hooks challenges us as educators to think are we educating as the practice of freedom or are we merely striving to reinforce domination? All our actions should be contributing towards enhancing our capacity to be free. Without creating learning spaces to develop our capacity to think critically about ourselves and our lives, none us can move forward.įew courageously resist the brainwashing of the “banking system”. A transgressive approach to education is when educators support others and themselves to achieve the freedom to live fully in the world. Teaching to transgress is about pushing against the boundaries, to challenge racism, sexism, classism and all forms of oppression in the world. Therefore our methods of teaching as educators must be living examples of our politics – how we would like the world to be. No education institution is politically neutral. Education as freedomįor black folks teaching, educating, was fundamentally political because it was rooted in antiracist struggle. Instead of a critical dialogue between students and teachers – silence and obedience to authority were most rewarded, with a necessity to be like white children. She learnt the classroom can also be oppressive and an extension of white supremacy. Here, she experiences the trauma of being in a space dominated by white teachers and white students. Hooks was later taken to an integrated school.

Too much eagerness to learn could easily be seen as a threat to white authority. At home, gender expectations were forced down on her, on how she should behave as a young girl, both by her father and mother. School was a relief to her patriarchal and violent home life. Here, black children were the focus of their teachers and could thrive in their learning and think critically about the world around them. In Teaching to Transgress hooks shares the joy of education in a racially segregated public school. To be changed by ideas was a pure pleasure…Home was the place where I was forced to conform to someone else’s image of who and what I should be. Her name is deliberately uncapitalised in order for us to focus on her work rather than her title, her ideas rather than her personality. Gloria chose to take on her great-grandmother’s name, Bell Blair Hooks to be the voice of her work. I will not bow down to somebody else’s whim or to someone else’s ignorance.īell hooks is the writing voice of Gloria Jean Watkins.

bell hooks shares how we can create learning relationships that are joyful, revolutionary and deliver freedom for all of us. A book that will challenge your practice as an educator, trainer, student and person in the world.

Bell hooks and education