Dowdy, in The Skin That We Speak, created in me a conflict of emotions that I have not resolved. I understand how she felt betrayed by her mom and grandmother for forcing her into the language of the colonizers, but what about the power it afforded her? No one wants to feel like they joined the enemy camp, but she readily admits that her siblings were confined to dead-end jobs because of their lack of foresight. She could have chosen the same path. However, she realized that the British language was an avenue to achieve what she ultimately wanted: to express herself in a manner that was comfortable, meaningful, and representative of who she was as a person. I think all of us who are originally from the south understand this dilemma. We do not always speak the same style at home and with friends as we do when teaching or interacting with peers. It is not acceptable, nor effective. Should I blame this choice on the oppression of the North who conquered the South in the civil war? That would be ridiculous. Many of us come from backgrounds and families who do not speak as those born in the Midwest (without any discernable dialect). We all make the choice about “code switching” sometime in our lives. It need not be detrimental to our self-esteem. It just makes sense to me that we all understand how to communicate effectively in any arena.
Delpit has a somewhat different situation in her article and I would like to address the aspect of what I can learn as an educator. What struck me the most was on page 39 where she discussed what it means to teach language to a child which is: “self-affirming and esteem-building, inviting and fun.” Who does not want to learn everything in such a way? Now I must admit that she lost me when she took the beauty issue into such a depth. There had to be boys and girls in the school who were not the least bit interested in pursuing cosmetology. Although I am sure everyone learned something from the activity, this seemed extreme. Where were they going from that position, whose interest was going to be legitimized and whose was not? However, the point is well taken. There is more than one way to skin a cat! Meet the kids at the place of their needs, interests, and desires if possible. Teaching children and adults is all about getting them involved in the learning process and creating a purpose for the acquisition of knowledge. Their communication through spoken and written language, which is audience centered, allows them to use what they are comfortable with and how to step into someone else’s zone of comfort to speak effectively.
Janet Gross
Comments (2)
Janet,
I think you hit the nail on the head. By embracing the Queen's English, Dowdy was empowering herself to succeed. It was her choice. She chose to please her mother and grandmother; her siblings did not. I believe it's all in the attitude...colonization maybe viewed as oppression by some. For others,it means new innovation,funding for infrastructure, education, and other comforts and improvements more advanced societies may have to offer. Here's another way to look at it; kids today choose to pierce themselves in places I would never have thought of. When I look at that (and don't forget the tatoos, the purple hair, and the fashion)I see a rebellious person desperately looking for attention. That young person claims he / she is only expressing himself outwardly. Does he really care what I think about how he looks? Does he feel marginalized or ignorant because of his choices? Can my opinions impact him so deeply? I think students today have a great deal of strength of character. I do not believe any of us as teachers would intentionally do harm to our students. But careful reflection of past practices is warranted; selfchecking as to degrees of sensitivity and caring should always be periodically employed.It is obvious our goal as teachers is to build self esteem, boost selfconcept, and instill a confidence empowering students to succeed.
Annie Croon
Posted by Annie Croon | June 9, 2009 9:42 AM
Posted on June 9, 2009 09:42
Janet, I loved your introductory sentence! It definitely drew me in to read and respond to your blog. I too think that Dowdy was taking charge of her life and decided that if she failed to plan, like she’d seen so many people in her family before her, then she too would plan to fail. I have students in my class that mentality and physically act like that, and daily I demonstrate and model what effective communication looks and sounds like.
Posted by Toni Wheeler | June 10, 2009 12:23 AM
Posted on June 10, 2009 00:23