OK, on this  high note, let me copy in here a couple of paragraphs from 
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 12/15/06

M. Garrett Bauman took a job at a community college, and reflected on 
'our' common language.

"That experience made me rethink my absurd language. [English] It was 
not  a collection of factual rules you handed a person, but a way of 
seeing the world--a shared hallucination that people absorbed over 
decades.  Some open-door students  were surely lazy in high school or 
less intelligent, but many failed because of cultural differences--and 
I don't mean just being from another country. Those abused, depressed, 
or saddled with intense poverty, ADD, addictions, handicaps, or other 
'issues' live in a different culture from that of students who are 
healthy, wealthy, and unscarred.  The open door reminds us that our 
measurements  of knowledge and success are relative and often 
arbitrary."
*****
"The open door also brought me Roxanna.  Fifty-five years old, wiry 
thin with blue veins spider-webbing her skin, she wore canvas sneakers 
and rock-star T-shirts.  Once she might have been beautiful, but her 
hair was dyed too red, and her false teeth chattered when she spoke 
quickly.  During a discussion of alcoholism, one young man declared he 
could control his drinking.  Roxanna spoke up.  'I'm  a recovering 
alcoholic.  I know about controlling drinking.  When you hit the 
gutter, I'll show you around the neighborhood.'"
******
'I was amazed that one person could so enliven a class. She electrified 
us with energy, drew out the baseball-capped fellows in the last row, 
and stirred debates with good grace.  She pounced on ideas like a fish 
hawk and made everyone hungrier to learn.  Rejected by competitive 
colleges, Roxanna walked through the  open door--and roared out with a 
degree.  Many like her  have waited all their lives for a chance to 
shine in use."

I love this.

Andrea




On Jan 8, 2007, at 3:30 PM, Lisa Bernstein wrote:


> "If the dream comes close to the dreamers, it happens because they 

> have been organizing themselves according to their dreams; they have 

> been acting with the dream on hand.  A dreamer joins another dreamer, 

> and, at that time, they close the distance between the dream and the 

> dreamed life.  For the same reason day-by-day we have been inventing 

> the popular education."

>  

> Paulo Freire

>  

> I think that is what we all do every day - for ourselves, for those we 

> teach and those who teach us. 

>

> Lisa

>  

> On 1/8/07, Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> wrote: Me?  Argue 

> against vibrant democracy?  Look back at my writing, you

>> won't find  it.  And how many times have I asked about "critical

>> literacy?"  Just about a zillion times.  I get it, i get it.  Have I

>> ever argued against it?  No.

>>

>> So blame Freire's translators.

>>

>> I am basically in favor of Freire, with some modifications;  his

>> language was clunky.  Any  disagreement?  Any examples of sparkling

>> prose? I wonder what he would have thought of Thoreau...

>>

>> Andrea

>>

>>

>> On Jan 8, 2007, at 10:58 AM, Catherine B. King wrote:

>>

>> > Hello Andrea and all:

>> >

>> > Though in a different way, Freire's work still holds the potential 

>> to

>> > bring back toUSA education what earlier was essentially a 

>> "classical"

>> > education, which was reserved more for the elite. To be classically

>> > educated (in the very least) was to be politically astute.

>> >

>> > But an education that speaks to the fullness of political

>> > awareness--that is essential to Freirian pedagogy--is also essential

>>  > in a democratic-republican culture (small d-r) which, though we 

>> have

>> > various sorts of "classes" like the older classical cultures based 

>> on

>> > fame, wealth, etc.,we aresupposed to fosterpolitically equality.

>> >

>> > If the above is true, the implication is that any public education,

>> > especially adult education, in a democracy that does NOT address

>> > political awareness of our students is in failure mode on that

>> > score.

>> >

>> > Freire was dealing with the illiterate (in its basic meaning of

>> > non-readers) and saw the essential connection between literacy and

>> > political power. Though our culture and our needs are quite

>> > different from Freire's, the basic tenets of his educational 

>> framework

>> > still hold in our culture. Whereas he was building a new political

>> > framework, we already have one. Our project then is to maintain what

>> > we have--and the best way to lose a vibrant democracy is to lose the

>> > political-awareness thread that is essential to adults, and thus to

>> > adulteducation, in a democracy.

