Teaching to Transgress

Education as the Practice of Freedom

By: bell hooks

Narrated by: Robin Miles

In Teaching to Transgress, Bell Hooks - writer, teacher, and insurgent black intellectual - writes about a new kind of education, education as the practice of freedom. Teaching students to "transgress" against racial, sexual, and class boundaries in order to achieve the gift of freedom is, for Hooks, the teacher's most important goal.

Bell Hooks speakes to the heart of education today: how can we rethink teaching practices in the age of multiculturalism? What do we do about teachers who do not want to teach, and students who do not want to learn? How should we deal with racism and sexism in the classroom?

Full of passion and politics, Teaching to Transgress combines a practical knowledge of the classroom with a deeply felt connection to the world of emotions and feelings. This is the rare book about teachers and students that dares to raise questions about eros and rage, grief and reconciliation, and the future of teaching itself.

"To educate is the practice of freedom," writes Bell Hooks, "is a way of teaching anyone can learn." Teaching to Transgress is the record of one gifted teacher's struggle to make classrooms work.

©1994 Bell Hooks (P)2017 Post Hypnotic Press Inc.

Useful but not earthshaking

Because I’m teaching a course in literary criticism, I listened to bell hooks’ book. Transforming classrooms is a good idea, but many of us teach by a sort of Socratic method already, and I had professors who did this decades ago. The book is somewhat dated and uses stereotypes as it decries them. My suggestion to readers is to read a more recent book by this author.

Inspiring, not just for teachers

I bought this because I liked the title and had always wanted to read something by bell hooks. I was incredibly moved by her vision of a space of learning and living beyond the hierarchies which implicitly rule us all, most of the time. In a way we are all a teacher for someone, we are all subject to the authority of education, and we are all operating under a system in which some viewpoints are deemed more valid than others. I found this book to be insightful, cutting to the heart of the matter, and providing a way to be more free. Absolutely loved it. And this narrator is so far my favorite of all on Audible. She is the other reason I bought this audio book, because I so enjoyed her narration of The Warmth of Other Suns (also a wonderful book).

Love the book, Love the narrator!

I read this book twice in the past 8 years. It’s a beautifully written book that pushes educators’ way of thinking about their roles as teachers and how to center students in their own learning experience; how to let go of the banking system where teachers simply transmit knowledge and facts to passive students and instead sees education as a gateway to liberation. For the most part the writing is very accessible, although she does use some academic terms every once in a while. I dowloaded the audible version to listen while doing other things to review it for a book club. I LOVE the narrator. Robin Miles should narrate every book in audible!

great insights

so amazing. great reader. a must- read for all teachers. excellent insight. going to read more of bh asap.

Must read for meaningful education

The opening chapter is essentially my manifesto as an educator of educators. This should be required reading for every teacher and parent.