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For this week, you were tasked with reading about three critical theoretical frameworks. Freire offers critical pedagogy from the lens of Marx’s conflict theory while bell hooks implores us to consider that theory is alive and breathing-it's an action.

How do these theoretical approaches differ from that of the classical theorists we learned about previously? And how can we use their theoretical paradigms to understand educational inequality both domestically and globally?

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I believe that both Paulo Freire’s and bell hooks' theoretical paradigms are useful in understanding educational inequality both domestically and globally because they both provide valuable insights into what education should look like in the classroom. I find problem-posing education to be a useful tool for promoting dialogue, critical thinking, and creativity. However, the biggest challenge is that teachers have to “overcome authority.” Such as department deans or school officials (school principal, president, and chancellor). Nevertheless, teachers can create their lessons with their students. Although this may seem impossible, problem-posing education is a useful tool for students because it allows for collaboration between students and teachers to determine what the class will learn. Freire points out in “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” that the role of problem-posing education is to create, together with students, the conditions under which knowledge can be produced (Freire, p. 81).

On the other hand, the “banking education” concept of education only requires students to memorize what they are taught (Freire, p. 80). As a student, this approach would be difficult because I am not good at memorizing. However, problem-posing education allows for student engagement, critical thinking, and creativity. Freire's framework could be beneficial for education globally because it allows students to be involved in their education and use their critical thinking skills. In contrast, banking education causes educational inequalities because it discourages dialogue and “treats students as objects”, as Freire points out.

In her work, bell hooks uses theory to understand her own childhood experiences. She opens up the reading "Theory as Liberatory Practice'' to discuss the importance of this approach. In "Essentialism and Experience", hooks focus on the role of teachers in the classroom. She challenges the ideas of Diana Fuss, who believes in a "banking education" approach where professors dictate what students should learn. Instead, hooks welcomes ideas from marginalized groups and encourages students to share their own experiences in discussions. This allows for a more inclusive and diverse learning environment. hooks emphasizes the need for critical thinking, diverse standpoints, and engaging with multiple locations to gather knowledge (hooks, p. 89). hooks approach can be seen as problem-posing education, as it encourages creativity, dialogue, and critical thinking in the classroom.

To fully comprehend education, it is useful to examine the frameworks developed by Freire and hooks. They set the standards for what a classroom should look like. Freire's argument was focused on banking education and problem-posing education. In my opinion, Freire was struggling with the concept that a problem-posing education is beneficial for students to succeed in the twenty-first century. This type of education allows for dialogue, critical thinking, and creativity. On the other hand, hooks often reflected on how she could use her pedagogical experiences to benefit her students, including all students regardless of their background. hooks fostered critical thinking skills in her students.

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Luis Mendez

Professor Lyons

Soc 335/Spring

Padlet 2

According to the reading, a careful analysis of the teacher-student relationship at any level, inside or outside the school, reveals its fundamentally narrative character. The relationship involves a narrating subject ( the teacher) and patient listening objects (the students). The contents, whether values or empirical dimensions of reality, tend in the process of being narrated to become lifeless and petrified. He states that education is suffering from narration sickness. Freire says in the reading that the teacher's task is to fill the students with the contents of his narration, which are detached from reality, disconnected from the totality that engendered them and could give them significance. Basically feeling alienated and unheard. Lack of power in their voices. An interesting sentence from the reading that caught my eye is “Narration ( with the teacher as narrator) leads the students to memorize mechanically the narrated content”. Which is one style of learning. Freire argues that the correct way to handle outsiders is not to integrate or re-educate them, but to change the system so the outsiders become "beings for themselves." Freire acknowledges that many teachers are unaware that their "banking" method of teaching promotes oppression. Bell Hooks starts off the reading saying “ Over time, that skepticism has deepened. Black students, female and male, continually interrogate this issue. Whether in the classroom or while giving a public lecture, I continually ask whether or not black concern with the struggle to end racism precludes involvement with feminist movement. "Don't you think black women, as a race, are more oppressed than women?" The last sentence is crucially important, allowing us to open our minds to think critically on If this is pretty much accurate in society today or just an opinion? The main concept of Teaching to transgress is about pushing against the boundaries, to challenge racism, sexism, classism and all forms of oppression in the world. A transgressive approach to education is when educators support others and themselves to achieve the freedom to live fully in the world. In other words having more freedom and power as students.

