Education as the Practice of Freedom by Paulo Freire

Abstract

Education as a Practice of Freedom is the first book written by Paulo Freire. The work, which the author calls an essay, is theoretically grounded in Freire's readings and studies, drawing from the most profound and authoritative sources of philosophy and educational theories. However, the text is not composed solely of theories. Freire was a man of the people and fought for popular emergence, for the possibility of ordinary people having the freedom and critical thinking to at least manage their own lives. Therefore, the book reflects the author's experience in countless popular literacy processes, as he knew this was a path to awareness of the real situation experienced by literacy students. The successful application of his method in the city of Angicos, Rio Grande do Norte, in 1963 enabled 300 sugarcane cutters to learn to read and write in 45 days. President João Goulart, at the time, approved the replication of the method throughout Brazil. Work began in January 1964, but was interrupted while still in the organizational phase by the coup d'état of March 31 of that year. Considered subversive, Paulo Freire was arrested and subsequently exiled. It was precisely this exile that allowed him to organize his ideas and writings, producing the book in question in Chile. In its four chapters, Freire begins by addressing important and fundamental concepts that permeate the entire work. He then presents a historical explanation of the Brazilian reality that highlights our lack of democratic experience. He then exposes the challenge and need for a critical and liberating education—an education that, above all, is an act of love and, therefore, an act of courage. In the final chapter, Freire presents his method for teaching adult literacy. The following text is a compilation of the author's ideas expressed in this work. It is not a review, as it will not provide a critical analysis, but merely an effort to organize the concepts presented by Freire. Obviously, a deeper understanding requires a careful and enjoyable reading of the book in its entirety.