26-18
Linking awareness development to the learning of practical skills
Paulo Freire first developed his methods of ‘conscientization’ as part of an effort
to help Brazilian farm people learn how to read and write. Thus, education for the
development of critical awareness was linked from the first with the learning of
skills that made the poor more equal to the rich.
This linkage may be a key to success in the use of Freire’s methods. In fact,
many people who have tried to separate consciousness raising from the learning
of practical skills have had serious difficulties. Freire himself, when he began to
work in Chile after his exile from Brazil, found that people quickly grew impatient
with the consciousness-raising dialogues unless they were combined, from the
first, with literacy training. People had not come to ‘raise their consciousness’,
but to learn how to read and write!
To be most effective, educational methods that increase self-confidence
and social awareness should be built into all aspects of training programs
and community activities.
Unfortunately, some training programs separate the development of awareness from
the learning of practical skills. Instructors may hold special ‘consciousness-raising’
sessions based on group dialogue, but use conventional lectures for teaching about
health. This is a big mistake. It would be more effective to forget the special sessions
but to use awareness-building methods throughout all aspects of training.
This does not mean that ‘consciousness raising’ should be continually talked
about. In some places, it may be wise not to talk about it at all. Rather it means
that we should look for ways to combine awareness-raising discussions with
other study and activity. This we have tried to do throughout this book.
Development of critical awareness is more ‘down to earth’
when combined with learning practical skills, or working.