Delpit makes the point that many school systems don't allow for the development of critical thinking skills. It's definitely a valid concern, and stood out most to me. Schools are so intent on producing good test scores that they don't provide a method for learning to critically analyze and apply learning to our lives. Often, the course material even becomes watered down to simulate overall better grades.
Critical thinking is the most important building block in the writing process. It allows us to extend our ideas and develop them. Students who lack critical thinking produce one-dimensional writing. If classrooms and teaching styles included more conversational based learning and peer interaction, where students could draw their own conclusions and apply it to their lives, I think student writing would be much more effective.
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Your second paragraph is interesting and I find myself in agreement, yet Delpit sort of challenges the idea that discussion-based learning is effective for all students. What did you think about that claim?
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