Friere’s ideal student-teacher relationship is very similar to mine. I believe the best way to learn is to be comfortable in the environment you are in and the people you are with. Every single person in the class room can teach you something. Everyone’s minds work differently and understand certain things easier. When I had the easiest time learning was when I had a great teacher-student relationship. Where I could feel comfortable talking to them and asking questions. I completely agree with Friere’s ideas in that hands on learning is so much more productive than memorizing things. There is no meaning to that and you will eventually forget the things you memorized. In my opinion Friere said no wrong, he knew exactly what he was talking about and I could not agree more.
Anarchist Rocky would give his own cup of coffee to Friere September 10, 2007
My ideal classroom would be very similar to Friere’s. I felt that my best teachers that I had in high school always treated me as an equal and we both would compliment each other for teaching each other different ideas and subjects. I feel like this class is somewhat close to Friere’s idea as we are allowed to voice our own opinion on the essays we read, as long as you take the initative and responsibility to post it. We can also leave comments on each others postings so we are all student-teachers, which is awesome. Also with this style of teaching, I believe that people usually carry on a learning and teaching mindset out of the classroom, therefore always keeping your mind active.
Teachers Vs. students? kyles’ thoughts September 10, 2007
The classroom needs to be a place of education and exploration. The basics of education revolve around a desire to learn, followed by a routine of questions and awnsers to enforce the new thoughts. The process works as long as the student has the desire, when that desire or interest is lost the learning process is severly hampped. The thought that Freire offers in the second paragraph, is stricklingly close to the truth. The dissengaged student will detract from the learning enviroment and detract from the quality of the class. The responsibility does not nessecerily fall to the teacher to maintain the students’ interest, however a entriguing teacher leads to a responsive class. The educator needs to maintain a class disapline, while making the class provakative. It is then the students job to interact with the educator in a responsive, respectful manner. with these “rules of interaction” between teacher and student the education process will be able to work for all involved.
I am not a trash receptacle September 10, 2007
When I first started reading this text and had to listen to him talk about and compare students’ minds to an object much like a garbage can, I wondered what kind of garbage I was really reading. I thought this is absurd from a writer from the 1900’s. Therefore, i was pleasantly surprised at the end when he began talking about liberating education. Im not sure if I really understand why he spent most of this piece talking about his garbage can theory and hardly touched on this authentic thinking. I can honestly say I completely agree with what he had to say in the end of this read. I like to think of even the most uneducated youth to have some sort of education they have developed outside of their classroom and outside of their teacher simply pouring knowledge, not learned, but memorized into their head. I know from experience that yes we learn from our teachers and those that know more than us, however, I really like how he said that they learn from us as well. All I can say is that from experience in high school and college, I know that I am not merely an empty vessel, everday being filled with knowledge because someone is forcing it to be there. I am a conscious person who learns from others and they learn from me, although college would be much easier if teachers would just simply pour knowledge in while I sat there and I could use it at my immediate disposal.
Christopher M. on the banking concept September 10, 2007
Hello, I definetly agree with the idea that the solution is not with the banking concept. As the quote on page 532 pretty much sums it up. ” The solution is not (nor can it be) found in the banking concept. On the contrary, banking education maintains and even stimulates the contradiction through the following attitudes and practices, which miror oppressive society as a whole.” (pg.532) This sounds right to me. Honestly who likes the old way of the private church schools where a man or woman in black stands at the front of the class and utters monotenous information that is so called an education. That pretty much is a general example of the way the banking concept is described. I say let me speak up in class if I feel that my opinion is needed and let the teacher listen when it is asked for.
Ross: My Ideal Classroom September 10, 2007
Friere put it quite well when he defined education as a form of banking. I noticed this in my junior year of high school, that even though I was being taught I wasn’t really learning a vast amount of knowledge. My mind would be “deposited” with information but later on, as if my mind was full I would forget many things. For example, we spent a whole month on the revolutionary war. I could tell you a little bit about it but it certainly wouldn’t be a whole months worth of hard studying and memorization.
