Other People's Children Summary

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Recommended: Different types of diversity in classrooms

Other People’s Children is a book about a public school educator who realized that minority children were being viewed as underachievers or unteachable. Lisa Delpit saw a problem and decided to do something about it. This book shares my beliefs and views about the educating of children of color. It contains a series of essays that take you through the educational journey of an educator. I like the fact that it was her personal journey (Delpit, 2006, p.73).This was her story. Ms. Delpit had to learn the lesson that most, if not all young African American teachers have to face. You think that your classroom will be the one that changes the system. You go in with zeal and enthusiasm only to meet with the reality of the situation, which is, you have to find a way to teach all of …show more content…

Some are white, but most are black. According to the black teachers, you either have to be willing to fight for change or succumb to the status quo. The diversity in the classroom can become overwhelming if you are not committed to making a difference. As I read this book I could hear the voices of many of those teachers saying some of the same things and dealing with some of the same issues. Delpit (2006, p.87), talked about how the Alaskan parents wanted their children to be able to live between two worlds. One world was their cultural reality, remembering who you are and your history. The other is the world of your profession and the interaction that comes with it. You should not have to make a choice. The classroom should prepare you for life without costing you your cultural identity. In the essay entitled The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children, Delpit examines methods used to teach minorities and low-income students. Some were successful and others were not. There has to be a willingness to change what does not work, embrace what does, and continue to seek even better

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