Three notes on Paulo Freire Institute – UCLA

“It is crucial to bridge the gap between what is said and what is done in such a way that at any given time your speech is your practice”

Paulo Freire

Besides to promote the seventh edition of the Summer Program of Paulo Freire Institute, matter that has its own article in the same Bulletin, Paulo Freire Institute – PFI/UCLA (University of California) was involved in more two formative actions quite different from each other, one in May and other in August of 2013. As described below, it is noticed that they were less extensive than the Summer Course, but less important and interventional.

The same Institute also promoted an important matter in video about Paulo Freire, included in this same article.

 

Research Apprentice Course

 

During three day, between May 17 and 19 of 2013, it was held a new edition of PFI – UCLA Annual Seminar: the RAC (Research Apprentice Course). The meeting was hosted in the desert, in Casitas Lake, Ventura, California, and was leaded by Professor Carlos Alberto Torres (director of PFI and coordinator of the Department of Social Sciences and Comparative Education from UCLA). The RAC is a seminar where several mentorees of Professor Torres share their researches. It has been a tradition that, each spring, instead to remain in classroom, the group camp, working outdoor.

In the first day, the masters students discussed their researches and, on Saturday, was the moment of doctoral students share their discovers. The last day was dedicated to fun.

 

Summer Lecture

 

On July 10, 2013, UCLA, in partnership with Latin American Institute, with the Center of Brazilian Studies and with the Institute of American Cultures, invited all interested for a formation with Prof. Dr. Sofia Lerche, which theme was: University of International Integration of African-Brazilian Lusophone – A change in the process.

University of International Integration of African-Brazilian Lusophone (UNILAB) is based on principles of solidarity cooperation. In partnership with other countries, mainly African, develops paths of economic, politic and social growth between the students, forming citizens capable of multiply the knowledge. There are thousands of people involved between students, technical, teachers and collaborators. It is an important opportunity of approximation of the participants with different contexts, contributing for the build of new knowledge.

“Brazil is assuming its great, assuming the condition of a country that, the whole life, was receptor and, now, is a donor country. We want to help others to develop themselves”, said the former President of Brazil Luís Inácio da Silva, Lula, in his week program “Coffee with the President”, on July of 2010. The tuning of the lined objectives in the search of this redemption found agreement with the city under the same name in Ceará (Redenção), pioneer in the abolition of slavery in 1883. Located 63 km from the capital of Ceará state, the creation of the campus “Redenção” represented well the proposal of UNILAB: integrate to develop.

The speaker Sofia Lerche did her masters in Education by the Federal University of Ceará (UFCE – Brazil) and the doctoral in Philosophy and History of Education by Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC – SP / Brazil). After she completed a postdoctoral by National University of Distance Education (Spain). Currently Sofia works as invited-researcher at the University of International Integration of African-Brazilian Lusophone (UNILAB) and is retired teacher of UFCE and State University of Ceará (UECE). The mediator of the activity was Prof. Carlos Alberto Torres.

 

 

“Paulo Freire Documentary Seeing Through Paulo’s Glasses: Political Clarity, Courage and Humility”

  

In the begging of August, PFI replicated in its blog a relatively known documentary on the Internet, posted in several websites, that is based on several meanings of Paulo Freire works in the life of the interviewees: Ana Cruz, Tom Wilson, Henry Ginoux and Shirley Steinberg. The documentary was directed and produced by Prof. Dr. Shirley Steinberg and Prof Dr Giuliana Cucinelli.

The documentary begins approaching the capacity of love in Freire, considering the arduous task of denouncing cruelties and injustices in the society in which we live.

With excerpts of testimonials of Paulo Freire himself, the documentary highlights his testimonies that emphasizes how difficult is to change, but also as is possible; about how his Christian, pedagogical and reflexive character wouldn’t allow him to stay idly; about the critical consciousness that would bring to the world the feeling of indignation (indignation linked to rebel not with the slum who commits a crime, but with the historical, social, political and economic situation that causes him to make it).

Ana Cruz said that the influence of Paulo in her life is not only as academic, but covers all dimensions of her life; and highlighted two of his ideas with fervor: the one that Freire didn’t see the educator as a technical and the idea of intelligence as something that does not receive, but is created, build.

Tom Wilson said that there is an enormous importance of the concept of critical conscience in his work and life. Henry Ginoux, in his turn, said that the implication of the thought of Freire are even more important today than before – the language that Freire introduces is one of the most essential things in his legacy.

Ginoux continues his testimonial saying that in everything that Paulo did there was utopia, that the Pedagogy of Oppressed gave meaning to what he develops in his life. Pedagogy is not only teach, but political action and the critical education is a basic element for democracy.

For Shirley Steinberg, all people had had different contacts with Paulo and, therefore, he has different meanings for each one. Likewise, also everybody represented something and were valued by Paulo Freire.

To watch the documentary in full, access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4jPZe-cZgc.