Paulo Frerie (1921 to 1997)

Paulo Reglus Neves Frerie was born a Portugese man on Sep 19,1921 in Brazil. He was a thinker
and a teacher. He was born in a middle-class family. During the time of Great Depression in
1930s he had to face poverty and hunger. He lost his father in 1934.He used to pay football.
Playing among poor children created a concern for education of the poor. According to him both
poverty and hunger affect education. He says I did not understand anything because I was
hungry., I wasn’t dumb.

In 1943, he joined Law School of Recife University. In 1946 he got Director ship of Education
Department in Panam Book.He educated 300 workers of sugar cane industry in just 45 days. In
1962, he had the first opportunity for large-scale application of his theories, when, in an
experiment, 300 sugarcane harvesters were taught to read and write in just 45 days. In response
to this experiment, the Brazilian government approved the creation of thousands of cultural
circles The 1964 Brazilian coup d'état put an end to Freire's literacy effort, as the ruling military
junta did not endorse it. Freire was subsequently imprisoned as a traitor for 70 days. In 1967,
Freire published his first book, Education as the Practice of Freedom. He followed it up with his
most famous work, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, which was first published in 1968. After a
positive international reception of his work, Freire was offered a visiting professorship at
Harvard University in 1969 Freire is widely considered the grandfather of Critical Education
Theory.
Freire died of heart failure on 2 May 1997, in São Paulo.

Human Nature and Philosophy of Life

Colonialism created two classes in the society. One is the owner (oppressor). And the second
(oppressed) downtrodden, poor people in this class of servants or slaves who were being
colonized. They could not get education properly. There is a difference between social class and
knowledge. It is seen that Paolo Freire felt a lot of efforts should be made to reduce the gap
between the culture of the colonists and the culture of slaves. For this education of the slaves
/oppressed class to be arranged .Social conditions do not allow man to acquire knowledge. He
proposed the Theory about human nature. It states that human beings are not different from
other species. Man’s future cannot be shaped by torture. If barriers to education are properly
addressed, human race can progress. Plants and animals grow naturally without any hindrance.
They don’t interfere with the development of other plants and animals.

Educational Principles
In terms of pedagogy, Freire is best known for his attack on what he called the "banking"
concept of education, in which students are viewed as empty accounts to be filled by teachers.
He notes that "it transforms students into receiving objects [and] attempts to control thinking and
action, lead[ing] men and women to adjust to the world, inhibit[ing] their creative power

Teaching with a teacher like attitude inhibits students ‘thinking action, leadership adaptability,
etc. So education should not be like banking. And it seems to agree with Rousseau’s idea of
education. Accordingly, he brought critical pedagogy to the world.

Regarding knowledge Freire say that knowledge is like a social construction. Basically,
education is a social process and it becomes possible with the knowledge or awareness about a
person, his self-consciousness, feelings, memory and process are known. An inquisitive mind
seeks knowledge. It will not work only by considering the subjects, but it is necessary to connect
it with other subjects. In case of knowledge, two types of knowledge are mentioned namely
practical knowledge or theoretical knowledge. It is necessary to give a living experience through
the school.

The knowledge experienced through the senses and by logical thinking is long-lasting. Freiere
remarked that Knowing that knowing because

Thee are various schools in Western countries based on the theory of Paulo Fieire

The curriculum, methods and atmosphere there are conducive to democracy.

Aims of Education-

Paulo Freire states the aims of education as follows:

1. To inculcate democratic thinking in students. Through Freire’s theory of value, the ability
to ask questions and the ability to think democratically should come to students through
education.
2. To develop the ability to study meaningfully
3. To realise that acquiring knowledge is a social process. In Freire’s Theory of Knowledge,
he has said that knowledge is a social construct. Knowing is a social process. He
believes that students should acquire practical knowledge along with theoretical
knowledge.
4. Development of critical thinking is also thought of as the goal of education by Paulo
Freire
Educational thought and Methods of teaching

Freire has expressed his views about study and education as a whole throughTheory of
Learning.. Freire is best known for his attack on what he called the "banking" concept of
education, in which students are viewed as empty accounts to be filled by teachers. He notes that
"it transforms students into receiving objects [and] attempts to control thinking and action,
lead[ing] men and women to adjust to the world, inhibit[ing] their creative power. Teaching
cannot be a process of transference of knowledge. Learning is a process where knowledge is
presented to us, then shaped through understanding, discussion and reflection. Learning is a
process in which knowledge is presented and then its understanding, discussion and reflection
among the students. For the successful completion of this process, several educational aids will
help. They include dictionaries, philosophical dictionaries, etymological dictionaries etc.

Educational ideas of Freire’s is summarized as follows:

1. Students must construct knowledge from the knowledge they already possess
2. Teacher should understand how the students can learn.
3. Natural Environment-Teachers should use methods that can create natural conditions of
learning in students’ not just mechanical memorization.
4. Meaningful Learning: The student understands what the author has written and so so does
he become a partner in learning.
5. Emphasis on subjectivity rather than objectivity. Freire believes that it is important to
have a study plan that draws on personal experiences.
6. Reading and writing : For this necessary supplementary and reference materials must be
available in the classroom Through this the fundamental skills are developed.
7. The use of democratic teaching methods: In this, the teachers should become students.,
while students become teachers. Freire commented in his book, Theory of Transmission-
Teaching of Learning must be the process to knowing and re-knowing.

Contributions to the Field of Education

1. A democratic environment in education system is recommended.

2. Freedom is the ultimate value
3. Students should be given equal importance as teachers.
4. Everyone is a student in the present education system.
5. The student constructs the knowledge on his own
6. The teachers should recognize the abilities of children and show respect to them.

The impact of Western Education System, on the Indian Education system can be seen