Teachers as Cultural Workers: Freire on Literacy, Love, and Authority in the Classroom

• In Event: 18.072 - Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: 18.072-11 - Exploring Freire's Dimensions

Abstract

Paulo Freire, as a world-renowned educator, speaks boldly about the world of education, the role of a teacher, and of political discourse, especially of the pernicious forms of authoritarianism that creep into our schools. He speaks of knowledge and of growth, both for students as well as for teachers, and so much of what he says is not only inspirational but incredibly helpful. This paper seeks to outline three key themes that Freire (1998) discusses in his book, Teachers as Cultural Workers, which are particularly insightful, including his thoughts on literacy, his exploration of love in the classroom, as well as his dynamic discussion of the role of shared authority and community within teacher/student relationships.

Author

• Mitchell Colver, Utah State University