![[Review] Other People's Children (Lisa Delpit) Summarized](https://episodes.castos.com/660078c6833215-59505987/images/2318732/c1a-085k3-250d1voqc9wq-rkg05w.jpg)
Show Notes
Other People's Children (Lisa Delpit)
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1595580743?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Other-People%27s-Children-Lisa-Delpit.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/mental-toughness-collection-3-in-1-book-how-to-influence/id1781563833?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Other+People+s+Children+Lisa+Delpit+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://mybook.top/read/1595580743/
#culturalconflictineducation #codesofpower #culturallyresponsiveteaching #languageandliteracy #educationalequity #OtherPeoplesChildren
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Power, Gatekeeping, and the Culture of the Classroom, A central theme of Delpit’s work is that schooling operates through power: certain ways of speaking, writing, and behaving are treated as the norm, while other ways are marked as deficient. She explains that classrooms often reflect the cultural expectations of dominant groups, even when teachers believe they are being fair. This creates a hidden system of gatekeeping in which some students arrive already fluent in the codes of school, while others must learn them under pressure and often with less grace from institutions. Delpit emphasizes that power is not only about formal authority but also about whose knowledge is valued, whose language practices are corrected, and whose families are listened to. She invites educators to notice how standards, discipline, participation rules, and notions of intelligence can privilege one cultural style over another. The point is not to blame individual teachers but to make the invisible visible so instructional decisions become more intentional. Recognizing power dynamics helps educators see why equal treatment is not the same as equitable access and why students may resist when school requires them to abandon identity affirming practices.
Secondly, Teaching the Codes of Power Without Erasing Identity, Delpit is widely associated with the idea that students deserve access to the codes of power: the language forms and academic conventions that institutions reward. She argues that denying explicit instruction in standard academic English and related skills can unintentionally limit students’ future opportunities, especially when those students are already navigating unequal systems. At the same time, she rejects the false choice between skills and culture. The book makes the case that teachers can teach mainstream academic codes while respecting and valuing students’ home languages and community identities. Delpit urges educators to frame code switching as an additive capacity rather than a replacement of students’ linguistic heritage. This approach includes being transparent about why certain forms are expected in particular contexts, providing direct modeling, and giving structured practice with feedback that preserves dignity. She also stresses that students must understand the purpose and the payoff of learning these codes, not as assimilation, but as strategic access. In this view, effective instruction equips students to move across communities and institutions with agency, confidence, and authentic selfhood.
Thirdly, Rethinking Progressive Pedagogy and the Role of Explicit Instruction, The book critiques how some progressive teaching practices can misfire when applied as one size fits all solutions. Delpit does not dismiss child centered learning, but she warns that approaches emphasizing discovery and implicit learning can advantage students who already possess background knowledge, cultural familiarity with school tasks, or support outside the classroom. For students who have been historically denied high quality instruction, the absence of clear structure can become another barrier. Delpit argues for the strategic use of explicit teaching: direct explanations, carefully sequenced skills, and unambiguous expectations, paired with meaningful content and respect for students’ lives. She highlights the importance of teaching reading and writing in ways that are both rigorous and supportive, rather than assuming students will infer conventions on their own. This perspective reframes explicit instruction as an equity tool, not a deficit stance. Delpit also encourages educators to interrogate their beliefs about what good teaching looks like and to seek evidence in student outcomes and engagement rather than ideology. The goal is a balanced practice that promotes intellectual independence while ensuring students have the foundational tools to succeed.
Fourthly, Cross Cultural Communication and Classroom Relationships, Delpit explores how cultural patterns in communication can lead to misinterpretation between teachers and students. Differences in discourse style, eye contact, turn taking, tone, and approaches to authority may be read as disrespect, disengagement, or lack of ability when they are actually culturally grounded ways of interacting. The book emphasizes that relationship building is not generic friendliness; it requires teachers to learn how students and families define respect, care, and competence. Delpit calls attention to how teachers may unconsciously reward students who mirror their own interaction styles, while disciplining or overlooking students who do not. She encourages educators to listen carefully, observe without quick judgment, and develop cultural humility, recognizing that expertise also resides in communities and families. Strong relationships, in her account, are instructional assets because they create the trust needed for academic risk taking and for receiving feedback. Delpit also shows that communication is tied to power: whose voice is given space, whose stories are treated as legitimate knowledge, and who gets to be an authority in the room. Attending to communication differences can reduce conflict and increase students’ sense of belonging and intellectual safety.
Lastly, Centering Community Knowledge and Teacher Self Reflection, Another major topic is the importance of honoring the knowledge that students bring from home and community. Delpit argues that educators often underestimate families from marginalized groups, interpreting different school involvement patterns as lack of concern rather than as a response to past exclusion, time constraints, or cultural differences in how support is shown. She encourages teachers to build genuine partnerships with caregivers and community members, treating them as collaborators rather than as clients. This shift requires educators to reflect on their own identities, assumptions, and positional power. Delpit pushes for a stance of learning from communities, not just about them, and for professional growth that includes hearing critiques without defensiveness. Practical implications include using culturally relevant examples, inviting community voices into curriculum decisions, and designing classroom routines that acknowledge multiple ways of demonstrating competence. Delpit also suggests that educators must be willing to change their practice when evidence shows that students are not receiving full access to challenging content. Ultimately, centering community knowledge is presented as a pathway to both academic achievement and dignity, helping students see school as a place where their lives and languages are resources rather than obstacles.