Critical Perspectives on bell hooks is a powerful tribute to a living pedagogy that courageously unbury the destructive ideologies of oppression and human suffering, in an effort to fully embody the vitality of our human possibilities. Which is contrary to Freire's critical pedagogy framework. From the lens of Marx’s conflict. Overall Hook’s key takeaway in the reading is that education should be a liberating experience that challenges oppressive systems. In order to create a learning environment within the classroom, she aims to diffuse hierarchy and create a sense of community. Hooks maintains that the classroom should be a place that is life-sustaining and mind-expanding, a place of liberating mutuality where teachers and students work in partnership. An important perception Hooks gives us  is that we ought to approach education as a “practice of freedom” that helps students engage in this “transgressive” process of development beyond the narrowly circumscribed roles assigned to them according to their race, gender, class, and other reasons. Establishing early on that Hooks views on education predicated on how authority and dominance play out in the classroom. Although both of their perspectives are important and two different ideas of how education in a classroom should look like. We can keep an open mind to both views and look for the best decision and or functional solution combining them or keeping them separated! Education inequality stems from abuse of power race and other paradigms that are constructed and enforced by the higher class individuals and government who support this nonsense! These issues and indifferences are not new, they have been a structured system that has been normalized for generations globally. The bigger question is how can we change this or does it have to be changed from the inside out?

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Paulo Freire and bell hooks provide critical theoretical perspectives valuable for understanding educational inequality. Their critical and engaged pedagogy concepts emphasize the importance of empowering students. A critical approach to social issues and oppressive systems. By incorporating dialogue, reflection, and student-centered learning, educators will help students gain a deeper understanding of the world around them and encourage them to challenge oppressive structures.

Freire's concept of critical pedagogy centers on the idea that education should empower students to question and transform oppressive systems. This approach recognizes that education is not a neutral process and plays a significant role in shaping power dynamics. Educators can create a classroom environment that encourages critical thinking and challenges oppressive structures by engaging students in dialogue and reflection. Freire's philosophy of education says education as a tool for liberation as envisioned empowerment provides frameworks to analyze privilege, power, and the political nature of education. "it is the people themselves who have filed away through the lack of creativity, transformation, and knowledge in this (at best) misguided system" (p72)

The phrase highlights how an education approach devoid of innovation, adaptability, and emphasizing knowledge acquisition rather than merely processing students can decrease humanity. It sees the current strategy as less enriching and more reductive. It critiques the detrimental effects that the existing educational system has on individuals and pupils. People themselves are said to get "filed away," which is code for losing one's uniqueness, inventiveness, and sense of direction. In the system, they are reduced to just numbers or files.

This is attributed to the system's "lack of creativity, transformation, and knowledge" in general. It implies that the system's approach to education is, at most, "misguided."

It means the system cannot promote innovation, development, the pursuit of new concepts and information, and pupils' personal growth.

Instead, it stifles kids' innate human traits

curiosity, imagination, and a drive to learn by treating them like they are products of an assembly line or bureaucracy.

Ultimately, many give up on realizing their potential and accept that they are just products of the system. The system is generally rebuked for being old-fashioned, inflexible, and dehumanizing in how it molds and "files away" pupils rather than providing them with holistic care.

Hooks' emphasis on engaged pedagogy highlights how gender, race, and class influence the learning experience. She advocates for student-centered learning, incorporating students' experiences into the curriculum. This approach acknowledges students' diverse backgrounds and perspectives and values their voices and contributions. Hooks also highlights the need for education to address and eliminate oppression, recognizing that education can perpetuate or challenge existing inequalities.

