South American Educators Meet To Redefine Their Sociopolitical Role

Soon, teachers and educators across Latin Americapreparatory experiences, and how they influence his or
and Spain will be attending the Fifth Ibero-Americanher ability to relate to and interact with those who are
Conference of Teachers, Educators and Researchersbeing taught; (2)Exploration of practical and innovative
((Quinto Encuentro IberoAmericano de Colectivas yteaching methods. The construction and development
Redes de Maestros que Hacen Investigacion eof curricula take front stage during this segment;
Innovacion Desde Su Escuela y Comunidad). One of(3)Exploration of political projects that focus on what
their objectives is to make teachers and educatorsactions teachers can take to emancipate the formal
authors of and protagonists for the emancipation ofeducational process. How can teachers harness their
the educational process. The hope is that teacherspower so that formal education is made more
can expand their influence beyond the limits of theirresponsive to the needs of individuals within a
school rooms; that they can mobilize and organize tocommunity as opposed to the needs of governments
the extent that a pedagogy of emancipation canand corporations? What can teachers do to facilitate
spread beyond school walls and influence thethe incorporation of multiculturalism, ethnic experiences,
socio-educational and political realms. Participating in thismultiple languages and other such factors that tend to
year's event will be representatives from Argentina,be neglected or trivialized by status quo educators and
Spain, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brasil.administrators; (4)Exploration of emerging educational
Representatives and teachers from Bolivia, Chile, Cuba,techniques and experiences; and (5)Exploration of
Ecuador and Nicaragua are also expected to attendscientific and occupational initiatives. The conference,
and participate. The Venezuelan chapter will host thewhich is held every two years, will begin on July 13,
event this year. Its National Coordinator is Professor2008 and continue until July 20. The organizers have
Mirna Sojo Sojo. She will be assisted by Maritzaseparated Venezuela into fifty expeditionary school
Lopez, Arturo Perez and a host of other dedicateddistrict routes. For the first four days, each participant
and forward thinking educators. While discussing thewill stay in one of these districts. Each district will
conference with Professor Sojo and when perusingaccommodate between 15 and 25 participants, who
the informational materials that have been distributed,will be able to meet with teachers and members of
the theme of emancipating the educational process isthe community, interchange ideas and objectives and
a recurring one. But emancipating it from what, somediscover how to make community objectives a more
might ask? Could the answer be status quointegral part of the education process. Participants
governments? Many in the United States arefrom other countries will thereby have the opportunity
convinced that the educational process is not gearedto actually experience what teachers and community
toward developing people but controlling them andmembers experience and emancipate the educational
preparing them to perform tasks that serve theprocess by augmenting the role and relevance of
interests of government and big business. Apparentlycommunity priorities. Attendees will spend the final
this train of thought is prevalent in other countries asthree days in or near Caracas, attending workshops
well. Could it be that progressive educators in theand meetings that bring most of the participants
United States can look to educators in South Americatogether. In the words of Professor Sojo, "As a
for a measure of guidance? The aims of theconsequence of this conference, we want to produce
conference include deepening the interchange ofa document that makes a strong case for an
experiences among teachers from the participatingeducational alternative free of neoliberal and capitalist
countries, strengthening the learning experience andinfluences. A high quality, free education that is
teaching techniques, recognizing the teachingbeneficial to our communities can be provided." The
experiences that promote forms of organization,Fifth Ibero-American Conference of Teachers and
articulating proposals that perpetuate the productionResearchers is open to participation by non Spanish
and sharing of knowledge between teachers andspeaking educators, and translators are in place to
communities, recognizing the educational experiencesaccommodate them. For more information google
that spring from the communities and empowering the"redcires."
conference's mobilization movement within theMba Mbulu is an independent educator specializing in
participating countries. The central themes that will bethe politics of history, particularly as it relates to people
covered during the conference are various butof African descent throughout the world. He is the
interrelated. They include: (1)Exploration of what goesfounder of Aset University, author of several books
into making a teacher or educator. Taken intoand creator of an alternative education curriculum.
consideration are the teacher's personal, practical and