The book that I chose to critique was Finding Freedom in the Classroom: a Practical Introduction to Critical Theory. This book is intended for teachers to give them a new perspective on education; one that seeks to empower students to become conscience of oppression within society and work to make change. The author seeks to highlight how power is distributed in society and who benefits at another’s expense. Written from the perspective of a critical theorist, this book is intended to highlight for educators how cultural assumptions have shaped the curriculum that is taught and modes of instruction that teachers follow. Through this book, the author allows for teachers to question their curricular decisions through the prism of power and culture.
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The author builds a case for how critical theory can be applied to education by first “unpacking” what we know in education and then illustrating how a shift in how we decide how knowledge is formed can lead to a better understanding of how schools can be a tool to empower students. By doing this, this book allows for teachers rethink how schools function to develop a view of education that is student centered and empowering. So many teachers become frustrated after a few years teaching due to negative experiences, but with this shift in perspective, teachers can become equipped to engage students in meaningful learning experiences that are authentic and can lead to positive changes for …show more content…
To engage students in issues of oppression for social change was my rationale for teaching social studies, and this book can inspire teacher alike to rethink what they know about education. I would recommend that teachers read this book due to its ability to reshape education into a powerful tool that can be used to empower students to make a change in their life. This book could serve the veteran teacher who is becoming disillusioned with the realities of teaching that do not always match their ideals that they began with. For that teacher, this book could serve as an inspiration to rethink and revise their curriculum to create learning experiences that truly engage that student and bring satisfaction to both the teacher and
The author builds a case for how critical theory can be applied to education by first “unpacking” what we know in education and then illustrating how a shift in how we decide how knowledge is formed can lead to a better understanding of how schools can be a tool to empower students. By doing this, this book allows for teachers rethink how schools function to develop a view of education that is student centered and empowering. So many teachers become frustrated after a few years teaching due to negative experiences, but with this shift in perspective, teachers can become equipped to engage students in meaningful learning experiences that are authentic and can lead to positive changes for …show more content…
To engage students in issues of oppression for social change was my rationale for teaching social studies, and this book can inspire teacher alike to rethink what they know about education. I would recommend that teachers read this book due to its ability to reshape education into a powerful tool that can be used to empower students to make a change in their life. This book could serve the veteran teacher who is becoming disillusioned with the realities of teaching that do not always match their ideals that they began with. For that teacher, this book could serve as an inspiration to rethink and revise their curriculum to create learning experiences that truly engage that student and bring satisfaction to both the teacher and