Paulo Freire And William Brickman Essay

Comparing Paulo Freire and William Brickman There were many great educators in the twentieth century who laid the foundation for the field of education in the twenty first century. Two such educators were Paulo Freire and William Brickman. These great educators sought to research and adhere to such theories that has allowed the world to envision education differently through their dreams and theories. Educator Paulo Freire was born in Brazil in 1921 and later embellished in the impoverished peasantry to witness what would drastically change his life and that of the educational sector (Flanagan, 2005). This stimulation emerged from the intricate activities of Freire and his family actually participating due to mishap from an unfortunate situation that resulted from the Wall St. crash in 1929 (Flanagan, 2005). Freire’s living among the oppressed, allowed him to witness how poverty affected the likes of education. Through Freire’s work, it left a remarkable slant in history that has changed the education for the oppressed leaving Freire as an advocate for the oppressed.
Educator William Brickman was a renowned educator, linguist, and founder of Comparative Education Society.
He was known as “the architect of the Comparative Education Society” (Swing 1987, p. 1) (Silova & Brehm, 2010). Despite living in terrible conditions and disease-laden street, Brickman was still exposed to rich culture, history and language that allowed him to achieve remarkable heights (Silova & Brehm, 2010). Brickman’s belief for success was that of “firsthand visitation” to the regions of study to accommodate the material in which is being studied is far more advanced than studying alone. (Silova & Brehm,
2010).

COMPARING FREIRE AND BRICKMAN

Freire’s belief is that “Education is never neutral” (Flanagan, 2005). Freire made a contribution with a major and most influential piece of work, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. This piece of work noted how the oppressed was dehumanized by individuals and not allow them to maximize their humanity. (Flanagan, 2005) Through the development of the “banking” concept of education, this allows individuals to be taught, through a partnership with teachers, with creativity, life, and a development of what should be expected from life.
Brickman brought his knowledge to contribute to the field of comparative and international education. Through examining historical scholarships and teaching methods, Brickman’s legacy of comparative education,
Both Freire and Brickman encountered resistance at some point. During the course of what Brickman wanted to continue to be an astonishing endeavor, in the mid-60’s his vision began to fade due to science and statistics becoming the dominant tool in the comparative education arena. (Silova & Brehmn, 2010). Freire, on the other hand, was masked by oppression at an early age due to unfortunate circumstances that allowed him to see the stifling activities first hand and was taught an unforgettable lesson about oppression. (Flanagan, 2005).
Freire and Brickman were similar in that they were both advocates to ensure the advancement of a better education is some manner. Freire had a passion for education of Freedom for the oppressed. Through some determinant, he would find a way to ensure that all participants of education shared a role in the vision of the betterment of the students. Likewise,
COMPARING FREIRE AND BRICKMAN

Brickman wanted comparative education to be an authentic field of study. Brickman wanted individuals to explore the areas in which they studied firsthand in order to effectively engage within the classroom (Silova & Brehmn 2010). Freire and Brickman were expressing two different theories regarding education. Brickman was exposed to poverty yet received some exquisite knowledge from his experiences. With those knowledge’s it led to extensive research and the works of scholars that has affected the world today. While Freire’s experiences allowed him to see things from a different perspective to want to change what was happening in an area where human became to a product of their environment. Freire wanted to change the view point to provide hope that all things can be if you have love, hope, charity and faith ( Flanagan, 2005). In conclusion, both educators were great during their time. Both made endowing contributions that are lifelong for the dedication of education and the participants and the lives that it will effect. Freire and Brickman both faced oppositions that could have taken them on an alternate path, however; the beat the odds. Freire chose to adhere to what he faced to ensure that no person had to endure through the education of others and Brickman provided extensive research working diligently throughout his life. Each educator faced an opposition, but each educator’s opposition became a lesson.

References
Flanagan, F.M. (2005). Paulo Freire (1921-1997): Education for Freedom: Greatest Educators Ever (pp. 184-194). London, GBR: Continuum International Publishing, (2005, p. 196).

Silova, I. & Brehm, W.C. (2010). For the Love of Knowledge. William W. Brickman and His Comparative Education. European Education 42, (Summer 2010, pp. 17-36).
Doi: 10.2753/EUE1056-4934420202.