Palo Freire talks about the idea that teachers aren’t so
much as teaching but just filling the heads of today’s youth. He equates
students to containers waiting to be filled with useless memorizations and
missing the significance of what they are being taught. “Receive, memorize, and
repeat.” Freire has a problem with our current education system and compares
the banking problem with a problem-posing solution. Banking is the filling of
the student’s head; the all-knowing teacher who is almost dictator like in my
opinion. Teachers shouldn’t just teach so students can pass a test or memorize
answers. I know I personally wanted to become a teacher to share my joy in
literature and positively impact student’s life. It’s unfortunate to read
Freire’s chapter and realize that some teachers at the end of the day, just
want a check. Teachers should allow open dialog and a chance to grow in the
classroom. Creativity and discovery should be celebrated, yet often times
memorization is rewarded. Freire praises the idea of problem-posing and the
open dialog classroom. Freire states that we need to be intentional with our
communication to our students and be conscious of their consciousness. (Which,
took a while to wrap my head around. I am not a psych major for a reason!) I
also like the idea that in a classroom the teacher should learn from the
students as much as they are from the teacher. A two-way street seems like it
would be more indicative to a good learning environment than teacher who
lectures and fills the heads of students. I think it’s important that a good
teacher can present a material or a topic and then re-consider their original
thought when the students discuss it. It is important for us to take in anything
our students have to say and really consider their perspective. Considering our
students perspective will help us learn just as much as it will help them.
Freire brings up some great ideas on how to be an interactive teacher that
gives the best environment for future students.
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