Both theorists acknowledge that educational inequities exist globally, and their theories apply to addressing these issues. Education systems need help with problems of access, representation, and marginalization of certain groups. Freire and Hooks offer valuable insights and perspectives for reforming education to be more inclusive and just. Their theories call for transforming classroom dynamics, curriculum, and teaching methods to create a more equitable and empowering learning environment for all students.

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Both Paulo Fiere and Bell Hooks's theoretical approaches are crucial to the understanding of educational inequality because they both share the commonality of wanting to address and put an end to educational oppression. Fiere explains that to counter educational oppression the traditional ways of teaching from a textbook, screen, or sheet of paper, and having students just learn and not interact or feel restricted from asking questions or help must be strayed away from. Because it does not only hurt the student's social and situational awareness but treats them simply as objects and not a human being. A form of oppression bestowed upon by those in power, simply because of a lack of care and targeting of social groups and marginalized communities. Instead, Fiere believes that there must be a change in learning by adapting and promoting the use of constant communication not only between students but with the teachers as well. When teachers are more involved and students can get a say in things, students begin to feel more like humans and can begin to gain a need for not only building connections but also developing their situational awareness and critical thinking skills. Bell Hooks discusses the importance of implementing critical pedagogy in the educational system. In an oppressive state, to counter the continuation of discrimination one must have their eyes open and have an in-depth understanding, awareness, and recognition of the oppressive state they are in and society continues to allow. Accomplished through the empowerment of sharing experiences and building upon one another in the classroom to challenge oppressive states in and out of the classroom. It's quite obvious that the reason for educational inequality domestically and globally is based on the lack of change and the importance of improving the educational system. Essentially specific racial and social backgrounds are targeted and the reason for this is the importance of upholding the oppressive state.

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Freire speaks to the fact that it should be unlawful to stop any person from learning more and developing their own ideas about life. You can not be your authentic self with someone holding you back. It shows how people in a lower social class are constantly I fight mode. Fighting for equality when it comes to education and educational norms. Even the way it is being taught. Banking method is not enough to promote critical thinking. Problem posing method allows individual to critically think while being a part of the process of education. We’re not just sitting like robots allowing the information to be stored in our minds. We are allowed to be a part of the discussion and teaching process along with the teacher. Freire shows this was to be the most affective. We have a long way in our current educational system to get to this point where children are allowed to critically think and express their thoughts and ideas while the teacher is giving instruction. If we want to adapt and change to this way of learning most people would have to accept that we are all human and have different ways of thinking that we would like to express to one another. I believe that if children and people in learning settings where allowed to express their thoughts more often we would all be able to learn from one another. I believe that’s what bell- hooks was trying to express when saying her parents just wanted her to sit to the side and have little to no input because she was a child.

In Bell-Hooks we see how one can be oppressed through sexism. Feminist theorist often feel and need suppress their thoughts and ideas. Women theorist who are black still feel the need to subdue themselves and their work. They are often unable to produce great work and get recognition for it. Academic institutions informing students that their work can’t be included because it’s not “scholarly” or “theoretical”. Another form of oppression, fighting got equal right to be listened to and heard on the same level as others in your same field. Freire believes that if we all learn in this way of problem -posting we can learn from one another’s thoughts and ideas. Bell-Hooks wants us to speak up no matter what the setting and be free in expressing your thoughts and ideas. But she also states we remain afraid to this even in our own spaces.

