Freire is among the most influential educational philosopher in history. He dedicates his life to helping individuals through his philosophical aspects and practicing critical pedagogy. Having a Brazilian origin, his main objective was to eliminate illiteracy among people from different colonies and continents. He considered illiteracy the primary cause of oppression and underdevelopment (Fishman & McCarthy 36). His approaches originated from socio-political realities during the slavery time. Therefore, the following assignment will discuss Fishman & McCarthy, Paulo Freire’s politics and pedagogy text. It will highlight key ideas, their strengths and weaknesses, and how the philosopher might assist one with good inclusive teaching in diverse classrooms today.
The first idea proposed by Freire is Marxism and class antagonisms. Born in a poor community with slavery and colonization history, the scholar suggests equity in the educational sector to reduce illiteracy levels. Therefore, he opposes the banking teaching method where the teacher is portrayed as the sole posser of the knowledge. Instead, he proposes a reciprocal relationship that will strengthen the learning activities between the teacher and student. The other key idea is reduced oppression in society and social life. This factor will promote equity among people. The third key idea evident in the text is using religion as a critical instrument in teaching. The text also proposes social reforms as an essential aspect in building a developing a united community. The text argues that humans have a primary social desire of being set free. The ideas are vital in creating an equal society that promotes social development by eliminating illiteracy (Fishman & McCarthy 35-40).
According to Fishman & McCarthy, the primary strength of the fundamental idea is that they help formulate a society that is free from oppression. Based on the colonization history, advocating for freedom in the community helps break the bondage of slavery and colonization, making people free. The second strength is that the ideas help develop society in terms of literacy rate promoting understanding. The third strength of the proposed ideas is that they help promote the community economy and self-awareness. On the contrary, the ideas pose some weaknesses while implementing the concepts. Although the idea advocates for freedom in society, too much freedom can result in abuse. On the other hand, the ideas pose a weakness of decentralization, which may destroy the social norms. Although education is an essential part of human life, individuals should not base much on education. As a result, the ideas pose a weakness of individuals relying heavily on classroom education, ignoring education outside books and the classroom. Therefore, individuals should embrace both forms of education to strike a balance (Fishman & McCarthy 44).
The philosopher is essential in developing suitable teaching methods in today’s diversified classroom. First, the ideas provide an ideal teaching method by condemning the banking method and advocating for a reciprocal relationship between the learner and the instructor. This condition will help develop a classroom that will cater to every learner’s need. Furthermore, focusing on reducing community illiteracy helps formulate student-centered classrooms. Additionally, with the aid of the internalization concept, the text provides approaches that teachers can use to enable their students to understand the concepts. Lastly, providing students with freedom in choosing their career subjects is essential in the current days (Fishman & McCarthy 37).
Works cited
Fishman, S. M. & McCarthy, L. (2007). Paulo Freire’s politics and pedagogy. In Ethical visions of education: Philosophies in practice, ed. David T. Hansen, 35-45. New York: Teachers College Press
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