The Importance of Reading by Paulo Freire, Translated by Loretta Slover
Published by Journal of Education, 1983
Genre: essay
Format: I found a copy online.
Paulo Freire was in his 40s in Brazil during a time of political upheaval. In 1964, after spending time in prison as an intellectual radical, Freire left Brazil in exile and didn't return for nearly 20 years. Freire had just spent years teaching illiterate adults in rural Brazil and Chile to read. His experience was that though the systems of the world had trampled these humans, they weren't empty banks that a rich and generous system of education would fill, they were intelligent human beings who would bring dignity and knowledge of their own to the educational exchange.
Freire wrote his most well known work The Pedagogy of the Oppressed after moving to the US during his exile. The intro of the 30th anniversary edition notes Freire's hope for a world "less ugly, more round, and more just."
In 1983, Freire's "The Importance of Reading" was published. The essay makes reading texts a checkpoint part of the human experience. Before humans reach text reading, they've already been "reading the world" for years. Freire recounts his own world from childhood, remembering specific trees he loved and the smell of mangoes. Someone uses language to express concepts he already knows. I wouldn't need the word "trees" if I weren't surrounded by them. When we experience something, we name it. When we name something, we're also creating. Thus, reading is an act of validating, connecting, and reimagining our world. It can't be done without context.
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RATING
Friere's works have influenced modern education. He spoke honestly about the extreme classism he saw in Brazil and its impact on education, the lives and dignity of those he taught, and his own life. When it comes to reading, context is everything and should always be considered when you read. Keep reading.
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