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Paulo Freire and Bell Hooks have very distinct ideas about education. They differ from other classical theorists like W.E.B DuBois and Karl Marx in a variety of ways. They often talked about social problems and inequalities, but never took the initiative to actually solve them. On the other hand, Freire and Hooks made it clear that it's important to take action to address the social inequalities, especially in education. Freire offers critical pedagogy from the lens of Marx's conflict theory, he wanted to highlight the struggles within schools and believed that the education system should help people speak out against inequity. Hooks implored us to consider that theory is alive and breathing, he wanted people to use theories to make real changes in the education system using action. We can use their theoretical paradigms to understand educational inequality both domestically and globally by looking at the dynamics of power in schools. This includes analyzing if there's unequal distribution of resources, if the curriculum is fair or not, and discrimination towards students. This helps us identify ways to make schools more fair and also encourages people to advocate for better policies that improve education, like more inclusivity with students and teachers, and empowering minorities to use the strength of their voices to demand change.

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After reading both reading Both Freire and Hook theoretical approaches are extremely important when it come to the understanding of educational inequality. Students are being taught to just sit there and listen to what the teacher is teaching without voicing their opinions and even when they try to their voices aren't being heard because of what is called the "Banking Method" there is a big difference with speaking to someone and speaking at someone. Talking to someone means engaging in a dialogue where both people are listening, contemplating and responding on equal footing versus talking at someone means taking the higher moral ground with the intent of demonstrating to the other person the error of his thoughts and opinions which is power control taking away the students creative and critical thinking. Hook's marginalized grop work giving the students the open floor to express themselves and their own experiences because everyone learns in their own unique way.

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The theoretical approaches of Paulo Freire and Bell Hooks differ from classical theorists in several ways particularly in their emphasis on social justice and the application of theory to real world contexts.

Theorists such as Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber, focused on analyzing social structures and systems, often with a higher perspective. Their theories were primarily concerned with understanding the mechanisms and dynamics of society, rather than advocating for specific social change.

In contrast, Freire and Bell Hooks both offer critical theoretical frameworks that explicitly address issues of inequality and oppression. Freire's critical pedagogy, influenced by Marx's conflict theory, emphasizes the power dynamics basic in education and advocates for transformative education that challenges oppressive structures. Freire argues that education should not be a one-way transmission of knowledge but rather a dialogical process that promotes critical thinking, and social change.

Globally, Freire and Hook's framework enable us to understand how educational inequality is influenced by broader socio-political and economic contexts. By considering intersectionality of oppression, we can examine how various forms of discrimination intersect to create unique challenges in different regions.

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In contrast to the classical theorists like Marx, Freire and Hooks believed that it is time to actually do something about educational inequality. The reading taught us about the banking method in schools. This means that teachers talk and the students just sit there and receive information. They have taught us the importance of actually having an open dialogue instead of just reading of a textbook and not letting the students ask questions and use their critical thinking. It's important for students to have some sort of relationship with their teacher to the point where they feel comfortable in asking questions and not feel like they are bothering. Education has become a system where teachers deposit knowledge into students without knowing if they really received it. Students don't have a voice. A classroom should not just be a lecture, it should be more than that where students are learning but are still able to express themselves and question what they are learning.

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In W.E.B Du Bois “Of our spiritual strivings" he discusses his constant feelings of unbelonging as a black man in a white society. In the excerpt "Communist Manifesto'' written by Karl Marx, Marx introduces 2 types of people ; the bourgeois and the proletariat and describes their roles in society. These theories differ from those of Hooks and Freire as they speak on social inequalities whereas Hooks and Freire focus on educational inequalities. We can utilize both Hooks and Freire's theories on education as a foundation to improve what education looks like and how students are taught. Hooks and Freire both agree that education should empower and allow students to become free thinkers. This is displayed in Freire's reading where he critiques current schooling practices (banking method)  as an instrument of oppression as it allows a “one way stream” of teaching. In Hooks' article she also critiques schools as places that strip students of the freedom to be independent thinkers. She then goes into what needs to change in order for schools to be places of real education.

