ANALYZE THE WORKS: “PEDAGOGY OF THE OPPRESSED” (PAULO FREIRE), “SCHOOL AND DEMOCRACY” (DERMEVAL SAVIANI) AND, IN LIGHT OF THESE, ARGUE ABOUT “HOW EDUCATION CAN ENHANCE SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION”

Abstract

Education is an instrument of social transformation, capable of shaping minds, inspiring change and driving the progress of a society. Paulo Freire and Dermeval Saviani, two important Brazilian educators, are recognized for their innovative and visionary works that approach education as an enabler of social transformation. Paulo Freire criticizes banking education, in which the educator is the holder of knowledge and the students are merely passive receptacles. Liberating dialog represents a break with the culture of silence imposed on the oppressed. Liberating dialog is meant to be more than just an exchange of words; it is an opening to a critical understanding of reality. By promoting liberating dialogue, Paulo Freire allows the oppressed to recognize their condition and realize that they are capable of transforming the reality around them. Dialogue makes them active subjects in the educational process, affecting the horizontal relationship between educators and students. Paulo Freire's concept of conscientization is the process by which individuals acquire a critical awareness of their reality, involving an understanding of the power and social relations present in society. Conscientization is deepened by dialogue and critical reflection on the learners' life experiences, which will see their position as oppressed within a broader context of inequality and injustice. Awareness-raising encourages them to engage in transformative action, confronting injustice and seeking collective solutions to the problems faced in their communities. Praxis is another key concept in Freire's pedagogy, representing the union between theory and practice, where transformative action is based on critical reflection on reality.