Some may argue that Paulo Freire was "The most significant educational thinker of the twentieth century," but there are also others who oppose that belief such as John Dewey and Rich Gibson, who think that many of Freire's theories are contradictory, and that his work is heavily borrowed from other sources. Whether one chooses to believe in his theories or not, there is no doubt that Freire has made a great impact on the development and growth of the educational practice through his ideas.
One of the most interesting things that I learned about Freire from watching the videos and conducting research, was his passion for teaching secondary education to the impoverished. Having experienced a time of poverty himself during the Great Depression, Freire developed a concern for the poor, and was motivated to work to improve their prospects through education. Even though Freire had went to law school, passed the bar, and had become a lawyer, he chose to become a teacher in a secondary school working with the poor and illiterate. In the video interview of Freire by Alma Flor Ada, Freire tells her that "Secondary education is in a very bad situation." He explains to her that there is not enough money or materials, and there is a lack of quantity of schools for the people. Freire felt a great sense of responsibility to confront these deficiencies of the educational system; to make a difference in the quality of life for the less fortunate, and I find this to be inspiring. Freire's emphasis on dialogue is another important part of his work. He believed that dialogue involves respect; involves people working together to make a difference in the world. Freire also developed the theory of 'Pedology of the oppressed,' the idea of forming a consciousness that has the power to transform things; change things; to re-invent. This reminds me of the video's that we watched last week of Oprah and president Obama. Oprah told the graduating students of Duke University that "To reach true success in life, you must give back to others, and help others stand in their own shoes." Obama, in his speech to the Muslim community in Cairo, spoke of the need for our nations to work together to create peace, promote change, and build respect for one another.
Like Oprah and Obama, Freire was passionate about working to transform the world; about making the world a better place by giving back and helping others. He too beleived that we all have a responsiblility for taking action in our lives and the lives of others. Whether Freire's theories have been proven or not; whether one chooses to believe in them; or to follow them, his theories have inspired many, and have made a significant impact on the way many view the practice of education.
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-freir.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire
One of the most interesting things that I learned about Freire from watching the videos and conducting research, was his passion for teaching secondary education to the impoverished. Having experienced a time of poverty himself during the Great Depression, Freire developed a concern for the poor, and was motivated to work to improve their prospects through education. Even though Freire had went to law school, passed the bar, and had become a lawyer, he chose to become a teacher in a secondary school working with the poor and illiterate. In the video interview of Freire by Alma Flor Ada, Freire tells her that "Secondary education is in a very bad situation." He explains to her that there is not enough money or materials, and there is a lack of quantity of schools for the people. Freire felt a great sense of responsibility to confront these deficiencies of the educational system; to make a difference in the quality of life for the less fortunate, and I find this to be inspiring. Freire's emphasis on dialogue is another important part of his work. He believed that dialogue involves respect; involves people working together to make a difference in the world. Freire also developed the theory of 'Pedology of the oppressed,' the idea of forming a consciousness that has the power to transform things; change things; to re-invent. This reminds me of the video's that we watched last week of Oprah and president Obama. Oprah told the graduating students of Duke University that "To reach true success in life, you must give back to others, and help others stand in their own shoes." Obama, in his speech to the Muslim community in Cairo, spoke of the need for our nations to work together to create peace, promote change, and build respect for one another.
Like Oprah and Obama, Freire was passionate about working to transform the world; about making the world a better place by giving back and helping others. He too beleived that we all have a responsiblility for taking action in our lives and the lives of others. Whether Freire's theories have been proven or not; whether one chooses to believe in them; or to follow them, his theories have inspired many, and have made a significant impact on the way many view the practice of education.
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-freir.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire
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