ABSTRACT
The actual practice of good teachers of all colors typically incorporates a range of pedagogical orientations. The differing perspectives on the debate over "skills" versus "process" approaches can lead to an understanding of the alienation and miscommunication, and thereby to an understanding of the "silenced dialogue". This chapter explicates the aspects of power and their relevance to the schism between liberal educational movements and that of non-White, non-middle-class teachers and communities. Appropriate education for poor children and children of color can only be devised in consultation with adults who share their culture. Black parents, teachers of color, and members of poor communities must be allowed to participate fully in the discussion of what kind of instruction is in their children's best interest. Teachers are in an ideal position to play this role, to attempt to get all of the issues on the table in order to initiate true dialogue.