>> >

>> > Happy New Year to all,

>> >

>> > Catherine King

>> >

>> >

>> > -- Original Message -----

>> >> From: Andrea Wilder

>> >> To: The Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy Discussion List

>> >> Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 7:47 AM

>> >> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 200] Re: GED programs with a popular

>> >> educationapproach

>> >>

>> >> Ditmar and others,

>> >>

>> >> I must put up my small flag here: I absolutely detest the language

>> >> used in this educational movement. To me, it seems foreign and laid

>> >> on with a trowel. Am I for social empowerment? Of course. Am I for

>> >> social movements which try to being about even a modicum of social

>> >> justice? Absolutely.

>> >>

>> >> Back to the trenches,

>> >>

>> >> Andrea

>> >>

>> >> On Jan 8, 2007, at 7:33 AM, Muro, Andres wrote:

>> >>

>> >>> Hi Ujwalla, David, Andrea, Ditmar:

>> >>>

>> >>> We did a project with our students that has strong Freirian

>> >>> elements. This is an ongoing project with migrant students in 

>> which

>> >>> they write their own stories and we publish them. to see this

>> >>> project please visit:

>> >>>

>> >>> http://bordersenses.com/memorias

>> >>>

>> >>> While the stories are written in Spanish most of them have been

>> >>> translated. If you want to read the content, please click on each 

>> of

>> >>> the books. Also, to understand the theoretical foundation you can

>> >>> read my introduction to both books. They are in English. I kept 

>> the

>> >>> introductions very simple without makingany references, However,

>> >>> the work is influenced byFreire,Dewey, Giroux, etal. You will see

>> >>> in the intrductions the elements of Freirianism that Ditmar points

>> >>> to.

>> >>>

>> >>> Andres

>> >>>

>> >>> From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of

>> >>> ditmar0906_inossian at netzero.net

>> >>> Sent: Sat 1/6/2007 4:26 PM

>> >>> To: povertyracewomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 197] Re: GED programs with a popular

>> >>> educationa pproach

>> >>>

>> >>>

>> >>> Yes, Project Hope's Adult Learners Program uses (or did use) a

>> >>> popular education approach that is distinctlyFreireian, and this

>> >>> program was the focus of Lorna's dissertation. For what it's 

>> worth,

>> >>> "conscientisation" was the focus of Freire's approach: a process 

>> by

>> >>> which a group (not at all about individual empowerment here [think

>> >>> "class struggle"]) becomes aware of their oppression and discovers

>> >>> that they have a popular culture that is both political and

>> >>> social--has a sociopolitical role in history (as Marx understood

>> >>> history). The group learners engage in "critical praxis" or 

>> dialogue

>> >>> toward the end of identifying common interests. It's rather like 

>> an

>> >>> effort to critique false consciousness through 1) an investigation

>> >>> of the thematic universe (identifying themes); 2) identifying 

>> those

>> >>> themes that are "generative"; 3) codification of those generative

>> >>> themes, and 4) dialogue within the cultural circle of learners to

>> >>> interpret those themes (i.e. create meaning). I know this sounds

>> >>> very abstract but one might think of it as a very Marxist-oriented

>> >>> version of the ideology critique that was advanced by the 

>> Frankfurt

>> >>> School and later by educational theorists who continue to work in

>> >>> this tradition (e.g. Giroux, Apple, etc.).

>> >>>

>> >>> Freire's goal was social change, not individual empowerment nor

>> >>> individual transformation. In fact, in my own reading of Freire, 

>> he

>> >>> didn't even think that individual transformation was possible. In

>> >>> other words, he never intended for his theory to be used as a 

>> means

>> >>> for helping learners function within the given social system. One

>> >>> might argue that if you change individuals, you will change 

>> society

>> >>> (one person at a time). However, thiscan betrue only from an

>> >>> anthropological view of history (i.e., the driving force behind

>> >>> history is human experience/consciousness). From a structuralist 

>> (or

>> >>> Marxist) point of view, the consciousness of the individual makes 

>> no

>> >>> difference; it's class consciousness that matters because one's

>> >>> individual consciousness is a product of ideology; individuals

>> >>> become subjects only through their subjection to processes of

>> >>> production (i.e., the reproduction of production, or more 

>> commonly,

>> >>> the reproduction of inequality). So basically "popular

>> >>> education"becomes amechanism for bringing about class struggle.

