“Pedagogy of the Oppressed”

What impacted me most from this week’s reading was the idea that teachers should not put themselves on a higher ground than their students. In general, teachers are already thought of as knowledgeable figures of authority. It should be our mission to also show our students that we are people too. For example, a teacher admitting that they have made a mistake or acknowledging that a student has provided them with new information can go a long way in terms of the relationships that form with students. The most productive relationship between teacher and student sprouts from honesty and understanding. One should strive to be authentic in the classroom. As I reflect on this reading, I imagine it having a great impact on the way I communicate with my future students. My goal as a teacher will be to inspire my students to be thoughtful, productive members of their community. In my classroom, this will present itself in the open lines of communication established between my students and myself. I will set classroom values and standards that establish a sense of communication and honesty, both from my students and myself. In the reading, Paulo Freire says that individuals benefit from understanding that people are not separate from the world. My impression if this statement is that my students will benefit from knowing that they matter and make a difference in the classroom, their community, and the world as a whole. When discussing what is happening in the world, in our town, and in our school, it is important to remind students that they are an element of each of those groups. I hope that my students leave my classroom empowered with a solid belief that they matter.