should write as she would talk. To keep from correcting her own students as she once was, she created a strategy to improve her students writing skills. She developed the idea of a "fast write" and "golden lines" which were to be done in a group process. This strategic plan helped students write freely, and focused their energy on fluency over correctness. The next section of the book is titled, "Lessons from Home and Abroad: Other Cultures and Communities," These stories piece together the importance of culture acceptance. Delpit expresses that idea that education meets its maximized success when cultures of people are integrated. We can assume that by integrating our society, all will understand different perspectives of life. Delpit shared an incredible story about the Papua New Guinea in this section. Papua New Guinea is a county of only three million citizens who actually speak 700 different languages. They had to figure out how to teach all their citizens in "Standard English." After numerous failed attempts, a new reform labeled "Vilis Tokples Pri-Skul" was created. From the ages 10 to 15 students would learn English. This allowed the English language to reform in their society, while still allowing the people of Papua New Guinea to remain true to their culture. This example helped Delpit prove that the mixture of language and culture is your key to success in education. The final section focuses completely on Delpits ideas for education reform, and goals that need to occur to provide equality for all children in the education atmosphere. Delpit goes into great detail discussing traditional style of teaching, and the negativity about teacher assessment tests. Delpit believes that teachers are overwhelmed with teacher assessment tests. However, these tests do not always determine the success of them. The tests have been consider to be the reason why their has been a significant decline in new professionals entering the teaching field. Furthermore, effects urban areas where minorities are a concern. At the end of her book, Delpit shares recommendations. Her first recommendation is to teachers and family interaction. She believes that for a teacher to be successful, they must connect with their student's families inside and outside of the classroom. This helps teacher further their understanding of each individual student. She also recommends a more diverse teaching force. If you are a teacher and have a clear understand of what's going on in your student's lives, it will be much easier for them to trust you, and you to trust them. The last suggestion is the dismissal of Eurocentric curriculum. This segregated, race particular way of teaching needs to be reformed into a way to learn and teach about people of all backgrounds. This will provide our future with a more positive understanding of the world around us, and our place in it. Delpit is successful in her attempts to inform readers about the difficulties our children face every day of their lives. Something she is a bit crucial, but her way of writing helps ones understand the importance of her beliefs. Delpits insightful stories, interviews, and beliefs create a story that gives future educators, like myself, a sense of hope to create change in the education world.