However, one idea missing from the current achievement gap conversation is Lisa Delpit’s “Culture of Power” theory.
Delpit, a well-known researcher and author, believes that, in order for the most disadvantaged students to be successful within and after school, they must be given access to the culture that is within power and shown how to survive and thrive within this culture.
Delpit defines the culture as whatever culture is in power in a society. For this country and our society, that culture is dominated by, in my opinion, the white male. As much as one may want to ignore or deny it, there are too many statistics that show people and students of color—and, in particular, boys—are jailed disproportionately, are given harsher punishments in school, and are adversely affected by the notorious school-to-prison pipeline.
Numerous school districts across the country, including D.C., have adopted various cultural sensitivity curricula or programs that are meant to teach children how to survive within this culture of power. For example, one such model we use in my school is called “Responsive Classroom.” Responsive Classroom consists of a morning meeting, a proactive approach to discipline, positive teacher language, and giving students choices in their learning. One of the most important parts of this model is the morning meeting, where my students are taught parts of this “culture of power.” Here is where my students learn how to properly give a handshake, complete with a firm grip, eye contact, and speaking at an appropriate volume level. We talk about the differences in greeting a friend in the street, as opposed to someone you have never met before.
In addition to strategies like these, teachers should take advantage of opportunities that allow their students to experience some of the privileges of the culture of power. Things like a class trip to a museum can do a lot. Beforehand, students should be taught appropriate behavior and speech expectations to enjoy and take part in such a trip. Teachers can bring guests of various careers (particularly those that require degrees) into the classroom to speak about what it is like to work within these careers and the ways in which they had to learn to interact with different people to get to these careers. Similarly, teachers and their schools can form partnerships with community organizations. For example, in my school, the Washington Ballet comes to teach ballet for a semester to our second- and third-graders for a show. At the end, a few students are offered scholarships to the school for as long as they wish to study ballet.
In terms of curriculum, teachers can include aspects of sharing their power within their lessons. Students should know the appropriate ways in which to talk with each other. Accountable talk and even simple things like using manners can greatly help in preparing children to be ready to enter the white male-dominated culture.
Primarily and maybe most importantly, recognize that this culture exists, as Delpit suggests. I do not know that on a national level, those at the forefront of our country will ever see eye-to-eye on how to close America’s achievement gap. If the recent events in Ferguson, Miss., are any indication, we still have a lot progress to make. While I don’t believe that the achievement gap is something that can be solved exclusively in the classroom, as there are so many other factors to consider, I do believe that teachers’ efforts in the classroom, as small as they may seem, will help to ensure success for all of our students.
For more ideas on closing the achievement gap in your district, see these strategies from the National Education Association.
Amara Pinnock is an elementary school teacher in DC. Reach her via email or Twitter.