Free-Text

Writer's workshops/free writing as a tool/key to open doors into the lives/interests of each student.
Student's written work in free writing, that is, whatever is of importance to the students, becomes the
filling of prescribed expectations. Free Writing/Text is a specific to my philosophy of education,
learning, and knowledge. These Free Text provide a material relation to the language(s) that
students/teachers produce, students/teacher are able to take possession, and responsibility, of their own
voice through individual free expression. It can become a space to voice their relationships within and
beyond the classroom, to the wider community (school, home, neighbourhood, nation, world). A
democratic space of ideas.
Clestin Freinet (1896-1966)
In October 1924, Freinet introduced the Learning Printing Technique. This collective printing press was
fundamental to Freinet schools, where students learned to read and write (the word and the world) by
collaboratively creating a newspaper based on their own observations and views of the world. The
pupils wrote down their own personal adventures, incidents inside and outside the classroom, etc..
Freinet called these texts Free Writing (Texte libre). These texts would then be assembled into a
Classroom Journal (Livre de vie) and then into a School Newspaper (Journal scolaire). These
School Newspapers would come to be regularly exchanged with other schools newspapers throughout
France, and later throughout the world, a technique Freinet called School Correspondence
(Correspondance scolaire).

'techniques for living'

'texte libres' 'free texts' - points of departure into (online articles) and group circle discussions free text begin with free-form writing of student/teacher observation of their environment(s),a
place to raise questions (for whom? By whom?), and provide avenues of
departure/transformation.
As a way to honour student's voice(s), experiences, and language(s)

References
Schlemminger, Gerald (1999). The Freinet Movement: Past and Present.
http://www.phkarlsruhe.de/fileadmin/user_upload/dozenten/schlemminger/articles_publies/01His
tory-Freinet1.pdf (accessed April 8, 2015).