Blog Post #6

 After reading Lisa Delpit’s The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children, I noticed and took three direct quotes that I think show the power of how schools and classrooms are not just neutral spaces—they carry rules, expectations, and cultures that shape how students learn and succeed.

Quote #1: “Issues of power are enacted in classrooms. There are codes or rules for participating in power; that is, there is a ‘culture of power.’ The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power.”

The first quote she mentions makes me think about how the classroom is built around certain expectations, usually from those in charge or from the dominant culture. As a student, I’ve seen how some people already know these “codes” while others have to catch up, not because they’re less capable, but because no one explained the rules to them.

Quote #2: “Those with power are frequently least aware of — or least willing to acknowledge — its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence.”

The second quote hits harder, because it reminds me that people in power, like teachers, administrators, or even people in society, sometimes don’t notice how much control they actually have. Meanwhile, the students who feel powerless notice those differences every single day. That gap in awareness creates silence, like Delpit says, because the ones most affected often don’t get to shape the conversation. 

Quote #3: “If you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier.”

The last quote she talks about really shows the solution: don’t keep the rules hidden. If students don’t know what the expectations are, they can’t succeed. But if teachers are clear and open about those expectations, then students actually have the chance to step into that culture of power.

Overall, Delpit made me realize that power in education is not about taking control, but about opening doors. Teachers need to guide students by making the hidden rules visible, while also respecting where students come from. That’s how real dialogue and real learning can happen.