Banking concept of education - Essay Example

Banking concept of education Introduction In philosophy, Paulo Freire makes hypocritical arguments in his ‘The Banking Concept of Education’, that perceive education as a banking system. It is natural for students to master the science of memory in which their abilities to recall the facts that they were taught in class will depend on their abilities to memorize thus, be a great way for their success (Sebeki 25). Like any other student in college, I have also faced the scenario in which I had to apply the arguments of Paulo Freire especially in relation to an event that occurred in during a class session I attended. The ways the instructor built and carried out the class In this particular day, I learnt or came to acceptance of the facts that a person can learn to relate the nature of instructions given by their tutors in relation to the benefits derived from the same. Particularly, I would like to describe the manner in which the tutor conducted the lesson from the beginning to the end in relation to the arguments by Freire that related to the banking concept of education. The most specific and outstanding thing is that in the class duration, the tutor’s mode of teaching appeared to have been more inclined towards inquiry-based education or problem-solving education. However, there are instances when the tutor’s teaching methods could have been perceived as focusing on ‘depositing and withdrawing’ aspects of banking; except that in this case, it was in the contextualization of education. It was on a Friday morning Philosophy class in which the tutor introduced the concept of critical thinking. In analyzing his thoughts on the same, it dawned on me that the best approach to education should be that which seeks in solving problems through offering of solutions to the same. Critical thinking as a subject area is a diverse field and in most cases, students just take down notes and only revise on them when the exams period are approaching. Actually, for some students, the passing of the exams is more essential than the knowledge itself. Applying the Freire’s argument of libertarian process of education, would have greatly led to the demystification of the teaching concepts that were espoused by the tutor. For instance, in beginning the class, the tutor asked each student to theorize, and then apply in immediate contexts the instances in which we had to engage critical thinking skills in making rational decisions. The attainment of this was through the provision of a sit-in-test that lasted for 30 minutes. While this was opposed by a section of other students, I noticed that the tutor wanted each one of us to be more of problem-solvers than bankers of education. Consequently, the tutor’s selection and use of language and practical illustrations for the topic indicated his intention for the adoption of the problem-posing and solving strategies to education. From the point of view of Freire, I perceive this distinguishing and objective learning style adopted by the tutor as useful and can be further applied in admonishing creativity among the students. However, on the other hand, I perceived the tutor’s ways of teaching as those that were inclined to the banking systems of education. According to Freire, the banking concept of education mostly perceives students as just but, recipients of what their teachers tell them irrespective of their content or the factual truth behind them. In support of this, I noticed that there were instances when the tutor just mentioned concepts or recited them without proper explanations on the same. This in my opinion assumes students to be but, receiving and withdrawing machines that just re-cycle concepts as stated by the teachers. I noticed that this was a dangerous situation, despite having been used by most teachers to refill their narrations on students. In assessing this position, I would also agree with Freire in this line since, it only makes students to be storage devices who only store that which has been entrusted on them. However, this in my opinion and experience in the class is quite dangerous and unreformed as it only makes one to be less developed in critical consciousness. As a result, such a student may end up not being true transformers in the future. In another occasion during this study, I noted that the teacher was more enthusiastic in developing a transformative practical knowledge base for all the students by encouraging critical consciousness. For instance, according to Freire, if one can be able to adopt this transformative nature of practical knowledge, the likelihood of being more equipped to survive more in a social-economic environment will be enhanced hence, help the students fight off oppressive forces that could hinder their learning prospects. I would also like to agree to this argument by Freire in that should any student feel to have been deprived by the education system; the opportunities for growth and constructive thinking, the same can be achieved through them having to undergo mutual humanization (Schreiner 124). As the lesson drew towards its end, nearly all of the students seemed to be clueless of the answers that the teacher sought for in the previous test. This was a clear indication, in my opinion, to the growing dislike that students were showing towards the banking aspects of education. The main reason why a person seeks education is that they can enhance their skills and knowledge in particular areas of interest through the provision of critical tools and practices to be used in thinking. Ideally, this is a true perception as fronted by Freire since when the teachers can be able to provide problems rather than information to the students, there arises a clear alienation and great practicality in the education process. Another common feature I noticed during the lesson, one in which is commonly practiced by American Institutions is that the required factors for the enhancement of quality education are mostly affected by the cultural shocks presented by several circumstances. As Freire argues, the nature of a classroom should be a place in which there is a cross examination of the arguments fronted by the teachers and students. As such, I expected our teacher in this lesson to employ the necessary rules that would have enhanced discussion in the class as opposed to having to read out the points. There also needs to be a clear understanding of the procedures involved as well as the encouragement of uptake of practical educational needs. A consideration of these prospects will enhance the understanding of the capital role played by the adoption of a democratic learning environment. In another instance during this lesson, I perceive the teacher as a libertarian. This takes into consideration several issues and manners by which he exchanged his ideas during the study. Consequently, he actively tried to engage the whole class whether in adopting a problem-posing education strategy or in adopting a banking education strategy. The understanding of this aspect greatly portrayed itself in the tutor since, in most occasions, he sought to talk with the students and not to them. I supported this position taking into consideration the position that would have been similarly taken by Freire. For instance, by the teacher having engaged with the students in a direct manner and actively involved them in the study, he enhanced the exchange of ideas in the classroom in which all the students learnt an aspect or two in the lesson. This is truly in contrast to when he had supposedly adopted the banking education concept. In such, it would be hardly expected that the students would have been actively engaged in discussions as the class neared the end. Furthermore, I supported this argument considering the fact that the banking concept of education mostly majors in the imparting upon or depositing of whatever must be learnt, regardless of the content or methods used towards the same (Sebeki 75). However, I am much glad that towards the end of the lesson, anyone who had been present in the beginning of the class would have perceived the tutor from a different perspective. This is because, most tutors are known to adopt a banking education system in which they just hand down facts to students without a great consideration of the need for the same to be questioned or subtracted or added on. This is a common feature all through the essay by Freire. Conclusion In conclusion, there are times during the study when I noted that the tutor was right in his sense, and needed not to follow on the precepts as set forth by Freire. This is so considering that every student is perceived to be egalitarian hence, has no need for a hierarchical approach to learning. Consequently, it would be unfair to rate all students in my class as having the same receptive skills hence, in some occasions, the banking concept of education could have greatly benefited a lot of other students whose memory was not that strong to enable them grasp on the things that were taught in the lesson time. As such, they have every right to take notes word by word and follow up on the same later at their free times. To this end, I would conclude that being a keen observer and believer of Freire’s arguments, I noted that there is much that a student and a tutor can benefit from, should the tutor-student relationship be more academically enhanced (Schreiner 110). Works Cited Schreiner, Peter. Holistic Education Resource Book: Learning and Teaching in an Ecumenical Context ; [a Publication of the Comenius-Institute and the World Council of Churches]. Mu?nster [u.a.: Waxmann, 2005. Print. Sebeki, Lennard V. Leading-edge Health Education Issues. New York: Nova Biomedical Books, 2008. Print. Read More