The Silenced Dialogue:

Lisa Delpit

QUOTES:

-"it becomes futile because they think they know everything about everybody. What you have to say about your life, your children, doesn't mean anything. They don't really want to hear what you have to say."(Delpit 22)

This quote has a lot of meanings actually. How I looked at it was that you cannot judge a book by its cover right? Then why judge a person? You do NOT know everything about a person. You do not know their background and past experiences and what is going on in their life at that very moment. Whether they are black or white does not give you the right to judge someone, nor does it give you the right to not listen to what a person has to say.

-"Children from middle-class homes tend to do better in school than those from non- middle-class homes because the culture of the school is based on the culture of the upper and middle-classes of those in power."(Delpit25)

It is so true. Children from a middle or upper class home tend to do much better in school because they are provided with the things they need from their parents. These children are able to wake up and have breakfast which is the most important meal of the day, they are able to have the school supplies they need, they are able to be taken care of. Where as children of a lower class family do not have those same privileges because of their culture.If the culture of the school is an upper class how is it fair for these lower class students to be able to learn the same way?

"In this country, students will be judged on their product regardless of the process they utilized to achieve it."(Delpit31)

This quote I believe has the most meaning to it. No child, should be judged whether they are black or white, upper or lower class, religion or sexuality. That gives no human a right to judge. It is terrible to think that in schools this is really happening. They are made this way for a reason, they cannot help how they look or how they behave. This is how they are brought up and schools, and teachers need to take note of this.

Point to take from this: Everybody gets judged no matter the circumstance, we need to do anything we can to try to stop this. And have every school be the same type of "class" of every other. It is not fair that some students are living in poverty and cannot help that, and some students (the students who are usually the ones who bully) are living in an upper class home. Everyone should be able to live an equal life.

http://mrheinrichs.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/09/Class-Culture.png

Jonathan Kozol: Amazing Grace

QUOTES

"You just cover up... and hope you wake up the next morning"(Kozol 4).

-This quote just made me stare at the reading and think to myself we really take things for granted. There are people out there suffering.. and we are sitting in our nice houses with heat and food and water and we do not even realize that there are people out there with none of that. Every single day somebody dies because of not having the things they need to survive. 

"Be as interesting as you always are" (Kozol 6).

-Kozol is referring to this seven year old boy named Cliffe who has seen a lot in his life. Probably more than a seven year old should be seeing. As his mother is telling him to be as interesting as he always is, shes wants him to see whats around him. He needs to be curious and if he doesn't ask question or wonder about scenarios like this he will never realize how this cruel world is. I think it is great that this little boy can wander off on his own and talk to strangers and see what is going on outside around him. Kozol really helps you visualize it when he talks to the strange man about the burning bodies. 

"Sick children vomiting up their food. Men with gunshot wounds. People with AIDS. Old people coughing up their blood. On the third day I gave up and went back home."(Kozol 16).

-Nurses do not realize in any way that these people need to be treated as soon as possible. They cannot just give up because there is a lot going on and it is stressful. Hospitals especially emergency rooms are not always the fastest places, when they really should be because key word EMERGENCY. AIDS is not a funny matter, none of these sicknesses are and they need to be treated right away. People are sick and need to be seen by doctors and nurses and we cannot just let something like this go. 

The whole time I was reading Kozol's "Amazing Grace" i thought that it really is amazing that these people, well a majority of them are surviving. The things they go through in their life is really tough. It really is AMAZING that life can be like this and we just sit back and don't do anything about it. There are issues out there that need to be taken care of and all we can do is find a way to help. To stop these issues with disease, with homelessness, and with the cruel world. 

Hello everyome! I'm Amelia! I am a sophomore here at RIC. I live on campus in Webber Hall! I'm from Taunton MA. I am an elementary education major with a concentration in English! I'm a dancer! Also I look forward to getting to know everyone and learning a lot about education and teaching in different environments! I can't wait to see what this semester holds!