Paulo Freire: Pedagogy of the Oppressed Response

While reading the work by Paulo Freire I was constantly reminded of our Discussion as a Way of Teaching text. As I stated in my earlier post, I am a huge advocate of using discussion in the classroom, and as a teaching method in general. So many great things happen when people open up and talk to one another. The problem-posing education technique explained in Freire’s work clearly supports the notion of using discussion as a teaching mechanism.  Freire says, “The pursuit of full humanity, however, cannot be carried out in isolation or individualism, but only in fellowship and solidarity” (Freire, Chapter 2). Basically, Freire is explaining that we have to talk to one another (discussion) for people to reach the desired level of humanity explained in the text.

I enjoyed reaching Freire’s interpretations of the banking concept approach to education and how those differed with the problem-posing approach to education. It seems so obvious to me the method of problem-posing is clearly better for the students. But, then again, we are fortunate as students and teacher candidates that we are in time when education is revolutionizing and beginning to change.

Much of the information touched on in this article takes me back to conversations we have already had in class. I feel as though just in our short time in the Teaching Literature to Adolescents class we have addressed many of these topics. Such as: using discussion in teaching, relating the material back to student’s own lives, being not just teachers but student-teachers, and the students being teacher-students. Maybe that is a testament to our class’ desire for knowledge and ability to hit on hot topics within education just in a short time of meeting already.

I really liked the idea that the student’s growth was never finished. It was acceptable that human beings are equipped with “a likewise unfinished reality” (Freire, Chapter 2). It reminds me of a good book you never want to end, except in this case it is the student’s learning and desire to be unfinished and uncompleted, that will never end. This results in a lifetime of learning, an important goal for all members of our society.