Empowerment and Education within Students

In this passage, Paulo Freire criticizes the banking concept of education. In this system, teachers put knowledge into students who do not participate. Freire says, “The teacher knows everything, and the students know nothing” (Freire, 87). I saw this in my high school. During my classes I felt like I wasn't really grasping anything. I sat and listened to the teachers. I memorized information just to repeat it on tests.   This banking system makes students feel dehumanized, as Freire writes. It treats them like objects of instruction. Students do not use their critical thought (Freire, 89). I remember feeling disconnected. I thought my voice and thoughts did not matter. I was expected to accept facts without questioning them. This made me feel disengaged. Learning in school seemed more about passing exams than about understanding or growing as a person. But things changed in college. I found a more interactive way to learn. In these classrooms, teachers and students talked to each other. The focus changed from memorization to conversation. Teachers and students "cooperate in the search for knowledge" (Freire, 92). I was encouraged to ask questions and challenge ideas. I could bring my own experiences into the discussion. This was a big change for me. I felt more involved in my education, and I felt encouraged as a learner. When Freire talks about the idea of education as a "practice of freedom" (Freire, 92), it stuck with me. I learned that education is not just about what you know. It is also about how you engage with the world. It is about questioning things, exploring, and growing. This has me thinking about the ways I can improve as a learner and become an active participant in my learning.