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MARK FLORICAR G. HIPOLITO

Humanizing Pedagogy

The purpose of humanizing pedagogy is to realize the goals of humanization, that

is recovering, liberating, and empowering humanity (everyone) from the unjust social
orders: inequality, violence, injustice, and oppression.

Humanizing education envisions that students/learners will become individuals who

have the mind, the skills, and most of all the heart to become transformative agents of
society constantly questioning and challenging the people, institutions, and systems that
create injustice in society. Learners must be aware, critical, and reflective with what is
happening around them to advance not just their interest but the good of everyone and
not treating others as a tool for their end but know how to empathize, work, and share
with them. This process doesn’t just entail a grandiose theory but most of all, there must
be actions that must be carried to effect change in society.

With those aforementioned goals for students, the teacher must have hope for
students and model the visons of humanizing education. The teacher, as the facilitator of
learning, must be able to offer learning activities that will lead to the holistic development
of learners. Rather than seeing and making learners passive as if they are empty vessels
waiting to be filled in by the teacher, learners must be allowed to speak up, share their
insights/ideas/opinions, and participate in the decision making process inside the
classroom.

The teacher must expose the students to the various issues that confront society,
with the different instruments perpetuating inhumanity in the society, for them to become
aware and responsive to the things that dehumanize man. By integrating these concerns
inside the classroom, lessons become relevant to them (the students) and realize the
multifaceted impacts of these issues in their lives and in the way we live. They must be
able to reflect/discern/contemplate on these things and what possible actions they can
take to move forward and advance the common good. These tasks may not be easy to
accomplish but the first step is to always allow our students to think, speak, and react in
the classroom.
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MARK FLORICAR G. HIPOLITO

Aside from that, the teacher must be able to extend him/herself to the learners,
making them feel that they are valued and recognize. Despite their culture, history,
perspectives, and where they are coming from, respect is shown, and they realize that we
belong to one humanity.

I’d like to quote Father Bert Alejos statement, “Sa ibabaw ng tubig, mga isla’y hiwa-
hiwalay. Pero kapag ika’y sumisid sa pusod ng daigidg, lahat ay magkakaugnay”. Thus,
peace, cooperation, understanding will always be possible because humanity is one, and
education will always be the first step for us to create a humane society, home of humane
beings.