I love Paulo Freire. I just finished reading "Teachers as Cultural Workers," and it is fantastic. This is the first time I have read anything out of this book, but I was definitely excited. I think his work discussing the oppressors and the oppressed is absolutely necessary for educators to not only recognize and understand, but to act upon it. I do not think there could be a time where there is no one being oppressed, but I think it is our job as caring humans to try our darnedest to get to that point. It is absolutely necessary to be advocates for each one of our students.
For us to be powerful, exceptional educators, we need to be critical pedagogues, always on the forefront of activism for our students. We must be conscious of the historical, social, and cultural implications for all students. This is especially crucial for TESOLers. We will have students coming from all over the world, bearing all kinds of stereotypes that could cause them to be the oppressed. We must teach in a way that empowers them.
No comments:
Post a Comment