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1595580743?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Other-People%27s-Children-Lisa-Delpit.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/mental-toughness-collection-3-in-1-book-how-to-influence/id1781563833?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Other+People+s+Children+Lisa+Delpit+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://mybook.top/read/1595580743/
#culturalconflictineducation #codesofpower #culturallyresponsiveteaching #languageandliteracy #educationalequity #OtherPeoplesChildren
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Power, Gatekeeping, and the Culture of the Classroom, A central theme of Delpit’s work is that schooling operates through power: certain ways of speaking, writing, and behaving are treated as the norm, while other ways are marked as deficient. She explains that classrooms often reflect the cultural expectations of dominant groups, even when teachers believe they are being fair. This creates a hidden system of gatekeeping in which some students arrive already fluent in the codes of school, while others must learn them under pressure and often with less grace from institutions. Delpit emphasizes that power is not only about formal authority but also about whose knowledge is valued, whose language practices are corrected, and whose families are listened to. She invites educators to notice how standards, discipline, participation rules, and notions of intelligence can privilege one cultural style over another. The point is not to blame individual teachers but to make the invisible visible so instructional decisions become more intentional. Recognizing power dynamics helps educators see why equal treatment is not the same as equitable access and why students may resist when school requires them to abandon identity affirming practices.
Secondly, Teaching the Codes of Power Without Erasing Identity, Delpit is widely associated with the idea that students deserve access to the codes of power: the language forms and academic conventions that institutions reward. She argues that denying explicit instruction in standard academic English and related skills can unintentionally limit students’ future opportunities, especially when those students are already navigating unequal systems. At the same time, she rejects the false choice between skills and culture. The book makes the case that teachers can teach mainstream academic codes while respecting and valuing students’ home languages and community identities. Delpit urges educators to frame code switching as an additive capacity rather than a replacement of students’ linguistic heritage. This approach includes being transparent about why certain forms are expected in particular contexts, providing direct modeling, and giving structured practice with feedback that preserves dignity. She also stresses that students must understand the purpose and the payoff of learning these codes, not as assimilation, but as strategic access. In this view, effective instruction equips students to move across communities and institutions with agency, confidence, and authentic selfhood.
Thirdly, Rethinking Progressive Pedagogy and the Role of Explicit Instruction, The book critiques how some progressive teaching practices can misfire when applied as one size fits all solutions. Delpit does not dismiss child centered learning, but she warns that approaches emphasizing discovery and implicit learning can advantage students who already possess background knowledge, cultural familiarity with school tasks, or support outside the classroom. For students who have been historically denied high quality instruction, the absence of clear structure can become another barrier. Delpit argues for the strategic use of explicit teaching: direct explanations, carefully sequenced skills, and unambiguous expectations, paired with meaningful content and respect for students’ lives. She highlights the importance of teaching reading and writing in ways that are both rigorous and supportive, rather than assuming students will infer conventions on their own. This perspective reframes explicit instruction as an equity tool, not a deficit stance. Delpit also encourages educators to interrogate their beliefs about what good teaching looks like and to seek evidence in student outcomes and engagement rather than ideology. The goal is a balanced practice that promotes intellectual independence while ensuring students have the foundational tools to succeed.
Fourthly, Cross Cultural Communication and Classroom Relationships, Delpit explores how cultural patterns in communication can lead to misinterpretation between teachers and students. Differences in discourse style, eye contact, turn taking, tone, and approaches to authority may be read as disrespect, disengagement, or lack of ability when they are actually culturally grounded ways of interacting. The book emphasizes that relationship building is not generic friendliness; it requires teachers to learn how students and families define respect, care, and competence. Delpit calls attention to how teachers may unconsciously reward students who mirror their own interaction styles, while disciplining or overlooking students who do not. She encourages educators to listen carefully, observe without quick judgment, and develop cultural humility, recognizing that expertise also resides in communities and families. Strong relationships, in her account, are instructional assets because they create the trust needed for academic risk taking and for receiving feedback. Delpit also shows that communication is tied to power: whose voice is given space, whose stories are treated as legitimate knowledge, and who gets to be an authority in the room. Attending to communication differences can reduce conflict and increase students’ sense of belonging and intellectual safety.
Lastly, Centering Community Knowledge and Teacher Self Reflection, Another major topic is the importance of honoring the knowledge that students bring from home and community. Delpit argues that educators often underestimate families from marginalized groups, interpreting different school involvement patterns as lack of concern rather than as a response to past exclusion, time constraints, or cultural differences in how support is shown. She encourages teachers to build genuine partnerships with caregivers and community members, treating them as collaborators rather than as clients. This shift requires educators to reflect on their own identities, assumptions, and positional power. Delpit pushes for a stance of learning from communities, not just about them, and for professional growth that includes hearing critiques without defensiveness. Practical implications include using culturally relevant examples, inviting community voices into curriculum decisions, and designing classroom routines that acknowledge multiple ways of demonstrating competence. Delpit also suggests that educators must be willing to change their practice when evidence shows that students are not receiving full access to challenging content. Ultimately, centering community knowledge is presented as a pathway to both academic achievement and dignity, helping students see school as a place where their lives and languages are resources rather than obstacles.
