Paulo Freire Biography: he was born on September 19, 1921 to middle class parents in Recife, Brazil, Freire became familiar with proverty and hunger during the 1929 Great Depression. During this it shaped his views and concerns to the poor and would help to construct his particular educational viewpoint. Freire studied philosophy and language psychology at the University of Recife in 1943, he practiced law but he ended up being a school teacher teaching portuguese he married a fellow teacher Elza Maia de Oliveira and had 5 children.
Pedagogy of the Oppressed: this was the first published book for Paulo Freire, it was first published in portuguese as Pedagogia do oprimido in 1968 but the first published book in english was in 1970, the book analyzes the struggle for justice and equity within the educational system and purpose an new pedagogy. While he talked about his personal experiences he talked also dedicated it "to the oppressed, and to those who suffer with them and fight at their side" Freire includes a detail Marxist class analysis in his exploration of the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized. One of his main influences of his work is Franz Fanon.
Paulo Freire Educational Theory:
1) Theory of Value:
Education should raise the awareness of the students so that they become subjects, rather than objects, of the world. This is done by teaching students to think democratically and to continually question and make meaning from (critically view) everything they learn.
2) Theory of Knowledge:
Knowledge is a social construct.
3)Theory of Human Nature:
The elite naturally believe that they are better and anything else is naturally inferior.
4)Theory of Learning:
Freire talks about the fallacy of looking at the education system like a bank, a large repository where students come to withdraw the knowledge they need for life. Knowledge is not a set commodity that is passed from the teachers to the students. Students must construct knowledge from knowledge they already possess. Teachers must learn how the students understand the world so that the teacher understands how the student can learn.
5)Theory of Transmission:
teaching is a political process. It must be a democratic process to avoid teaching authority dependence. The teacher must learn about (and from) the student so that knowledge can be constructed in ways that are meaningful to the student. The teachers must become learners and the learners must become teachers.
6)Theory of Society:
Freire challenges the conventional assumption that there is equal opportunity in a democratic society. He asserts, often, that education is a political process. Schools become tools that are used by parents, business and the community to impose their values and beliefs. While no intentional harm is intended, this process often results in the oppression of less privileged persons.
7) Theory of Opportunity:
Freire's entire education career is based on his desire to provide greater opportunity for the poor and oppressed people of the world, but particularly in Brazil.
8)Theory of Consensus:
Disagreement is normal and something to expect. Disagreement can be an impetus to reflection and a source of growth. The problem that Freire wants to address is when opinions and disagreements are suppressed in the name of control and authority
Workcited:
http://www.newfoundations.com/GALLERY/Freire.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedagogy_of_the_Oppressed
