Marxist Theories of Teaching

Introduction

Marxism is much more than an intellectual exercise or a theoretical mode of investigating the world. Marxism is a guide to action, a way to change the world in the interests of the exploited, oppressed, and dispossessed. Yet it is no dogmatic guide. In fact, Marx’s own theories evolved over the course of his life, and they did in response to changes in the workers’ movement in which Marx and his frequent co-thinker, Frederick Engels, were deeply involved. While Marx never explicitly addressed teaching or pedagogy, his work left a rich and capacious reserve from which teacher educators have drawn. However, as Marxism is not a fixed dogma, it’s necessary to clarify that Marxism is much broader than the writings of Marx. In this sense, Marxist theories of teaching are both contributions to teacher education and contributions to Marxist theory and practice.

One of the key pillars of Marx’s work is historical materialism, which asserts that world developments on any level are...