>> >>> Finally, Freire never specified the end results of pedagogical

>> >>> praxis because the "solution" or product was not known, in fact

>> >>> could not be known--it evolved among/through the people. Social

>> >>> change was then the process of peaceful intervention into the 

>> system

>> >>> byinitiating dialogue with the "oppressors"to develop

>> >>> alternatives.

>> >>>

>> >>> The philosophical foundations are to be found in Catholic humanism

>> >>> (Catholic Action, Liberation Theology, etc.),orthodox Marxism,and

>> >>> German philosophy (particularly Hegel). Freire also integrated 

>> bits

>> >>> of critical theory intohis approach, which evolvedinto his

>> >>> "Movement of Education from the Base" (a take-off on the "Popular

>> >>> Church from the Base" that evolved during the revolutionary period

>> >>> in Latin America). See his two major contributions to adult

>> >>> education theory and practice: Pedagogy of theOppressed and

>> >>> Educationas the Practice of Freedom (both late 1960s).Lorna's

>> >>> dissertation is a marvelous illustration of how one GED program 

>> puts

>> >>> these principles into practice.

>> >>>

>> >>> Thanks. --Ditmar

>> >>>

>> >>> C. Ditmar Coffield

>> >>>

>> >>>

>> >>> -- eleonelli at aol.comwrote:

>> >>> David-IthinkthatProjectHopeinDorchester,MAtakesapopular

>> >>> educationapproachintheirprogram.

>> >>>

>> >>> Esther

>> >>> __________________________________

>> >>> EstherD.Leonelli

>> >>>

>> >>>

>> >>> -----OriginalMessage-----

>> >>> From:djrosen at comcast.net

>> >>> Sent:Sat,6Jan200711:14AM

>> >>> Subject:[PovertyRaceWomen194]Re:GEDprogramswithapopular

>> >>> educationapproach

>> >>>

>> >>> HiAndrea,

>> >>>

>> >>> Thanks.IhaveemailedLorna.

>> >>>

>> >>> Allthebest,

>> >>>

>> >>> David

>> >>>

>> >>> OnJan5,2007,at1:37PM,AndreaWilderwrote:

>> >>>

>> >>> >David,

>> >>> >

>> >>> >Thankyouforthelist,itmakesmefeelveryhappytohaveallthe

>> >>> se

>> >>> >valuesinteachingspelledout.Whatacomprehensivelist!Lorna

>> >>> >RiveraIbelieveusedtheterm"populareducation"inher

>> >>> >dissertation.PerhapsyouhavealreadyaskedheraboutGED

>> >>> >programs--sheisatUMASSBoston.SheisthebestsourceIcan

>> >>> >thinkof

>> >>> >rightatthemoment.

>> >>> >

>> >>> >Andrea

>> >>> >

>> >>> >OnJan5,2007,at11:25AM,DavidRosenwrote:

>> >>> >

>> >>> >>HiAndrea,

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>Supposeweusetheterm"populareducation"approach.Thissugges

>> >>> ts

>> >>> >>tome:

>>  >>> >>

>> >>> >>1.alackofhierarchy,thatteacherstreatstudentsastheirequa

>> >>> ls

>> >>> >>instatusandpoweralthoughtheyhavedifferentroles,andthe

>> >>> >>programorschoolincorporatesdemocraticdecision-

>> >>> makingpractices.

