Empowering Education: Critical Teaching for Social Change

Empowering Education: Critical Teaching for Social Change

Ira Shor is a pioneer in the field of critical education who for over twenty years has been experimenting with learning methods. His work creatively adapts the ideas of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire for North American classrooms. In Empowering Education Shor offers a comprehensive theory and practice for critical pedagogy. For Shor, empowering education is a student-centered, critical and democratic pedagogy for studying any subject matter and for self and social change. It takes shape as a dialogue in which teachers and students mutually investigate everyday themes, social issues, and academic knowledge. Through dialogue and problem-posing, students become active agents of their learning. This book shows how students can develop as critical thinkers, inspired learners, skilled workers, and involved citizens. Shor carefully analyzes obstacles to and resources for empowering education, suggesting ways for teachers to transform traditional approaches into critical and democratic ones. He offers many examples and applications for the elementary grades through college and adult education. Ira Shor, a leader in the field of critical education here offers a broad theory and practice linking critical pedagogy to democracy and empowerment. He carefully analyzes obstacles to and resources for empowering, education, suggesting ways for teachers and students to transform transitional approaches into critical and democratic ones. Ira Shor is professor of English at the City University of New York Graduate Center and the College of Staten Island. He is the author of Critical Teaching and Everyday Life and Empowering Education , both published by the University of Chicago Press.