Other People's Children By: Lisa Delpit

    In Other People's Children, Lisa Delpit examines that educators will teach their way instead of finding ways to support students by teaching a different way. If a student was having trouble in a lesson the teacher should find a way to explain it or teach it differently to help the student succeed in the lesson. She gave examples of what went on in a teacher's life “It’s really hard. They just don’t listen well. No, they listen, but they don’t hear- you know how your mama used to say listen to the radio, but you hear your mother? Well they don’t hear me. So I just try to shut them out so I can hold my temper. You can only beat your head against a brick wall for so long before you draw blood. If I try to stop arguing with them I can't help myself from getting angry. Then I end up walking around praying all day “Please lord, remove the bile I feel for these people so I can sleep tonight.” It's funny, but it can become a cancer, a sore. So, I shut them out. I go back to my own little cubby, my classroom, and I try to teach the way I know will work, no matter what those folks say. And when I get black kids, I try to undo the damage they did”(Delpit, p21-22). Educators need to find different approaches to educate students that have different learning needs. Knowing your students needs could help them throughout their education and years further.

    As a future educator, you need to know your students and learn their strengths and weaknesses to support them through their educational journeys. Educators should never assume or judge their students by their backgrounds or their culture. When you get to know your students you learn how they want to be taught and what part of learning they are struggling with. It's important to never make assumptions about your students but instead be there for them and learn from them. You never know what a student could be going through. You always want to help your students and gain their trust to help what they are going through.