Dialogue in Education

I read the Pedagogy of the Oppressed from Paolo Freire, recommanded by one of the other Pgcert student after an discussion of the power energy between tutors and students and on a more equalitarian relationship in the classroom.

The chapter 3 on the role of the dialogue was particularly interesting as Freire sees dialogue not just as an interaction but as an act of freedom, equality and responsibility of learning.

It is also how teachers and students could change the curriculum together, by stating what is important and what needs to be addressed, allowing collaboration and actions to change the world.

Education is no longer a one way direction and through dialogue can challenge the idea that teachers or tutors are the instrument of power, of institutions or simply of a national curriculum but offer alternative of thinking and thoughts provoking and critical thinking.

The essence of this chapter resides in dialogue deliver freedom and hope.

I agree with Freire on the power of dialogue and how essential this to establish a relationship of trust with the students but also allowing proactive learning. I believe that creative thinking and critical thinking are going in pair and cannot be detached from each other as their propose an alternative answer to some very general questions an allow room for essential discussion and dialogue to reshape both the inner and external world of tutors and students who grow equally through this process.

Redefining the relationships of power are essential today in education to match the society we are leaving in with social media, with a urgency to decolonise education and rejuvenate a teaching practice which can be seen obsolete post covid pandemic.

My only reserve would be that this text can be a little bit utopist and timed at but ultimately still relevant to today and resonating with this inspiration of freedom and democracy in very politically troubled times, when dramatic shift of power a possible reality.