Restructuring and Redefining Modern Education

    One of the most impactful and significant aspects of the education system is the relationship between students and teachers. While instructors often have good intentions and value the well-being of their students, many struggle to find the proper balance between authority and open communication. In an attempt to maintain the distinction between teacher and student, many instructors, whether intentionally or not, fall into what Freire describes as the "banking" concept of education. Rather than encouraging open dialogue and the pursuit of true knowledge in the classroom, the banking method relies on a stark separation between those with knowledge and those being taught. This system turns the act of receiving knowledge into "an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories, and the teacher is the depositor," (Freire, 1). These instructors often fail to develop "critical consciousness" or a thirst for knowledge in their students, instead creating mechanical drones who simply memorize whatever information is provided to them by the instructor (Freire, 2). This style of teaching discourages any questioning of authority in an attempt to keep students from breaking out of a predetermined mold. The banking concept of education relies on the suppression of students in order to maintain control, which I experienced in my middle school Algebra I class. Rather than encouraging deeper thought or discussion in the classroom, my teacher enforced her ideas of what should be taught, discouraging questions or open dialogue. Her need to maintain authority over the students stunted our ability to think critically about different aspects of the course and enforced compliance over seeking true knowledge. In my experience, the most effective instructors are those who align more closely with what Freire describes as problem-posing education. In contrast to banking, problem posing education exits in a space where there are "teacher-students" and "student-teachers" (Freire, 9). In my History 100 class last semester, my professor structured the course in a way that encouraged questioning of his knowledge and authority and sometimes allowed the students to become the teacher. This education method allowed a sort of partnership between the students and teacher, which allowed everyone to learn from each other and question the deeper meaning of the material that was taught in class. The teachers who aligned more with the banking method tended to make me doubt my own abilities and feel afraid to speak up or ask questions. In contrast, the teachers who were more closely aligned with the problem posing method created an environment where it was comfortable and encouraged to ask questions, and classes consisted of open discussions rather than lectures. Freire's banking concept of education led me to think more critically about how my educational experiences have impacted me, as well as made it clearer to me why I connected more with certain teachers compared to others. Instructors who avoid the banking concept of education can help foster students who can think critically and redefine the status quo.