Reflections on: ‘Pedagogy of the oppressed’. Paulo Freire (1970).
Man’s vocation is to be a subject who acts upon and transforms his world, and in so doing moves towards ever new possibilities of a richer life, individually and collectively.
Every human being is capable of looking critically at the world in dialogical encounter with others …an individual can perceive personal and social reality (and contradictions) and become conscious of her own perception of reality; dealing critically and creatively with it to transform their world (freedom?). The paternalistic teacher-student (depositor-depository) relationship (education as ‘banking’- students are passive and not encouraged to develop critical consciousness) is redundant: people educate each other through the mediation of the world.
Freedom is acquired by conquest, not by gift. Educator must encourage students to engage in critical thinking, and trust their creative power.
Praxis and transformation: action and reflection, alongside theory to illuminate it. The leaders do bear the responsibility for coordination and direction (sometimes).The oppressed must be aware, with critical awareness, of their role as Subject of the transformation.
