--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the curriculum we use to teach our…" description: "\"If the curriculum we use to teach our children does not connect in positive ways to the culture young people bring to school, it is doomed to failure.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/lisa-delpit-41168_children_if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-ch_2009698.png" --- # If the curriculum we use to teach our children does not… ![“If the curriculum we use to teach our children does not connect in positive ways to the culture young people bring to school, it is doomed to failure.” quote by Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/lisa-delpit-41168_children_if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-ch_2009698.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/lisa-delpit-41168_children_if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-ch_2009698.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/lisa-delpit-41168_children_if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-ch_2009698.png) > “If the curriculum we use to teach our children does not connect in positive ways to the culture young people bring to school, it is doomed to failure.” [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Curricula must integrate students’ cultural backgrounds to engage them and avoid failure. **In simple terms:** Teach with cultural relevance to succeed. Key Takeaway Design lessons that honor students’ cultures. Themes education culture engagement Mood reflective hopeful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - urban schools - multicultural classrooms - after‑school programs - teacher training Key Concepts pedagogy cultural competence curriculum design Questions to Reflect On - How can you embed cultural references into lesson plans? - What barriers exist to culturally responsive teaching? A Different Perspective Ignoring culture can alienate learners and lower achievement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Curriculum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curriculum/) [Curriculum Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curriculum-use-3582477/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Doomed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomed/) [Doomed Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomed-failure-550760/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-reform/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Our children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-children/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Doomed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-doomed-3582476/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Teach Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-children/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-teach-3582478/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-w-eisner/the-arts-teach-children-to-make-good-judgments-about-qualitative/) [Elliot W. Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-w-eisner/) > [All schools should teach children basic cooking skills. Every school should be able to buy sustainable, good quality food wherever possible from local sources.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-goldsmith/all-schools-should-teach-children-basic-cooking-skills-every-school/) [Zac Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-goldsmith/) > [Any attempt to define literary theory in terms of a distinctive method is doomed to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/any-attempt-to-define-literary-theory-in-terms-of-a-distinctive/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [Mass transportation is doomed to failure in North America because a person's car is the only place where he can be alone and think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/mass-transportation-is-doomed-to-failure-in-north-america-because-a/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [We are doomed to failure without a daily destruction of our various preconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/we-are-doomed-to-failure-without-a-daily-destruction-of-our-various/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [“Every social ethic is doomed to failure if it is blind to personal responsibility" (The Ten Commandments, 10).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-douma/every-social-ethic-is-doomed-to-failure-if-it-is-blind-to-personal/) [J. Douma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-douma/) > [any pursuit of happiness contrary to the common good is doomed to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hegan-rice/any-pursuit-of-happiness-contrary-to-the-common-good-is-doomed-to/) [Alice Hegan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hegan-rice/) > [Most leadership strategies are doomed to failure from the outset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/most-leadership-strategies-are-doomed-to-failure-from-the-outset/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [A strategy that doesn't take into account resources is doomed to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/a-strategy-that-doesn-t-take-into-account-resources-is-doomed-to/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“A love relationship that isolates one or both parties from parents, friends, community, and spiritual connection is doomed to failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-stosny/a-love-relationship-that-isolates-one-or-both-parties-from-parents/) [Steven Stosny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-stosny/) > [An action comitted in anger is an action doomed to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genghis-khan/an-action-comitted-in-anger-is-an-action-doomed-to-failure/) [Genghis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genghis-khan/) > [any effort at large-scale reorganization - that is, any project spanning more than two years and, more generally, anything that has not already been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-maier/any-effort-at-large-scale-reorganization-that-is-any-project-spanning/) [Corinne Maier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-maier/) > [The search for freedom through sex is doomed to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/the-search-for-freedom-through-sex-is-doomed-to-failure/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [If we cannot understand the depth of feeling in the Muslim world toward Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Islam as a political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/if-we-cannot-understand-the-depth-of-feeling-in-the-muslim-world/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [All human actions are equivalent... and all are on principle doomed to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-human-actions-are-equivalent-and-all-are-on-principle-doomed-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lisa Delpit > [“There is no achievement gap at birth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/there-is-no-achievement-gap-at-birth/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [“Currently, “minority” students represent a majority in all but two of our twenty-five largest cities, and by some estimates, the turn of the century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/currently-minority-students-represent-a-majority-in-all-but-two-of/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [When one 'we' gets to determine standards for all 'we's' then some 'we's' are in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/when-one-we-gets-to-determine-standards-for-all-we-s-then-some-we-s/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [Progressive white teachers seem to say to their black students 'Let me help you find your voice. I promise not to criticize one note…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/progressive-white-teachers-seem-to-say-to-their-black-students-let-me/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [“If there’s someone who doesn’t understand what I’m teaching, I try to understand who they are.   A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/if-there-s-someone-who-doesn-t-understand-what-i-m-teaching-i-try-to/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [In order to teach you, I must know you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/in-order-to-teach-you-i-must-know-you/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [We do not really see through our eyes or hear through our ears, but through our beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/we-do-not-really-see-through-our-eyes-or-hear-through-our-ears-but/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [We do not really see through our eyes or hear through our ears, but through our beliefs. To put our beliefs on hold is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/we-do-not-really-see-through-our-eyes-or-hear-through-our-ears-but-2/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [ Those with power are frequently least aware of -- or least willing to acknowledge -- its existence \[and\] those with less power are often… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/those-with-power-are-frequently-least-aware-of-or-least-willing-to/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) [Explore all 10 Lisa Delpit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the curriculum we use to teach our children does not connect in positive ways to the culture young people bring to school, it is doomed to failure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lisa Delpit" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-children-does-not-connect-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-children-does-not-connect-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/lisa-delpit-41168_children_if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-ch_2009698.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/lisa-delpit-41168_children_if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-ch_2009698.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/lisa-delpit-41168_children_if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-ch_2009698.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the curriculum we use to teach our children does not connect in positive ways to the culture young people…” — Lisa Delpit", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lisa Delpit", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If the curriculum we use to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-children-does-not-connect-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/if-the-curriculum-we-use-to-teach-our-children-does-not-connect-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```