Paulo Freire's Liberatory Education and the Problem of Service Learning

Abstract

This article challenges educators of liberatory pedagogy to critically reflect on the reasoning behind their teaching methodologies and service learning requirements. Questions concerning the ethical, political, and personal goals of liberatory teachers are raised. The authors also challenge the assumption that liberatory pedagogy is appropriate for all oppressed people. The authors discuss liberatory pedagogy from a critical perspective and conclude that critical consciousness in classrooms may result from teachers using both liberatory and traditional methodologies.