Pedagogy of Engagement: Starting Point

Freire, P.  (2006) Pedagogy of the Oppressed.  New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, Inc. 

I was introduced to Freire by my Theory and Comp professor.  She offered this as an optional reading and, unfortunately, I didn't have time that week to read it.  I did, however, put it on a list of works to get to.  Unfortunately, I've only reviewed the first few chapters, but what I have reviewed has proved helpful.  The first few chapters of Pedagogy of the Oppressed introduces readers to a new philosophy of life, not just education.  In this philosophy, Freire identifies two opposing educational purposes--one he calls 'the banking concept of education' and one he calls the 'humanist, revolutionary educator' (74-75).  'The banking concept of education' looks at students as knowledge-less, implying that the teacher knows everything the students need to know and the teacher 'deposits' knowledge in them (72).  The 'humanist, revolutionary educator' seeks to engage students in critical thinking and "the quest for mutual humanization" (75).  The 'humanist, revolutionary educator' learns from her students just as the students learn from her.  Freire goes from this into the idea of a 'problem-posing education' (80) as a practice of freedom, an opposing goal of the oppressor behind a 'banking concept of education'.  In chapter three, Freire's ideas become larger--they focus not just on education but on social and cultural interests that lead me into considering this a life philosophy at several points.  Freire gets into the idea of problems existing in different situations and in ways people can break down these situations (which could apply in a classroom), however, Freire's design sounds too large for a semester in a classroom broken into several units.  The design also sounds extremely advanced--his concepts are abstract and will take time for students to break into.  I do not foresee students beings able to jump straight into making observations about society since several of them need to first figure out how to separate their bias from their observations.  I do like Freire's point that we need to encourage students to engage in a pedagogy focusing on problem-solving (one of my goals actually).  I also appreciate Freire encouraging Instructors to pull from less academic resources in the classroom.  I would be interested in finishing this work, however, I will have to hold off until the summer.  It's very interesting, but it seems to be much broader than I had hoped for establishing a pedagogy of engagement for students who are beginning to think critically.