The ideal classroom for me would be one where I could retain the knowledge I acquire. I like Freire’s “problem-posing” form of education. While a regular classroom will cover a unit and you might not ever need that information again my ideal classroom would have you use what you have learned everyday.
Friere September 10, 2007
Paulo Friere’s concept of education is very similar to Socrates’ teaching methods. Friere says, “The teachers cannot think for her students, nor can she impose her thought on them.” Friere is tring to say that information cannot be given to the student, the students themselves must find out that information on their own with the teacher keeping their minds on track to that answer. Socrates taught by method of the students must think for themselves. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, Socrates tells a story to Glaucon who questions certain aspects of Socrates’ story. By asking these questions Glaucon learns the answers, not because Socrates told him the direct answers. However, Socrates was able to get Glaucon to discover it on his own through indirect answers. Friere says that by feeding the students with information, the students become “containers” that don’t apply that information into everyday life. Socrates was able to get his students to apply their knowledge in everyday life because their world was surrounded by mysterious events, that are now known to be unmysterious. For example, when a comet flew across the night sky the people thought of it as bad omen. Today, we see it as a beautiful wonder in the night sky. I agree with Friere’s concept of education, which is that the teachers should open the students minds, and not to just fill their heads with tons of information.
Caleb’s Ideal Classroom September 10, 2007
I think my ideal classroom relationship between students and teachers completely coincides with Freire’s. I believe the teacher must act as a leader, however I think the less authoritarian the style of leadership, the more ideal student-teacher relationship will be created. There does need to be a distinction between the teacher and the students. Pure democracy cannot exist in a classroom type setting. This environment must be a “massaged democracy”. If everyone in the classroom had the same authority nothing would be accomplished. However, as Freire says on pg 534 “authority must be on the side of freedom, not against it.” There needs to be a dominate figure(teacher), but the role of the figure should be to inspire synergy toward a common goal of learning particular information. On page 531 Freire says “Narration leads the students to memorize mechanically the narrated content.” I believe the role of the teacher should be to guide the class through the material rather that recite, or “narrate” the material and then have the students regurgitate it. The students should be exposed to new material and then led into some form of discussion or project where the teacher, as well as the other students, should reflect the ideas and opinions of each other amongst themselves.
Friere September 9, 2007
I agree with the Authentic Thinking. The relationship between the teacher and the student should be an open-ended relationship; I believe that the teaching and the learning should go both ways between the teachers and the students. Teachers should partly base their thinking off of what the students think partly off what they think, and partly off what books/research says. “The teacher’s thinking is authenticated only by the authenticity of the students’ thinking. The teacher cannot think for her students, nor can she impose her thought on them.” (Friere 532)
david luce, friere September 9, 2007
There are so many different approaches to education, and there are so many different types. honestly i read this and it seemed like he was just trying to set up a classroom sort of like a sacratic seminer, which is nothing new. The differnce is that he felt everything should be learned and that everyone would be able to get along and it would work. Honestly he had a great plan, i see it as just a modernized rip off of sacrates methods, but still some slight adjustments to it, because things are still being taught rather than just discussed. i feel that it would be great in a group of people that all want to learn together and are open minded. but one of the things ive learned are that humans are inharenty evil so it would not work for everyone. in smaller groups of highly motivated people it is great. but honestly at least in a lot of the places ive been, discipline, although it sucks when your young and dont understand it, is very important and most of the youth today need discipline and structure in a large portion of their education. not all of it, like a few classes set up like that would be great, but it would need to be divided up and throw his ideas, with emersons ideas and newmans ideas and some sacrates/plato ideas, mix it all up throughout differnt parts of life mix a little together and you have an ideal educational system. whether it would ever work or not i do not know, but it would be ideal. “like communism on paper”
now im going to bed.
