Love

“If I do not love the world—If I do not love life—If I do not love [people]—I cannot enter into dialogue.” – Paulo Freire

For social workers supporting students, love is foundational to meaningful relationships and learning. Though embracing love requires vulnerability, it fosters trust, connection, and growth. Communication extends beyond words—our actions reflect care and commitment. Observing our interactions, such as offering encouragement, active listening, and showing respect, helps us assess and improve our approach.

Humility

“[People] who lack humility (or have lost it) cannot come to the people, cannot be their partners in naming the world … Dialogue cannot exist without humility.” – Paulo Freire

In social work, humility is essential for building trust and fostering meaningful student relationships. Social workers who approach students with a genuine desire to learn from and understand them create more effective connections than those who impose expertise without listening. Recognizing students’ voices as valuable ensures a collaborative, empowering dynamic.

Hope

“Dialogue cannot be carried on in a climate of hopelessness. If the dialoguers expect nothing to come of their efforts, their encounters will be empty, sterile, bureaucratic, and tedious.” – Paulo Freire

In social work, fostering hope is essential to meaningful engagement with students. Believing in their potential—paired with support and guidance—creates an environment where growth feels possible. Setting high expectations and providing resources to meet them shows students that their efforts matter. When social workers offer encouragement backed by tangible progress, they help students develop confidence in their abilities.

faith

“Faith in [people] is an a priori requirement for dialogue; the ‘dialogical [person]’ believes in other [people] even before [meeting] them face to face.” – Paulo Freire

When teachers have faith in students, they see them as autonomous individuals deserving of respect. This faith in students paves the way for a deeper trust to be established, and trust is critical in any relationship where real, meaningful learning is a goal. More importantly, having faith in students can instill a true and profound sense of self-worth and help them to value themselves in all future relationships.

Critical Thinking

“Only dialogue … is … capable of generating critical thinking.” – Paulo Freire

To promote student learning, we must ask ourselves, “Are we letting the students do the thinking?” Freire’s insight reminds us that students cannot engage in critical thinking unless we approach them with openness and a willingness to learn from them. Strategies for fostering a thinking environment include:

• Connecting learning to student interests
• Asking thought-provoking questions
• Encouraging reflection and discussion
• Creating opportunities for active problem-solving
  By engaging students in meaningful dialogue, we help them develop the skills to think critically and take ownership of their learning.