BlogPost4

Lisa Delpit writes, “[Teachers] should recognize that the linguistic form a student brings to school is intimately connected with loved one’s community, and personal identity. To suggest that this form is “wrong” or, even worse, ignorant, is to suggest that something is wrong with the student and his or her family.” Lisa Delpit proves a valid point; linguistics DO correlate with students’ communities and personal identities. As teachers, we should never want to diminish or look down upon our students’ backgrounds. If students are feeling judged in the classroom, they will never be able to excel in their learning environment.

Teachers need to understand that if students are speaking Ebonics, they have been speaking this way their entire life. From the time they were born, and their mothers nursed them. To their younger adolescent years, when they began to further understand the world around them.

When teachers are trying to educate their students, and demonstrate Standard English, they need to understand where these students are coming from. They need to be patient, while trying to strengthen their Standard English skills.

I struggle with this, because the professional business world would be quicker to higher someone with proper, standard English skills rather than someone who does not. I do not know if I quite agree with this or not, but I know it does happen. Knowing this would make me want to teach and be adamant on standard English. Not because I want to be offensive to students’ speech, but because I want to prepare them to be successful. If having Standard English skills increases their chance in the professional world, obviously I would want them to have those skills. I want to teach them the best I can so they can flourish in the real world, but at the same time not overwhelm or offend them.