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Critical Pedagogy Summary
Critical Pedagogy Summary
Paulo Freire
Paulo Freire
Author of Pedagogy of the Oppressed and several other liberating texts, Paulo Freire was a leading advocate of critical pedagogy. His final text Pedagogy of Freedom provides three main principles of critical pedagogy:
"1.) There is no teaching without learning.
2.) Teaching is not just transferring knowledge.
3.) Teaching is a human act." (The Art of Critical Pedagogy 27)
Ira Shor defines empowering education as "a critical-democratic pedagogy for self and social change...The goals of this pedagogy are to relate personal growth to public life, by developing strong skills, academic knowledge, habits of inquiry, and critical curiosity about society, power, inequality, and change" (Empowering Education 15).
Freire's Indispensable Qualities
Freire's Indispensable Qualities
according to Antonia Darder
according to Antonia Darder
Lovingness
Lovingness
empathy rooted in commitment to constant reflection of our "thoughts, words, and actions within the classroom" (Darder)
Insecure Security
Insecure Security
not requiring absolute answers or solutions so that you can remain open to "new ways, new ideas, and new dreams" (Darder)
Humility
Humility
practicing "courage, self-confidence, self-respect, and respect for others" so that we can "listen beyond our differences" (Darder)
Tolerance
Tolerance
Tension of Patience and Impatience
Tension of Patience and Impatience
Decisiveness
Decisiveness
The Cycle of Critical Praxis
The Cycle of Critical Praxis
Activate Student Leadership
Activate Student Leadership
Students must actively seek reform to self-actualize as activists. Educators should give guidance, but no amount of lecturing will result in the skills necessary to create demands, voice opinions, or gather supporters. Students must play a primary role in organizing social action.
On November 11, 2022, I led a change making workshop with high school students at a youth resiliency non-profit, Urban Promise Trenton. I was amazed by the skill with which the students spoke about their areas of concern.
Students must be tasked with investigating local issues within the school and its community. The workshop plan the Urban Promise Team developed serves as the beginning of a discussion for many students who have never heard their voice in a classroom setting.
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