>> >>> >>Studentsandteachers,notjustadministratorsandtheboard,pla

>> >>> ya

>> >>> >>centralroleinthedecision-makingprocess;

>> >>> >> 2.abeliefthatthecentralpurposeofeducationistobringabou

>> >>> t

>> >>> >>theconditionsforsocialandeconomicjusticeanddemocracy;

>> >>> >>3.acommitmenttoraisingtheconsciousnessofstudentsand

>> >>> >>teachers,andhelpingthemtobecomecriticallyawareofhowtheir

>> >>> >>individualpersonalexperiencesareconnectedtolargersocial

>> >>> >>problems;

>> >>> >>4.acommitmenttosocialchange ,oftenatthecommunitylevel;

>> >>> >>5.learninghistoryandothersocialsciencesfromavarietyof

>> >>> >>perspectives,forexamplefromtheperspectivesof:women,people

>> >>> of

>> >>> >>color,immigrants,andworkers;

>> >>> >>6.knowledgeandskillslearnedinthecontextofissueswhichaff

>> >>> ect

>> >>> >>studentsintheirlivesandintheircommunities;and

>> >>> >>7.aneducationprocesscharacterizedbydiscussionanddebate ,no

>> >>> t

>> >>> >>justmemorizingfactsorlearningskills.

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>Idoubtthatthisdefinitioniscomplete,andsomewouldsaythat

>> >>> >>someelementsaremoreimportantthanothers.ButwhenIusethe

>> >>> >>term,thosearetheingredientsIhaveinmind.

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>Icanthinkofacoupleofcommunity-basedprogramsinBoston,an

>> >>> >>ESOLprogramandanABE/

>> >>> adultdiplomaprogramwhich--currentlyor

>> >>> >>inthepast--fitmostofthesecriteria,butthesearenotGED

>> >>> >>programs.AnyoneknowofaGEDprogramthathastheseingredients

>> >>> ?

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >> DavidJ.Rosen

>> >>> >>djrosen at comcast.net

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>OnJan5,2007,at10:05AM,AndreaWilderwrote:

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>>HiDavid,

>> >>> >>>

>> >>> >>>IwouldbeinterestedtoknowwhataFreirianapproachadult

>> >>> >>>literacy

>> >>> >>>programmightlooklike.Inyouropinion ,whatmightbethe

>> >>> >>>ingredients?

>> >>> >>>thanks.

>> >>> >>>

>> >>> >>>Andrea

>> >>> >>>

>> >>> >>>OnJan5,2007,at3:13AM,UjwalaSamantwrote:

>> >>> >>>

>> >>> >>>>DearDavid,

>> >>> >>>>

>> >>> >>>>ThisisonequestionthatIhavebeenwonderingabout

>> >>> >>>>foryears.Asidefromthe 'glorydays'inthe70s/80s

>> >>> >>>>whichcolleaguesofmineatNCSALLtoldmeaboutand

>> >>> >>>>oneinNY,IcouldfindnoFreireianapproachesto

>> >>> >>>>adultliteracy.Ihavestudiedthe70s-80sclassics ,

>> >>> >>>>andIhavebeencuriousastowhathappenedsince

>> >>> >>>>then.

>> >>> >>>>

>> >>> >>>>Thanksforraisingthisquestion,

>> >>> >>>>Warmregards,

>> >>> >>>>Ujwala

>> >>> >>>>

>> >>> >>>>---DavidRosen<djrosen at comcast.net>wrote:

>> >>> >>>>

>> >>> >>>>>Colleagues,

>> >>> >>>>>

>> >>> >>>>>InaconversationyesterdayIwasaskedifIknowof

>> >>> >>>>>goodexamplesof

>> >>> >>>>>GEDpreparationprogramswhichuseapopular

>> >>> >>>>>education,or

>> >>> >>>>>participatory(Freirean)approach.Iamonlyaware

>> >>> >>>>>ofone,atheme-

>> >>> >>>>>basedapproachthattheCityUniversityofNewYork

>> >>> >>>>>adultliteracy

>> >>> >>>>>GEDprogramhasusedforoveradecade.Ifyouhave

>> >>> >>>>>othersto

>> >>> >>>>>suggestIwouldbepleasedtohearaboutthem.

>> >>> >>>>>Thanks.

