PAULO FRIERE

Life history of Paulo friere

            Paulo Freire was born on September 19, 1921 at Recife in Brazil in a catholic Christian family. Because of the economic crisis in the family his family shifted to a city called Jab octao during 1928 to 1932. There freire continued his secondary education. His education was interrupted many time because of the poor economics condition of the family. Freire worked as a teacher in the middle schools of Brazil, in 1944 he married Eliza Maria oliverra, an elementary school teacher, for some years till 1954, he worked as the Head of the cultural Department of social service organization for Industries he worked as part – time teacher in Racife University. He work for the awareness of the oppressed, illiterate people of Brazil. His two books ‘pedagogy of the oppressed’ and ‘cultural action for freedom’ are famous. In these two books he has expressed his educational philosophy and methods for educating the oppressed people.

Paulo Freire’s aim of education

            Paulo Freire’s concept of education is called “conscientization”. Brazil is a developing country. In Brazil many people are oppressed. Freire’s ideas are for imparting education to these people. In this book “Pedagogy of the oppressed”, he has published his concepts of education.

            Education is a continuous process, and it changes very often. Raising the consciousness of the oppressed and the down-trodden is the aim of education.

            Education is an instrument for social change. We must create the following qualities among the people who are educationally oppressed.

Ø  Praxis or reflection and action.

Ø  Freedom

Ø  Autonomy

Ø  Cultural action for freedom

According to Freire “Illiteracy is a product of oppression” so education must create the power of reasoning and freedom among people.

The Pedagogy of the Oppressed

            It is important for us to know the meaning of terms expressed by Friere so as to understand his view of education.

1. Pedagogy is the study of teaching methods. Oppressed are those people who are treated in a cruel and unfair way and not given the same freedom and rights as others.
2. Education should make the students reflect upon and analyze the world in which one lives so that one could reform it. He does not believe that lived situation consists only of a sample awareness of reality, but the individual has a historical need to fight against the status that dwells within him.
3. One has to create one’s own words, words that allow one to become aware of reality in order to fight for their own emancipation.
4. The inner drive to become free from oppression emerges from the interior of the consciousness as a result of cognitive development. Through systematic study one learns to fight for the end of oppression.

“Banking” concept of education

1. ‘Banking’ means education in which passive learners have pre-selected knowledge deposited in their minds. ‘bank’ concept of education is an instrument of oppression for Freire. In his time there was excessive use of lecturing and memorizing with little analysis of the importance of what is being memorized.
2. The teacher is the depositor and the knowledge is deposited on a daily basis. Such method tries to convince the minds, of students so that they will adapt better to actual situations only to be oppressed more.

Dialogue

1. He proposes dialogue to be established between the teacher and student because man creates himself through words, actions and reflections and not in silence. Therefore dialogue is the key element in learning.
2. Dialogue is possible only when I respect the other person. Dialogue with community is importance too. He stresses the need to know and understand the context of the students namely where they come from and their way of thinking, to avoid de-contextualizing their work. 
3. Therefore the teaching should be part of their reality so that it does not become a mechanistic act. This background awareness creates knowledge and therefore one need not look out for opportunities and topics for study. Topics for learning could be found in the reality that surrounds the individual.

THEORY OF PAULO FRIERE

Theory of Value

            Education should raise the awareness of the students so that they become subject, rather than objects, of the world. This is done by teaching students to think democratically and to continually question and make meaning from everything they learn.

Theory of Knowledge

            Freire discusses two types of knowledge, unconscious, sometimes practical knowledge and critical, reflective or their knowledge. Beliefs are shaped into knowledge by discussion and critical reflection.

Theory of Human Nature

            The ability of humans to plan and shape the world for their future needs is what separates man from animals. The oppressed majority must be taught to imagine a better way so that they can shape their future and thereby become more human.

Theory of Learning

            Freire talks about the fallacy of looking at the education system like a bank, a large repository where students come to with draw 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.

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 learns must become teachers.

Theory of Society

            Freire challenge the conventional assumptions 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.

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.

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.

Merits

Ø  It is to create awareness among the oppressed people.

Ø  It is used to make the people to relies difference in the social economic condition.

Ø  It is usually written within a more conversational or accessible framework.

Demerits

Ø  Even though his approach is still curriculum-based and entail transforming settings into a particular type of pedagogical space.

Ø  The practice of Friere education can involve smuggling in all of ideas.