Delpit

4. I am not planning on becoming a teacher, yet I believe that Delpit’s article speaks to everyone. Issues of language definitely impact copy editors. When searching for mistakes in writing, it is easy to see different styles as mistakes. Then, when seeing said styles, it is easy to judge, assuming the writer is not well educated. I believe it is important to know the difference between recognizing different styles and working with those styles. Something that really stuck with me from the reading was that it is important to “identify and give voice to alternative world views.” As a copy editor that will be important in every aspect of my job. I would not want to be a copy editor who looked at a style unlike my own and judged the writer. I want to be one who can acknowledge differences, and help develop a story. I believe Delpit’s emphasis on teaching, and though I will not be doing that, I will still be working with a wide variety of individuals with a wide variety of backgrounds. Respecting these differences is important when editing their work.

Hoping

Tonight
Without you
Below the stars
Dreams fill up my head
Wondering if we’ll be

Q. 2

2. One student asked, “Why do we have to discuss teaching minority children the language of power? Why not just teach everyone acceptance?” Respond.

The most important thing to understand about acceptance is that it won’t necessarily produce equality. By just teaching those in power, a.k.a. the white upper middle class, to accept the academic shortcomings of minority groups as standard is to expect less of them. By believing minority groups can acquire the language of what is unequivocally the symbol of power (a well-spoken person) and holding them to those expectations, is to produce equality.

On a side note, the student who likely asked this question was one of the people in power. Isn’t the question in itself a testament of their denial to admit that they their language is evidence of a difference in social capital and communication power?

Language of Power in Journalism: #4

As an aspiring sports writer, the issues of the language of power are actually very important. Not only does the language of power take place in written language but in spoken language. It is important to know how peoples of different cultures who may read whatever newspaper or magazine I wind up with would take in the language that I use. In my areas of expertise, baseball and feature writing, the spoken aspect could be very useful. Conducting interviews in the sport of baseball will be interesting due to the rapid increase of foreign-born players in the sport. Spanish speaking players as well as those who speak languages such as Japanese will be instances where I need to be ready for interviews to be difficult to come by due to language differences.

Pulse

Pulse

Heartbeat
In the tips
Of his fingers
Trembles the fabric
Of the sheets over us

Did I do that right? Was I supposed to identify the parts of the cinquain? Page 134 nor the assignment doesn't say to do any of that.

cinquain: An RA

Chewing

There

All alone

Under the tree

To eat my apple

Because I am tired of listening

Teaching Acceptance

I think very few people would disagree with the idea of teaching acceptance; it is, at least ostensibly, considered a facet of our culture's mores. There is a problem with assuming that acceptance alone could solve the problem of discrimination. Unqualified acceptance doesn’t claim to remedy the problem of discrimination at all; it almost presupposes it. Instead, the roots of discrimination must be addressed. We cannot attempt to deal with the issue of discrimination without first acknowledging that a language of power exists in our culture and then recognizing the way it contributes to the stratification of people groups within our society.

Cinquain - Feelings

Feelings
Yesterday
About Us
On the brink
To destroy perfect lives
Never again will they be the same.

Teaching Delpit in my Future Classroom

Since I am preparing to teach at the community college level, I suppose I take away from the article a more diverse point of view. Not realizing that there are multiple was in which to teach students, I found the article interesting and informative. However, I am not sure how much of the article I will actually use when I am a teacher. I feel that, yes, everyone needs to learn the rules of the majority culture in order to be successful ( just like studying abroad, we make sacrifices in order to integrate into the major culture) and ,yes, teachers should aid to make transitions and learning easier. However at the level of schooling I plan on teaching, the students are responsible for what and how much they learn. If it matters enough to them, then no matter the teaching style, they will put in the effort to be successful in the class. If it doesn’t matter, then success will not be obtained as easily.