>> >>> >>>>>

>> >>> >>>>>DavidJ.Rosen

>> >>> >>>>>djrosen at comcast.net

>> >>> >>>>>

>> >>> >>>>>

>> >>> >>>>>

>> >>> >>>>>----------------------------------------------------

>> >>> >>>>>NationalInstituteforLiteracy

>> >>> >>>>>Poverty,Race,WomenandLiteracymailinglist

>> >>> >>>>>PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> >>>>>Tounsubscribeorchangeyoursubscriptionsettings,

>> >>> >>>>>pleasegoto

>> >>> >>>>>

>> >>> >>>>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>> >>> >>>>>

>> >>> >>>>

>> >>> >>>>

>> >>> >>>>__________________________________________________

>> >>> >>>>DoYouYahoo!?

>> >>> >>>>Tiredofspam?Yahoo!Mailhasthebestspamprotectionaround

>> >>> >>>>http://mail.yahoo.com

>> >>> >>>>----------------------------------------------------

>> >>> >>>>NationalInstituteforLiteracy

>> >>> >>>>Poverty,Race,WomenandLiteracymailinglist

>> >>> >>>>PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> >>>>Tounsubscribeorchangeyoursubscriptionsettings,pleasegot

>> >>> o

>> >>> >>>>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>> >>> >>>>

>> >>> >>>

>> >>> >>>----------------------------------------------------

>> >>> >>>NationalInstituteforLiteracy

>> >>> >>>Poverty,Race,WomenandLiteracymailinglist

>> >>> >>>PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> >>>Tounsubscribeorchangeyoursubscriptionsettings,pleasegoto

>> >>> >>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>DavidJ.Rosen

>> >>> >>djrosen at comcast.net

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >>----------------------------------------------------

>> >>> >>NationalInstituteforLiteracy

>> >>> >>Poverty,Race,WomenandLiteracymailinglist

>> >>> >>PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> >>Tounsubscribeorchangeyoursubscriptionsettings,pleasegoto

>> >>> >> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>> >>> >>

>> >>> >

>> >>> >----------------------------------------------------

>> >>> >NationalInstituteforLiteracy

>> >>> >Poverty,Race,WomenandLiteracymailinglist

>> >>> >PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> >Tounsubscribeorchangeyoursubscriptionsettings,pleasegoto

>> >>> >http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>> >>>

>> >>> DavidJ.Rosen

>> >>> djrosen at comcast.net

>> >>>

>> >>>

>> >>>

>> >>> ----------------------------------------------------

>> >>> NationalInstituteforLiteracy

>> >>> Poverty,Race,WomenandLiteracymailinglist

>> >>> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> Tounsubscribeorchangeyoursubscriptionsettings,pleasegoto

>> >>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>> >>>

>> >>>

>> >>> 

>> _____________________________________________________________________

>> >>> ___

>> >>> CheckoutthenewAOL.Mostcomprehensivesetoffreesafetyand

>> >>> securitytools,freeaccesstomillionsofhigh-qualityvideosfrom

>> >>> acrosstheweb,freeAOLMailandmore.

>> >>>

>> >>> ----------------------------------------------------

>> >>> NationalInstituteforLiteracy

>> >>> Poverty,Race,WomenandLiteracymailinglist

>> >>> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> Tounsubscribeorchangeyoursubscriptionsettings,pleasegotohtt

>> >>> p://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>> >>> ----------------------------------------------------

>> >>> National Institute for Literacy

>> >>> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

>> >>> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

>> >>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/

>> >>> 

>> povertyracewomen----------------------------------------------------

>> >> National Institute for Literacy

>> >> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

>> >> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> >> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

>> >> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/

>> >> 

>> povertyracewomen----------------------------------------------------

>> > National Institute for Literacy

>> > Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

>>  > PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

>> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>>

>> ----------------------------------------------------

>> National Institute for Literacy

>> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

>>  PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 

>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>>

>

>

>

> -- 

> Lisa Bernstein

> Executive Director

> The What To Expect Foundation

> 144 W. 80th Street

> New York, NY 10024

> 212-712-9764

>  www.whattoexpect.org

>

> Providing prenatal health and literacy support so that women in need 

> know what to expect when 

> expecting.----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text/enriched
Size: 20380 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/povertyracewomen/attachments/20070108/374af47f/attachment.bin