Pedagogy is the discipline that studies education in general. In this sense, a pedagogue is a specialist in the school environment, study methodology, the design of training projects, school guidance or teacher training, among many other functions. One of the currents of this general discipline is critical pedagogy.
For critical pedagogy, students must reach a critical consciousness in their educational stage. In this way, the student not only has to acquire theoretical knowledge and pass some exams, but it is necessary to promote their training as an individual aware of the reality that surrounds them.
Main characteristics and fundamental aspects
- It is necessary to train the student's self-awareness.
- The purpose of the learning process is to transform social reality.
- The educational system must consider existing social differences and adopt a position committed to the values of justice and equity. Critical pedagogy theorists, especially the Brazilian Paulo Freir, understand that education is an instrument to change the world.
- The teaching process has to focus on the student's self-improvement in their social and cultural context.
- The fundamental aspects of critical pedagogy must be based on the participation of students, their humanistic training, the transformation of society and the contextualization of teaching-learning.
- The conventional educational system fosters a culture of oppression and competitiveness and is linked to an alienated culture. Critical pedagogy tries to combat the political, cultural and economic aspects that degrade the educational system.
- Critical pedagogy must be understood beyond a strictly educational movement, since it emerged in the 20th century to combat neoliberalism, imperialism and religious fundamentalisms.
- The school model is oriented towards combative cultural action that questions the culture of domination
Other alternative pedagogical currents
There are other currents and pedagogical approaches that also provide an emancipatory vision of the human being. Libertarian pedagogy is inspired by anarchist ideology and seeks the transformation of society as a whole. The New School is a model that questions the validity of the traditional school. The Montessori method encourages the autonomy of students. Like critical pedagogy, the rest of alternative currents bet on education as a transforming instrument of social reality.
Photo: Fotolia - Ratoca