Jon R- friere posting September 9, 2007
i personally think friere’s thoughts on education were revolutionary for his time . because of the way he viewed and advertised his thoughts on education we have our modern system of education. of course there is still that element of memorization, however more and more teachers try to actively engage their students and essentially allow them to teach. this not only teaches them but also his peers. this is a far more engaging and thus practical method of teaching. his these reasons i agree with friere’s ideas on education and the means in which it is achieved.
Posting 3 – Freire From Julia. GK September 9, 2007
B) “Freire propose education practices modeled on progressive political relationship.” (P530) I agree with what Freire was saying. I think there should be equal between teachers and students. Teachers should not just stand in high level to look at their students as they do know nothing. And students should ask why and how. The banking concept of education is not a good way to educate people, because students cannot really enjoy from learning.
Nowadays still has some countries “filling” knowledge to students, they want to change this situation but it is really hard for them. I think they need more time to change their education system.
too tired for a title…. September 9, 2007
now, everyone else is saying how such a great ide this type of teaching would be, but only in a perfect world would it work as i see it.
i mean come on, every student in the class getting along great in the student/teacher relatiohship. there is always at least one black sheep in any classroom. and from classes i’ve hd, i would love a teacher and otheres would hate them with a major passion. we are not perfect. you can never get a full group of people together and expect them all to like each other, why expect in this type of classroom set up? i also noticed there was nothing on class size. 1 teacher to 30 students with less than 1 year to get to know each other…what relationship? have you ever notice theres’ a select few who truly get along with a teacher? now 1 to 5 would gain a better chance at this theory would it not? but it still will not be perfect. now think of the time frame, less than one year. personally having the same teacher for your life of education would be better. there woudl be better communication because then everyone knew what could be handled, what couldnt be and where progress was nedded in the relationship between the teacher nd the student. and another thing, if these students are being seperated every year from their first time classmates and their teachers, what bonds do you expect to form? this would be like takin a gnewborn from her mother and giving her a new mother every single year. consistency is needed. same teacher to bond and grow with, the same classmates as well and this theory of a student-teacher everyone learning not memorizing has a much better shot than in our actual reality…..i agree its a wonderful idea, but you gotta get there first.
banking and education, by christian September 9, 2007
the ideal classroom setup for todays education is similar to the views of friere. having teachers and students teach each other is benefital to both sides. this breaks the tradional way schools are structure. students shouldnt be considered a ignorant ”recepticals to be filled by the teacher”.s fill. i think the banking analogy is a perfect example of how many schools administer their education. i agree with friere’s ideas on how a school should be run. rather than memorizing facts and dates we should be discussing real situations that pertain to the subject matter. as friere says, “problem-posing”, is an effective way to discuss and communicate ideas.
My Opinion by Cam September 9, 2007
Answering D)
Friere came up with an education system that makes a lot of sense and as a student for most of my life, I have experienced both sides of the spectrum. Obviously I prefer Friere’s idea of education and being taught rather than being force fed facts that are to be memorized. It is always advantageous for myself to know why 4 x 4 is 16 and not just memorize it, though both are actually necessary when it comes down to it. But if memorization can be a by product in the process of actually learning of why 4×4 is 16, then the latter is superior.
Second thing that I will note is that Freire makes his teacher’s “she’s” in his writing, but at the end he makes the teacher a “he.” Why is this? Is he striving for equality, or is he just trying to avoid writing he/she everytime he reference’s a teacher? I’m not sure what it was, but I thought it was interesting…
September 9, 2007
For me the ideal classroom is where the teacher and his students are equal, at eye level. I think this is the same opinion, Friere is referring to: not an environment, where the teacher is commanding respect, and has the authority over everyone and everything. I prefer an exchange between both sides, so that learning is more like a game than a lecture, but I also think, that some things cannot be taught the way Friere is recommending, some things you have to memorize, things that are established. Maybe in these situations the teacher should discuss the background and/or history with the student and this will lead to a better an deeper understanding.
So all in all I would prefer some kind of a mix between an atmosphere where students and the teacher are on the same level, but I would also say, that in some situations the teacher has to be a person of respect, otherwise the learning environment would suffer.
