Praxis, in turn, builds a sense of proactive responsibility in those who would engage in social change. This awareness is the foundation for liberating action that, when coupled with reflection, creates praxis. Part of this process, called “ conscientizacao” by Freire (1990), is a new awareness of one’s oppressed state and insight into the suppressive methodologies of the oppressors. The goal of this approach is to bring forth a grassroots critique of sectarian contexts which are fanatical, castrating, and alienating and embrace radicalization which is critical, creative, and liberating. His recommendation that the professor persona be eliminated from students’ perception coupled with a problem-posing approach to learning provides an alternative to the banking approach and is intended to empower would be learners (Freire, 1990. In his later travels around the world, Freire confirmed his observation from a global perspective (Freire & Faundez, 1998). He initially identified this in his work among the illiterate in Brazil. 61) which he believes has resulted in economic oppression. His educational philosophy is grounded in a critique of what he calls the “banking model” (Freire, 1990, p.

Applications of his approach have also been made for teachers working at other stages of learning (Finkel, 2000 Shor & Pari, 1999 Shor, 1987b) and learning in everyday life (Shor, 1987a) as well.

Friere’s intent was that by learning to read, the oppressed would become conscious of the existence and exploitation of their oppressors.įreire’s book Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1990) along with his other publications, have impacted thinking regarding the task of higher education, particularly in the area of adult education (Brookfield, 1987 Merriam & Caffarela, 1999 Vella 2002). In his own words “acquiring literacy does not involve memorizing sentences, words, or syllables – lifeless objects unconnected to an existential universe – but rather an attitude of creation and re-creation, a self-transformation producing a stance of intervention in one’s context” (Freire, 1973, p. Paulo Freire (1921-1997) was a Brazilian educator whose official work was teaching the economically poor of his country how to read (see summary of his method Brown, 1987).

We make the road by walking freire