Week 4 Post

When I read this quote from Lisa Delpit, I definitely agreed that it is wrong to attack a student for their linguistic form.  If a teacher were to constantly correct the student for the words they used or the way they said things, that child would immediately feel like his or her family was always wrong and uneducated.  If the word "ignorant" is brought into the conversation, the situation is even worse.  People, especially teachers, can not decide what is the correct way to talk.  If they are calling someone out on being ignorant for how they have grown up, then they are only making themselves look ignorant.  I do, however, believe that it is the teacher's job to educate children on the language they are speaking.  That doesn't mean the teacher has to be forceful about it and tell the student that they are wrong, but simply show by example how one would talk in the classroom.  The child will pick up the formal language at school and start to use it but can talk however they feel comfortable with their family or friends at home.  A child's personal identity should never be changed because of their education, they should be willing to increase their knowledge.