Teaching from the Heart, Towards a Practice of Liberatory Education in Sociology

Abstract

Introduction:  Over the past few years I have been reflecting on my identity as a university sociology teacher and a social activist; at the same time, I have been experimenting with teaching practices that promote a liberatory educational process. In May 1993, I was invited to give a presentation on my "Authority in Teaching" to the annual Faculty of Education retreat at my university. This provided me with an excellent opportunity to engage in critical self-reflection about my goals as a teacher and to asses the impact of my teaching practices in the classroom. I have also participated in the "Teaching in Focus" group at my university for the past two years, and this has provided me with further opportunities to reflect on my classroom practices and to explore a number of innovative approaches to teaching.