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Paulo Freire and Bell Hooks theoretical approaches emphasizes on social justice and how we can apply these theories into the real world. If we look at the proposal of the banking education, it requires for students to memorize the things that they are taught. If we look at problem posing the advantage I see is that it creates room for critical thinking.  To be able to fully understand education we can look at these theories approaches as a platform or foundation to begin or establish structures. Paulo Freire and Bell Hooks approach is great to apply in the education system what best way to apply social justice into the real world of the students. Banking education although I don’t completely agree with it can be a platform to use to establish something in the beginning of course making some changes along the way I will say. And of course I like banking problem giving room and allowing students to have critical thinking.

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Paulo Freire and bell hooks offer a unique perspective on theory and education. While they both differ from traditional education theories, they provide a deeper understanding of the subject. Paulo Freire analyzes education through a Marxist lens and believes that the banking education concept perpetuates an oppressive society. According to him, this approach treats students as empty containers that need to be filled with information. This results in a power imbalance between the teacher and students, where the teacher holds all the authority, leaving students voiceless. However, Freire presents the problem-posing education, which fosters a free society that allows for more dialogue, meaningful connections, and critical thinking.

On the other hand, bell hooks uses theory for emotional healing, which helps to understand the emotional trauma she has faced in her life. Her argument is that our experiences shape our world views, perspectives, and knowledge, leading to new ways of understanding how the world works.

Both writers highlight the need for change in the education system, both domestically and globally. They demonstrate how the current system of education is oppressive, hindering individuals' ability to think critically and explore knowledge. Bell Hooks calls for reform in the works and theories accepted in academia, while Friere calls for reform in teaching styles that will help eradicate an oppressive society. We can use their theoretical paradigms to understand educational inequality and work towards creating a more equitable education system.

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According to the readings, Paula and Bell Hooks how educational inequality has spread globally around the world, Also it had become a challenge for African Americans specifically to learn. Freire described how "ideology of oppression is indispensable"(Freire p. 173). The only way to change that would de-ideologizing and unifying the oppressed. In addition, Hooks explained how school "The classroom was no longer a place of pleasure or ecstasy"(Hooks, P.4). School was instead becoming more of political place for them due to having to encounter white racist assumptions. These theoretical approaches differ from the classical theorists because the classical theorists influenced the students into school not being important. Also not making understandable for the new upcoming students who do not comprehend the work. Friere and Hooks paradigms are very useful on understanding educational inequality because it gives a wider view on what is the root to this problem.

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Marx and DuBois saw economic factors driving social inequality. At the same time, Freire and Hooks believed education could empower marginalized groups to challenge and change oppressive culture center around race, gender, and class. Education can transform individuals and societies, but educational inequality is still a problem domestically and globally. To address this issue, critical theorists  Freire and Hooks advocated for change in education, emphasizing critical thinking and social justice. By applying their insights, we can better understand how educational inequality is perpetuated and work towards gaining a more equitable education system.

Freire argues that traditional teaching methods reinforce power dynamics between oppressors and oppressed. Instead, he proposes a dialogical approach to education where the teacher and student work together as co-creators of knowledge. On the other hand, the banking method of education is a traditional approach where the teacher is viewed as the holder of knowledge and students just receive it. This method reinforces the power dynamics of oppressors and oppressed in society. Freire believes that a dialogical approach to education can create a more just and equitable education system where all students have equal opportunities to learn and grow. The banking method perpetuates inequality in education and widens the gap, effectively keeping individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and people of color in powerless positions. Its structure is designed to maintain capitalist ideals and oppress those it affects.

Bell Hooks's concept of liberation practice emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and self-discovery in education. Hooks suggests that students should be encouraged to question their beliefs and assumptions. This theory can aid in understanding the unequal distribution of education. It's worth considering that the education system may not be interested in fostering critical thinking abilities in all students. This could lead to marginalized groups questioning their circumstances, such as poverty, racism, and sexism.

It's crucial to understand that achieving a fair and just education system is not a one-time task but a continuous process. One possible solution to combat the global problem of education inequality could be the effective application of Freire and Hooks' theories. This solution requires a long-term commitment to communication, introspection, and action.

