Challenging credentialism: An alternative vision of education (Encore)

June 20, 2025 00:36:43
Challenging credentialism: An alternative vision of education (Encore)
Ethical Schools
Challenging credentialism: An alternative vision of education (Encore)

Jun 20 2025 | 00:36:43

/

Show Notes

We speak with Arlene Goldbard, writer, visual artist, speaker, social activist and consultant,  whose most recent book is “In the Camp of Angels of Freedom: What does it mean to be educated?” An autodidact from a working-class background, Arlene challenges “the certainty that academic qualifications are the best measure of ability.” She interweaves the stories and portraits of her “angels,” her personal story, and a critique of standard narratives of education. We talk with her in particular about two of her “angels,” Paulo Freire and Paul Goodman.

Overview

00:00-00:38 Intros

00:38-02:41 What “In the Camp of Angels of Freedom: What It Means to be Educated” is about

02:41: 03:55 Definition of auto-didact

03:55-05:39 Project-based education/Action civics/"What Would YOU Do?”

05:39-07:12 Removing bachelor’s degree requirement from State jobs

07:12-09:03 Advice to high school students about options

09:03-10:34 When is a liberal arts education valuable beyond credentials?

10:34-20:42 Alternative ways to expand horizons beyond/in addition to college

20:42-25:28 K-12 education

25:28-27:31 Paulo Freire

27:31-31:18 Paul Goodman

31:18-32:50 Cultural citizenship

32:50- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Visual artwork by Arlene Goldbard "We Burn" (2019)

Other Episodes

Episode 0

June 01, 2023 00:30:50
Episode Cover

School district battles: Protecting education from bans

We speak with Mike Gottesman, founder of New Jersey Public Education Coalition (NJPEC), a grassroots organization that educates and activates NJ citizens in school...

Listen

Episode 0

October 16, 2019 00:36:02
Episode Cover

Kiersten Greene on technology in schools: “Are we doing our homework?”

We speak with Dr. Kiersten Greene, Associate Professor of Literacy Education at SUNY New Paltz, about classroom internet use. Electronic tech’s transformational possibilities can...

Listen

Episode 0

November 03, 2022 00:39:57
Episode Cover

Cultural responsiveness: is music optional?

We speak with Dr. Anne Smith, longtime music teacher in Northern Virginia, about accommodating cultural differences. Dr. Smith created an alternate curriculum for students...

Listen