Pedagogy of the Oppressed - Paulo Freire
A great place to begin looking at outside material would be Paulo Freire's text Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Freire offers excellent insight into what it means to be oppressed within society. He defines oppression as an act that prevents one from becoming more fully human (Freire 57). They are exploited, vulnerable, and cannot think for themselves (Freire 64-65). Freire argues that the oppressed are dehumanized, and so it is their responsibility to liberate themselves, as well as their oppressors (44). This can only be achieved through praxis: theory, reflection, and action! (Freire 45).
When looking at childhood, it can be argued that children themselves are often oppressed by adults, their oppressors. Adults find themselves dominating over children, and making decisions for them because they believe they are not yet fully human. This is an act of dehumanization, and often limits children and denies them from their rights. By silencing and "protecting" children from certain forms of media, we are in fact dehumanizing children because we are basing these actions on the assumption that they cannot handle the truth. Share argues that there are preconceived notions of children's various inabilities, and so adults have this fear of letting children make their own choices and decisions, and exposing them to the "real world" (114). But clearly, Freire would define this as an act of oppression. This must change!
Share provides two examples of certain aspects of critical media literacy. In using Patty Anderson and Vivian Vasquez's techniques, we can see that they are helping to liberate children, and the children themselves are liberating the teachers. Both of these teacher's teaching techniques are examples of what Freire calls the problem-posing method. Share states that, "Following Paulo Freire's (1970) problem-posing pedagogy, critical media literacy involves praxis, reflection, and action to transform society" (109). Working with various forms of media and ICT's allows children to take action, while critically thinking about this is an example of reflection. Therefore, together, these two aspects of critical media literacy demonstrate praxis, and it is this method that will allow children to become active citizens in their society.
Freire defines the problem-posing method as a process in which the main role is to have dialogue and creativity (81). The teacher is not the only person who teaches: through dialogue, children also become teachers, educating the teacher as well (80). Together, it is a process in which everyone is able to grow and transform. Problem-posing allows for people to critically think about how they exist in the world, and also affirms people as beings in a process of becoming (Freire 83-84). In contrast, the banking method treats students as simply objects, in which the teacher knows everything and it is their job to fill their heads with information (Freire 71). This approach does not give children the opportunity to think critically about what they are being told, but they are expected to simply accept and memorize the information being deposited into their brains (Freire 72). Share argues that a teacher can take on a traditional banking educational approach by positioning the teacher as the expert and the student as the passive recipient (124). However, Share argues that Anderson and Vasquez's approaches encourage students to be more independent and reflective, moving the students towards empowerment (125). They are asked to take action, which Share argues is an essential component of transformative pedagogy and a necessary element of critical media literacy (125).
When looking at childhood, it can be argued that children themselves are often oppressed by adults, their oppressors. Adults find themselves dominating over children, and making decisions for them because they believe they are not yet fully human. This is an act of dehumanization, and often limits children and denies them from their rights. By silencing and "protecting" children from certain forms of media, we are in fact dehumanizing children because we are basing these actions on the assumption that they cannot handle the truth. Share argues that there are preconceived notions of children's various inabilities, and so adults have this fear of letting children make their own choices and decisions, and exposing them to the "real world" (114). But clearly, Freire would define this as an act of oppression. This must change!
Share provides two examples of certain aspects of critical media literacy. In using Patty Anderson and Vivian Vasquez's techniques, we can see that they are helping to liberate children, and the children themselves are liberating the teachers. Both of these teacher's teaching techniques are examples of what Freire calls the problem-posing method. Share states that, "Following Paulo Freire's (1970) problem-posing pedagogy, critical media literacy involves praxis, reflection, and action to transform society" (109). Working with various forms of media and ICT's allows children to take action, while critically thinking about this is an example of reflection. Therefore, together, these two aspects of critical media literacy demonstrate praxis, and it is this method that will allow children to become active citizens in their society.
Freire defines the problem-posing method as a process in which the main role is to have dialogue and creativity (81). The teacher is not the only person who teaches: through dialogue, children also become teachers, educating the teacher as well (80). Together, it is a process in which everyone is able to grow and transform. Problem-posing allows for people to critically think about how they exist in the world, and also affirms people as beings in a process of becoming (Freire 83-84). In contrast, the banking method treats students as simply objects, in which the teacher knows everything and it is their job to fill their heads with information (Freire 71). This approach does not give children the opportunity to think critically about what they are being told, but they are expected to simply accept and memorize the information being deposited into their brains (Freire 72). Share argues that a teacher can take on a traditional banking educational approach by positioning the teacher as the expert and the student as the passive recipient (124). However, Share argues that Anderson and Vasquez's approaches encourage students to be more independent and reflective, moving the students towards empowerment (125). They are asked to take action, which Share argues is an essential component of transformative pedagogy and a necessary element of critical media literacy (125).