Freire September 9, 2007
I really liked what Freire said. I think that students and teachers should have a relationship but the students shouldn’t just have to be like robots. Most of the teachers I have had love to give out busy work and make you learn useless stuff. The teachers who are the best and who you learn from are the ones who get involved. They allow you to do more self discovering rather than learning facts and filling the students with “narration.”
Marie-Freire on Education September 9, 2007
There are so many true things about what Freire is saying regarding the teacher student relationship because especially in elementary school, I felt that I was being preached to and then I was supposed to learn it, plant it in my brain and move on. This direct or “banking method” of teaching and learning is effective in certain ways such as that it teaches facts and dates. However, this is not the only factor in educating children or any age. Freire quotes “Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor.” (Freire, 531) However, in order to create free thinking, open minded students there needs to be communication and more critical learning sessions for new ideas to emerge and this will in turn create students who love to learn and interact with teachers and fellow students. This eliminates the teachers superiority over the students because they feel as though they are all learning together in a group instead of being taught at by an adult figure. All in all, this would be the ideal situation, however it would prove quite difficult in todays society due to it’s demanding nature on teachers and the entire education system.
The Ideal Class Room by Tommy Domingo September 9, 2007
I strongley do agree with what Friere was saying. I think that there should be a take and give relationship between the teacher and the student. Sure with “banking education” the students will learn the facts but with liberating education as Friere says, “only through communication can human life hold meaning.” When you have a teacher that communicates with you and actually values what you say in class it can give the students new outlooks on everything including life as a whole. When there is a teacher student connection it actually means something. There is not just shell at the front of the class trying to inject knowledge but only further alienating themselves from thier students. I think that Friere was right when he said that there needs to be “teacher-students” with “student-teachers” in a class.
Coleridge’s Post on Friere (Now With more Pink Floyd) September 9, 2007
I loved this story. For many reason’s, one, I found it the easiest to read, two, I understood what Friere was saying, and three I completely agree with what Friere is saying. Friere said that teachers were like oppressors, in some cases, at least at my high school, that is true, some teachers get so power crazed they would just try to show dominance with the students constantly reminding them of how stupid, infantile, or useless they can be. But that’s just it, we are, we came to school to get an education, we don’t need to be reminded how ignorant we are, we are trying to change that. To sum it all up I compare my ideas to Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall, Which I feel define what Friere and I are trying to say “We don’t need no education. We don’t need no self control. The dark sarcasm in the classroom, Hey! Teacher leave those kids alone. Hey! Teacher leave those kids alone. All we are is just another brick in the wall”
I have turned comments on, I would like to hear from you guys and get a discussion going, or something like that.
Thanks for your co-operation.
~Ridge
Posting 3-Friere by maryco September 8, 2007
B) I think the ideal classroom relationship between students and teachers is equal position like Friere said. Because if they are not equal, it is difficult for teachers to know what students don’t understand unless students tell them. At the same time it is hard for students to understand and the class is not effective. My idea completely coincided with Friere’s opinion. ” Oppressive society”(p532) , it reminded me my high school days. I had one teacher who always blamed us if we made mistakes so I just tried to remenber what my teacher taught, not to make my teacher angry and then I got bored and sick of attending his class. For the Student like me, the class should be fun without fear.
Friere Posting – Due Monday 10 September September 8, 2007
Sorry about the lateness of my posting this prompt. You should all still have time to submit.
Please do one of the following:
A) Examine the analogy (see p. 688 for information on analogies) between education and banking that forms the basis of Friere’s argument. Is the analogy valid? Or does it mislead by overstating the comparison?
B) Describe what you see as the ideal classroom relationship between students and teachers. How does your ideal coincide with or differ from Freire’s? Why?
C) Respond, thoughtfully, to another student’s posting. You must also reference Freire. If you choose this option, please title your post according to the following formula: “X’s Response to Y on Freire.”
D) Discuss your opinions and analysis of any of the ideas in Freire’s text which interest you.
