Paulo Freire and Bell Hooks Are Both Term Paper

Paulo Freire and Bell Hooks are both well-known for their influential thinking in the area of teaching, specifically relating to the contexts of race, gender, and culture. In his writing and teaching, Freire emphasized that that learning is an act of culture and freedom. Among his main arguments is the assertion that the current education system in many developed countries is a process of "knowledge banking" (Bentley). In other words, students "bank" the information taught to them by their teachers, and store it for use sometime later in their life (Bentley). He contends that this type of educational dynamic does not allow students to think critically, nor does it allow them to approach problems innovatively (Bentley).

Similarly, hooks emphasizes that more "freedom" needs to be applied in the methods of teaching. Unlike Freire, however, hooks focuses on more specific topics, such as: feminism, gender, race, and the media.

Freire's and hooks' writings share similarities and differences. Hooks claims to be greatly influenced by Freire's work, but she finds some fault in his theories.She agrees with his assertions of "freedom" in teaching, but also believes he did not show enough equality towards woman in his work (Umass website). Instead, she believes his work to be mainly focussed on (and for) the male academic community (Umass website).

Despite this discrepancy in the two's beliefs, they both share many of the same ideals. Again, freedom in the teaching/learning process was among their mutual platforms. In her book, Teaching to Transgress, hooks writes, "To educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can learn. That learning process comes easiest to those of us who teach who also believe that there is an aspect of our vocations that is sacred; who believe that our work is not merely to share information but to share in the intellectual and spiritual growth of our students" (13).

Freire expands on this broad argument by pointing out that educators need to reach "deeper depths" in the….....