Practice of Freedom

“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.” (Shaull, 2003, p.34)

Shaull, R. (2003). Foreword. In P. Freire, Pedagogy of the oppressed: 30^th Anniversary edition. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc.

This is one of my favourite quotes. How do you as an early years educator encourage the practice of freedom in your classroom? Children today need to be prepared for life in an unknown future. This requires time for them to engage in long periods of self-directed, authentic, collaborative, and exploratory activities that focus on the process, and not necessarily the product.

Class List of Rights and Responsibilities

Some teachers encourage their students to create a class list of rights and responsibilities in order to promote equality and a sense of ownership and belonging in the classroom. This is often done at the beginning of the school year, however January (at the commencement of school after the winter break) may also be an appropriate time to engage children in this shared writing activity. Similar to the more traditional "classroom rules" lists that I remember from my elementary school experiences, the class list of rights and responsibilities focuses on nurturing a democratic environment. Samples of some of the rights my previous students have crafted include:

-everyone has the right to participate
-everyone has the responsibility to share
-each person has the chance to play
-the classroom belongs to everyone
-we respect each other's differences

-each person has the right to feel safe at school

-we value each other

Once the list of rights and responsibilities is recorded, each student has the option to sign his or her name on it. It is prominently displayed and throughout the year pictures of children in action in the classroom and around the school are posted around it.