Chapter 10: The Cultural Struggle is Real in Our Classrooms: How Our Students’ Culture Effects Educating Them

Delpit’s (1995) major theme in Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom, is to teach the children and they will perform. In schools today, we have children who know the rules of the school because they reflect the rules of their culture. However, what about those outside of the culture of the majority? When are they taught the rules or codes they need to be successful in school and who is responsible for teaching them? A theory of Delpit’s is to teach children the code of the culture of power and this will create success for these children well into their future. All children would then be on the same playing field as they moved about their school years and no miscommunication would result.