In the Cross-Cultural Confusions in Teaching assessment chapter in Delpit, she asserts that "one of the most difficult tasks we face as human beings is trying to communicate across our individual differences..." She goes on to give some examples of differences between African American and white styles that differ.

--I like and agree with her metaphor of comparing teachers to preachers. She says "ministers are the only professionals who, like teachers, see their clients in a group. Further, they must not only present subject matter, but must also convince clients to incorporate that subject matter into their lives." (p137) I would also add that many preachers or pastors are seen as shepherds leading a flock. I like that analogy as well for teaching surely we are helping lead our flock of young students in their journeys, both in life and education.

--I would argue with her statement "the Episcopalian style was syntactically bound: the meaning was to be found solely in the words, not in the context, the gestures or rhythm." (p137) Yes, the Episcopal church service is much more structured as compared to the Southern Baptist church service. It's a lot 'drier' on the surface and people certainly won't get washed over with the Spirt or start speaking in tongues. But, that being said, there's a lot more to it that she missed. There are gestures, small though they may be, that are a significant part of the service. There is a litany that is read, and often memorized, but there is deep meaning in it. One can choose to go to this service and go through the motions and leave, or one can see what is being done and see the deep history that is there and see the deep meaning in the words. Something that a visitor would probably not see or know about.

--Delpit states that "Those who are thoughtful and fair-minded have long understood that the traditional National Teachers' Exam is ethnically and culturally discriminatory, contributing to wholesale elimination of people of color from the teaching force." (p 136) I would like to know if there have been any changes or progress in this since this book was written. It's apparent that we need more great teachers of color in the classrooms. With classrooms becoming more and more diverse, our kids need to see role models in their room that look like them. They need to know they can do it, too. I don't know if there is a way to be involved in promoting changes to this, but it seems like this would benefit both teachers and students alike.