Paulo Freire
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Paulo Freire
Paulo Freire (1921–1997) was a Brazilian educator, philosopher, and one of the most influential figures in critical pedagogy. His work, particularly Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970), challenged traditional, hierarchical education systems and proposed an alternative model based on dialogue, liberation, and critical consciousness (conscientização).
Freire rejected the Banking Model of education, in which students are treated as passive recipients of knowledge, and instead advocated for problem-posing education, where learning is an active, participatory process that empowers students to critically analyze and transform the world around them. His vision aligns closely with the Pathfinder Educational Model (PEM), which also seeks to undo the damage of industrial schooling, restore agency to learners, and create an education system that is liberatory rather than oppressive.
Freire's Terms
Banking Model, Conscientização, Culture of Silence, Dehumanization, Dialogic Method, Praxis, Problem-Posing Education
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