Autonomy, cooperativeness and self-management in Freinet: foundations of an international solidarity pedagogy

Abstract

Since the late twentieth century, modern public education has come under new influences of hegemonic policies with technocratic, marketing and financial biases. Given this scenario, one of its main foundations, pedagogical autonomy, is under pressure and conditioning in the world. Thus, I argue that the study of autonomy in modern education may help critically clarify the conditions and its development in history. From this perspective, one of the recognized pedagogical works is the so-called pedagogy of work or modern school, by Célestin Freinet (1896-1966), which I sought to analyze through literature review. Therefore, in this study I focus on its means and theoretical and methodological foundations such as free speech, free work, free cooperation, work techniques, free inquiry, interschool communication. In the analysis, I have observed the presence of a heterodox Marxist theoretical framework implicit in Freinet's methodology, particularly related to the theory of the material relations of production, the theory of alienation and the internationalist doctrine. Such foundations, coupled with the originality of Freinet, enabled the creation of technical means and international cooperation, which underlie the radical autonomy of his pedagogy. As for findings, I observe and describe foundations which have been little analyzed in Freinet, given their embryonic nature in his time and space: the international cooperativeness and self-management of the modern school. Such foundations reveal not only the relevance and timeliness of the author to the rescue and development of pedagogical autonomy but also the expansion of the size of Freinet's work as an international solidarity pedagogy in the difficult current historical context.