I know that we discussed Lisa Delpit and the worlds in our heads last night, but I need some additional feedback, such as your interpretation of what this means, feelings, comments....I understand that I believe she is saying that the worlds in our heads are different and it makes us even think differently about power, truth, and the power of one's story. I would very much appreciate any more feedback. Thanks!!!!!

Dawn, I think that Delpit was just trying to explain that every person in this country is coming from another world. They have a place where they have their own set of beliefs and values, etc. I think she is just wanting us to be aware that students are coming from different backgrounds and they are living in a world that is different than what they are use to.

I think she is trying to say that our life experiences, both the good and the bad, directly impact our individual attitudes and beliefs. The "baggage" that we carry with us throughout life influences our thoughts and actions, and everybody's suitcase is different!!!

Everyone has summed up my thoughts in what they have said Delpit was trying to say. However I think it is very important for us to remember this when we walk through our doors in the morning. This year I have several children who walk in the door with tons of "baggage" and the first thing they truly need is a hug, but it is the last think they will let you know they need. if we can find a way somehow to get into the world that is inside each of our student's head, how much better we could understand them!

My take on this was that many times our experiences make us more sensitive to certain topics. If we have experienced certain things, I think we are more intuned to these things. For example, if we know someone who has been killed or injured by a drunk driver, then we may feel more strongly about supporting laws to punish drunk drivers. On the other hand, people who haven't been close to an incident such as this may not feel as strongly about it because this is not part of the "world in their head."

Everyone is saying things regarding this topic that are correct, but I wanted to flag Kates's comment because it captures a really important part of the "worlds in our heads" issue. Our experiences and education sensitize us to aspects of the world which someone else might not even see. (See the KKK discussion, this one re: drunk driving, etc.)