Transformative Pedagogical Evaluation: Freirean Principles Practiced in Brazilian Public Schools

Abstract

In Brazil, the evaluation that is currently practiced in schools has been promoting the failure of the poorest, who eventually interrupt their studies, convinced of their incompetence. This article shows that, in contrast, hundreds of schools across the country adopt a cooperative dialogical pedagogy of evaluation. As part of an approach based on Freirean principles, the Telessala Methodology teaches students who are discriminated against by the traditional school, that they are smart and creative, with power to change their lives and the world. This chapter describes the Telessala Methodology and how it manifests the principles of Freirean pedagogy with implications for evaluation.

Critical and transformative approaches in leadership evaluation and research

“…In general, evaluation has three purposes: determine accountability, gain new knowledge, and improve an agency's capability (Chelminsky, 1997 ); however, these purposes do not necessitate that participants’ voices are included; thus, additional purposes drive a critical approach (Guimarães, 2017 ). Critical evaluation centers participants’ experiences and focuses on what we are learning, applies the learning to inform and drive change, and nurtures critical consciousness such that people can make sense of the reality we evaluate and act on it (Patton, 2017 ; Suàrez‐Herrera et al., 2009 ).…”