Pedagogy of the Oppressed - Paulo Freire
Pedagogy of the Oppressed- by Paulo Freire
After reading the pedagogy of the oppressed, I felt that there were a couple of elements that resonated with what I had experienced within the banking concept of education, which had the effect of turning students into “passive” learners who are merely "receptacles" for scholastic knowledge. Causing them to engage less critically with the world and themselves, which is an objective of Essentialism. "Freire’s famous metaphor for traditional education, the ‘banking’ method, focused on the stifling of creative and critical thought in mass education" (Shor, I., n.d ,pg 40). He also validated the pivotal form of pedagogy via experimentation "Experience takes into account the events we encounter, social practices we engage, choices we make, and accidents of history that befall us. For instance, reading about racism and oppression is not the same thing as living as its victim" ( McLaren, P et al., n.d., pg 64). Experience of the oppressed led to the in-depth understanding of the pre-determinants of liberty.
Paulo Freire addressed social injustice from the perspective of someone subjected to “poverty and hunger at a very young age" (Bentley 1999), it could be said that his literal existence empowered him towards the empathy that inspires social justice movements. “My social condition didn’t allow me to have an education. Experience showed me once again the relationship between social class and knowledge” (Bentley 1999).
My opinion of critical pedagogy is that it would be more applicable in more individualist countries, it is very challenging for students to access the right to discuss with the teacher in the classroom where there exists authoritarianism. As Paulo acknowledged, the process of transforming the authoritative method to a democratic one, requires great patience, "The transformation of teachers and students from authoritarian to democratic habits is a long term project" (Shor, I., n.d. pg43).
To be able to change the prevailing educational habitat, especially against a backdrop of the traditional top-down schooling culture, epistemological, ontological and ethical quests must be undertaken by every individual who wants not just change, but to take part in it. Without exposure to different societies, cultures, and institutions, self-reflection would only take place at a glacial pace. Because the process of Freire’s learning is considered "transformative learning" accepting his assertions requires transformation of the self so that one can begin to transform society, from a top-down, domineering power structure in the classroom, towards a more mutualistic, respectful, and egalitarian mindset.
I believe that critical pedagogy requires an honest dialogue of self provoking doubt, and thoughtful but assertive question of authority, in an effort to come to the most appropriate conclusions. This theory is not one of rebellion, it merely recognized the common humanity and unique contributions that each member of the classroom can bring to the whole. But naturally before interjecting and bringing focus to oneself, there must be significant discipline and self-reflection present in an individual student, before challenging another's idea. Oftentimes, in my experience, asking questions in the form of Socratic dialogue, is the best way to encourage a student, or a teacher to clarify and justify their ideas. And if they are unable to do so, that admission will have come from their own words. And they will have ownership over this new insight. In a supportive environment, an erroneous conclusion needn't be internalized as an individual failure. But the critical self-reflection is a victory of humility and character beyond the value of any particular item of knowledge. Those who lack this ability for self-assessment upon becoming autonomous adults are a hindrance to democratic cooperation. Those who have been inculcated by authoritarian systems, tend to re-trench in support of their biased and untenable notions. When confronted with objective facts that do not fit their worldview. Whereas a critical thinker actively seeks the thrill of knowledge. With the goal of following wherever inquiry and truth will lead; no matter how far they might stray from their psychological safe harbor.
In my view, this latter state only occurs when a learner feels free enough from outside judgement, and becomes aware of the process in which they decide which information is to be allowed to enter the mind, and which information will be allowed to stay. Thus the critical, personal form of learning, by virtue of being both more respectful of subjective, personal experience, actually leads to a greater comfort and intimacy with objective realism and the methodologies that give rise to that which is worthy of being called “fact”."Being and becoming are inextricably intertwined, and human learning is one of the phenomena that unite them, for it is fundamental to life itself " (Jarvis, P. pg 39). We cannot know anything if we do not also know ourselves, with full awareness of the contextual meanings we ascribe, or deny to it.
References
Bentley, L. 1999. A Brief Biography of Paulo Freire. https://ptoweb.org/aboutpto/a-brief-biography-of-paulo-freire/
Jarvis, P. 2009. Learning to be a person in society. pg 39 file:///home/chronos/u-51f43586c0dc04b21a2f86808936bc1e50560fd4/MyFiles/Downloads/Contemporary_Theories_of_Learning_The_th.pdf
McLaren, P & Silva, T., n.d. Decentering Pedagogy, Critical literacy, resistance and the politics of memory. pg 64. https://libcom.org/files/peter-mclaren-paulo-freire-a-critical-encounter-1.pdf
Shor I, n.d. Education is politic. Paulo Freire critical pedagogy. pg 40. https://libcom.org/files/peter-mclaren-paulo-freire-a-critical-encounter-1.pdf