Teaching Toward Freedom: Moral Commitment and Ethical Action in the Classroom

by William Ayers

For William Ayers, noted educator and activist, "the allure of teaching, that ineffable magic drawing me back to the classroom again and again, issues from an ideal that lies directly at its Teaching, at its best, is an enterprise that helps human beings reach the full measure of their humanity."

In Teaching Toward Freedom, Ayers illuminates the hope as well as the conflict that characterize the entire project of how it can be used in authoritarian and dehumanizing ways in the service of the state, the church, or a restrictive existing social order-an idea he abhors-or, as he envisions it, as an undertaking to help students become more fully human, more engaged, more participatory, more free. Drawing on his own classroom experiences and those of his many colleagues, as well as on popular culture, film, poetry, and novels, Ayers redraws the lines concerning how we teach and why, and the surprising things we uncover when we allow students to become visible, vocal authors of their own texts and creators of their own lives.

"Committed and aware teachers," Ayers argues, "must endeavor to accomplish two crucial tasks. One is to convince students . . . that there is no such thing as receiving an education as a passive receptor or an inert vessel-in that direction lies nothing but subservience, indoctrination, and worse. All real education is and must always be self-education. The second task is to demonstrate to students . . . that they are valued, that their humanity is honored, and that their growth, enlightenment, and liberation are the paramount concern. We take the side of the student. . . ." This lucid and inspiring book will help teachers at every level to realize that ideal.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Teaching

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

William Ayers is Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago (retired), education activist, and bestselling author of Teaching the Taboo: Courage and Imagination in the Classroom (with Rick Ayers), To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher, Third Edition, and To Teach: The Journey, in Comics (with Ryan Alexander-Tanner).

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tend to prefer books with concrete ideas about improving teaching over rhetoric designed to motivate teachers. This book did not offer me anything new.

[Nora Tejeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great perspective on the purpose and challenges of the educator. Inspiring!

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must Read for teachers, or anyone fighting for ethical schooling

There was a lot of mind-openers that really make you think about why schools are set up the way they are, Ayers really drives you into what it truly means to teach especially when society makes it so hard to do so. A lot of inspiration that motivates any prospective educator, school worker, or someone who just wants to delve into an amazing rhetoric about humanity.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful prose and very thought-provoking. A book about teaching that isn't a "teaching book".

[Christyneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

From an author who's come to be associated with violence, this book may prove confounding to readers. However, in the field of education, it is not uncommon to find so compassionate a view toward students and teachers from Bill Ayers. I've used this with pre-service teachers as they consider their moral and ethical professional foundations. Well worth the read.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another one that made me reflect on my teaching style and truly see what I was doing for my students. THe book is full of highlighted lines and notes for me to challenge myself repeatedly. I just forget to pull it out!

[Ted Heitz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Moral and ethical foundations? This is Bill Ayers, remember? Read it again while thinking to yourself: Bill Ayers felt it necessary to eliminate(execute) 25 million AMERICANS if need be to foster his revolution. What do you think is the true message here?

[Lisa Bourbonnais · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful and questionable in many ways. Ayers backs up his commentary with examples from popular culture(music and film) and classic literature which I really liked. Look up his political past and it just may change your views of him as a writer of anything regarding morals and/or ethics.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me so many great leads on what to read next. It made me excited to be training as a teacher. It made me love language and learning. It is an excellent introduction to education and I'm so glad I read it early in the year.

[cubbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am a terrible teacher.