I was fortunate enough to hear Sonia Nieto speak yesterday about her new book, Dear Paulo: Letters from Those Who Dare Teach. Wow. It is an inspiring and thoughtful collection of letters written by teachers, academics and community workers in response to the work of Paulo Freire. The letters are organized under themes such as fear, courage, pedagogy, politics, love and freedom – among others. I find myself savoring each letter, as each one gives me many things to think about and to reflect upon in my own teaching and learning, as well as the state of education today. A quote from Sonia’s talk that continues to echo in my mind is, “look for spaces where we can make change.” In today’s educational climate, change is desperately needed. It can be overwhelming to think of how we can make change and make a difference. Yet, the words of Paulo Freire remind me of how important this is.
“And as far as making the world, our world, a better place goes, there is no need to distinguish between modest or extravagant actions. Anything that can be done with competence, loyalty, clarity, perseverance, anything that strengthens the fight against the powers of non-love, selfishness, and evil, is equally important.”
-Paulo Freire, Teachers as Cultural Workers: Letters to Those Who Dare Teach (1998), p. 51.
One way you can make change today is by signing a letter to Senator Obama that explains what we want for our public schools. We need to make our voices heard, and it does seem that Senator Obama is willing to listen. Please sign the letter electronically, and pass it along to friends, family and colleagues. This is a “space to make change” right now.
Education Reform Letter to Obama
Enjoy!