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Freire and Hooks both believe that teachers are oppressors when it comes to education. The banking method explains how this can be compared to a transactional relationship. The teacher is the banker because they are depositing knowledge and the student is the account. Other theorists such as Max Weber believed in social change and how the student processing information plays a part in social interaction. Max observes the students while Hooks believe that interaction is not useful or important.

Unfortunately the conflict in Hooks theory is that the banking concept fails to have students engage with their students since there roles is to listen.

Oppressed- pg 73- the teacher teaches and the student is taught

Weber believed that Life chance opportunities to increase one's position in the social class structure.

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Compared to classical theorists, Freire and Bell Hooks have different ideas about education.

Through the perspective of Marx's conflict theory, Freire views society as a struggle between groups with different amounts of power. According to him, he believes that education should help others understand and try to change unfair systems.  Bell hooks thinks that theories shouldn't just be ideas, but should also be reasonable and active. She thinks that learning and teaching should be more about real-life actions.

Unlike Freire and Bell Hooks, classical theories viewed education as a way to keep society in order and stable; no real desire to change it.  They focused more on how education can be integrated into systems that already existed and not how education can transform them.

Ideas of Freire and Bell Hook's can be used to understand educational inequality by taking a look at how power and resources are distributed in schools. Domestically, we can take a look at how poorer communities have schools that lack resources and support. Globally, we can take a look at how some countries have better educational opportunities than others.

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We learned about old-school theorists like Marx who had big ideas about society and education. But, Freire and bell hooks see things differently. Freire talks about using education to fight unfairness, like Marx did with rich and poor people. And bell hooks says theory isn't just something you read in books; it's something you do. So, these new theories are all about taking action to fix problems, not just understanding them. We can use their ideas to see why some people get a better education than others. It's not just about learning facts; it's about power and who's in control. By looking at education through their ideas, we can see how unfairness happens both here and around the world,  find ways to make things more fair for everyone.

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In our previous reading, DuBois and Marx pushed for change in social inequality. Friere and Hooks are about change in the educational field, targeting social inequalities and liberation for the marginalized and oppressed. There is a strong intimidation in educating children to be critical thinkers. The banking method is more conducive to educators, as they prompt to be the only voice heard while the children just listen. No questions asked; just listen. a Monologue setting.

Bell's message is entitled Critical Thinking, which educators oppose. He was passionate about children having a voice in the classroom.

Freire's view is that the struggle was with the oppressed. No room for growth or change.

Ultimately, Schools struggle with truly teaching our children the essence of change and limit their social imagination in being the future that brings change to a stagnant society.

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I think the theoretical paradigms that Freire and Hooks implore us to consider are that many methods of education around the world shape the classroom. We believe through the "Banking System" that learning is linear in it's narrative style and does not give students a chance to be free of thought and expression when it comes to education. However, Hooks argues against that in learning should be a dialogue and should be engaging from all walks of life. She uses the teachings from Freire when it comes to oppression and what it is to be oppressed and uses it as a model for her own pedagogy. These theoretical approaches contrast from the classical theorist due to the engagement with those who are learning. I believe both writers express that there is an inequality in learning styles and how we view education, both domestically and internationally. We can use a better outlook on education and make a conscious effort to learn from everyone.

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Unlike the classical theorists Marx, Freire and Hooks believed that it is time to actually do something about educational inequality. The reading mentioned the banking method in schools. This means that teachers talk and the students just sit there and receive information. They have taught us the importance of actually having an open dialogue instead of just reading of a textbook and not letting the students ask questions and use their critical thinking. It's important for students to have some sort of relationship with their teacher to the point where they feel comfortable in asking questions and not feel like they are bothering. Education has become a system where teachers deposit knowledge into students without knowing if they really received it. Students don't have a voice. A classroom should not just be a lecture, it should be more than that where students are learning but are still able to express themselves and question what they are learning.