Delpit Reaction

In the Pawtucket School system, there is a requirement for teachers to complete a program on reading.  The other professionals in the building (nurse, OT, PT, ST, and administration) must complete the Awareness of the Right to Read portion of this program.  I did this program last year and after reading Delpit, I can’t help but think back to the lessons we learned while participating in this professional development course.  The essence of this course was based on the fact that all students have the right to read.  During the course, there were interviews of multiple students with different disabilities including dyslexia, hearing and visual impairment, and special needs.  The students in the video expressed their desire to learn how to read while simultaneously admitting they could not learn traditionally. 

            Delpit talked about language and how those in power direct the course of language.  In the classroom, this is evident within the teacher/student dichotomy.  The teacher directs how students are taught and holds the power to steer the ship in the direction they so choose.  The Right to Read course provided insight into the different ways students learn.  It said that teachers need to be aware of the variety of learning styles within the classroom and adapt their lesson plans accordingly.  As they hold the power, the teachers need to speak with the student and their families to establish an all-inclusive lesson plan. 

            Within this framework, the power does not rest solely on the teacher but is shared between the teacher, student, and their family.  Often these lesson plans include an individual education plan (IEP).  The IEP is developed through meetings with the teacher, student, special educator, and family.  This lesson plan encourages interaction between all of the above and provides the student with access to education.  The right to read is an idea that focuses on the students and the notion that every student in the building must have access to education that teaches them how to read; no matter what their learning abilities are.  The shared power between teacher and student provides for an environment of trust and understanding that yields greater outcomes regarding learning. 

Comments

  1. Charles HienOctober 5, 2023 at 11:18 AM

    The teacher/student dichotomy is a relationship that has existed since schools were instituted. I like how you integrate this into Delpit's ideology of power and privilege. Yes there has to be a person in a position of power in the classroom. Otherwise the inmates would be running the asylum (so to speak).

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