While many feel education is the root of oppression, it is not the only institution in which oppression occurs. Paulo Freire extends the sentiment by presenting society as a constant struggle between two opposing forces. Freire believes teachers essentially oppress their students by maintaining the current society rather than encourage students to think for themselves. The result of free-thinking students is a recreation of a new society. Freire presents his main argument about education in his chapter, The “Banking”Concept of Education, where he expresses the power relations between the educators and the students.
This work introduces his main points about oppression in education. In the beginning, Freire does a good job giving the readers …show more content…
He displays dominance in the form of the student-teacher dynamic: “The teacher disciplines and the students are disciplined.” It also extends to the academic curriculum as well, “The teacher chooses the program content, and the students (who are not consulted) adapt to it” (Feire 258). Freire continues by indicating that teachers expect students to adapt and not challenge the teacher’s authority with their own opinions. Freire wants his readers to understand the comparison between teacher’s behaviors as being resembled to oppressive and dictatorial …show more content…
He criticizes how teachers feel they are the ultimate source of knowledge while depicting students as submissive objects. Freire discusses the reasons why oppression is perpetuated. He argues that, “The more completely the majority adapt to the purpose which the dominant minority prescribe for them (thereby depriving them of the right to their own purpose), the more easily the minority can continue to prescribe (Freire 260). Educators declare their dominance and perpetuate the system because they will benefit from the current system. Freire’s use of repetition helps his audience to imagine how the dominant groups teach subordinate groups about the ways of the world and how it cannot be changed. Educators do not want students to believe that they can re-create the world through their own curiosity and free will. These are all strategies Freire uses to describe the dominance of educators.
Moreover, Freire addresses many characteristics of the system of education being immoral and sickening. He uses many examples such as “The teacher talks and the students listen-meekly” to explain how teachers suppress their ability to develop critical consciousness (Freire 258). As a result, students are simply forced to memorize facts of contents. Freire criticizes his opponent’s views of the education practice because he knows that it is not contributing to student’s achieving their highest human
This work introduces his main points about oppression in education. In the beginning, Freire does a good job giving the readers …show more content…
He displays dominance in the form of the student-teacher dynamic: “The teacher disciplines and the students are disciplined.” It also extends to the academic curriculum as well, “The teacher chooses the program content, and the students (who are not consulted) adapt to it” (Feire 258). Freire continues by indicating that teachers expect students to adapt and not challenge the teacher’s authority with their own opinions. Freire wants his readers to understand the comparison between teacher’s behaviors as being resembled to oppressive and dictatorial …show more content…
He criticizes how teachers feel they are the ultimate source of knowledge while depicting students as submissive objects. Freire discusses the reasons why oppression is perpetuated. He argues that, “The more completely the majority adapt to the purpose which the dominant minority prescribe for them (thereby depriving them of the right to their own purpose), the more easily the minority can continue to prescribe (Freire 260). Educators declare their dominance and perpetuate the system because they will benefit from the current system. Freire’s use of repetition helps his audience to imagine how the dominant groups teach subordinate groups about the ways of the world and how it cannot be changed. Educators do not want students to believe that they can re-create the world through their own curiosity and free will. These are all strategies Freire uses to describe the dominance of educators.
Moreover, Freire addresses many characteristics of the system of education being immoral and sickening. He uses many examples such as “The teacher talks and the students listen-meekly” to explain how teachers suppress their ability to develop critical consciousness (Freire 258). As a result, students are simply forced to memorize facts of contents. Freire criticizes his opponent’s views of the education practice because he knows that it is not contributing to student’s achieving their highest human