[Weekly Inspiration] Teaching Your Students to be Themselves

Ready to warm up your brain after the weekend? Check out this quote by educator and philosopher Paulo Freire on the importance of encouraging students to be themselves:

"The teacher is of course an artist, but being an artist does not mean that he or she can make the profile, can shape the students. What the educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves."

 -Paulo Freire 

This Brazilian educator and philosopher believed that education should not be a neutral process, where teachers simply deposit information into the minds of students. Instead, Freire felt that education should be an exchange between students and teachers, where both learn, question, reflect, and extract meaning together. He sought to take an approach to teaching that empowered students and encouraged teachers to be active members of their learning communities.

In reflecting on these wise words, think about the ways you've made it possible for your students to become themselves.

Feeling inspired? Check out this blog by educator Lisa Bliss for tips on how you can make student relationships a priority in your classroom.