Running head: Two Twentieth Century Educators 1

William W. Brickman and Paulo Freire:

Two Twentieth Century Educators
Lindsey Winter
orthcentral !ni"ersity
Two Twentieth Century Educators #
William W. Brickman and Paulo Freire: Two Twentieth Century Educators
The ad"ancement o$ education re%uires &oth a re$lection o$ history' as well as an
e"aluation o$ current standards. William W. Brickman and Paulo Freire re(resent the $igurati"e
&ookends o$ this theory $or the twentieth century. Through an analysis )"eta *ilo"a and William
C. Brehm+s article' ,For the Lo"e o$ -nowledge.' Brickman+s (ath to &ecoming a li$elong
learner and (reser"ationist o$ historical e(istemology will &e assessed. Con"ersely' Paulo
Freire+s theories o$ humanitarianism and em(owerment o$ the o((ressed will &e assessed through
the analysis o$ Frank /. Flanagan+s cha(ter on Paulo Freire $rom the &ook' The Greatest
Educators Ever. The two educators will then &e com(ared and contrasted.
William W. Brickman: Preservationist of Historical Epistemology
William W. Brickman was ,an indi"idual o$ uncommon commitment to $urthering the
$ield' while (reser"ing its theoretical and methodological di"ersity through academic $reedom
and integrity. 0*ilo"a and Brehm' #111' (. 2#3. 4s a (roduct o$ early twentieth century
multicultural ew 5ork' Brickman was not only a com(rehensi"e li$elong learner' &ut also a
(reser"ationist o$ historical e(istemology. Brickman &ecame (ro$icient in multinational theories
through diligent research and cataloging o$ historic (ractical education and theorists. 6e was a
model o$ a((lied com(arati"e education to his colleagues. Brickman &elie"ed in o(en7
mindedness and healthy de&ate to (ush the limits o$ his $ield. 6e also &elie"ed in learning $rom
the historical $igures who already (a"ed the way in the $ield o$ education. *ilo"a and Brehm
0#1113
Two Twentieth Century Educators 2
Paulo Freire: Humanitarian of the Oppressed
Paulo Freire &elie"ed in sel$7awareness and em(owerment. )n his youth' Freire witnessed
,the ignorance and lethargy o$ the (easants 8as9 rooted in their (olitical' economic' and social
(owerlessness 0Flanagan' #11:' ((. 1;<3. Freire stro"e towards cou(ling Christian ideology and
educational (hiloso(hy. 6e considered learning to &e a thought$ul multisensory and kinesthetic
(rocess. Freire &elie"ed knowledge to &e ,not the (ro(erty o$ teachers to &egin with' &ut the end
result o$ true teacher=student dialogue. 0Flanagan' #11:' ((. 1>13. 6e was also a su((orter o$
instilling intrinsic moti"ation in the o((ressed. 6e &elie"ed (eo(le o$ all socioeconomic classes
should work together and em(athi?e with each other. Flanagan 0#11:3
Compare and Contrast of Brickman and Freire
William C. Brickman and Paulo Freire re(resented two great educational minds o$ the
twentieth century. Both Brickman and Freire e@(erienced youth in the early twentieth century.
They were also e%ually e@(osed to ad"ersity. Both educators &elie"ed in (ensi"e discussion to
$urther the $ield o$ education $rom all $actions. While Brickman in"estigated historical $igures'
(hiloso(hies' and theoriesA Freire e@amined the current socioeconomic and (olitical climates o$
the time in regards to education. Brickman took a more analytical a((roach to a((lying
education while Freire &elie"ed in (ractical a((lication. Flanagan 0#11:3A *ilo"a and Brehm
0#1113.
Conclusion
For today+s scholars and educators' William W. Brickman remains an e@am(le o$
stead$ast integrity and (erse"erance. )n his time' he ,e@em(li$ied the (rinci(les o$ academic
honesty' integrity' and $reedom in (ursuing his own scholarshi( and $urthering com(arati"e
education as a $ield o$ study. 0*ilo"a and Brehm' #111' (. 2#3. Paulo Freire+s theories continue
Two Twentieth Century Educators <
to &e an ethical and humanitarian &eacon $or teaching and learning. Progression o$ education
re%uires the $aculties' a(titudes' and considerations o$ all ty(es o$ (eo(le.
Two Twentieth Century Educators :
Re$erences
Flanagan' F. /. 0#11:3. Paulo Freire (1921-1997): Education $or Freedom. The Greatest
Educators Ever 0((. 1;<71><3. London' BBR: Continuum )nternational Pu&lishing.
*ilo"a' ).' C Brehm' W. C. 0#1113. For the Lo"e o$ -nowledge. European Education, <#' 1D72E.
doi:11.#D:2=E!E11:E7<>2<<#1#1#