Paulo Freire seems to be someone very proud of his
vocabulary. This was a difficult read, but after slowing down to figure out or
look up some of the words, it is clear that he has some useful things to say
about education. The part that I found the most interesting in this chapter of
his work was what he had to say about when students are "receptacles"
of information, instead of truly active learners. Memorization seems to be such
a large part of the fast-paced learning here at college, but I have found that
a lot of the time information can be quickly forgotten after I have finished
taking a course. Throwing information at younger students is likely to have the
same effect, and that's why teachers should keep in mind that students will
continue to grow after they leave that teacher's classroom, and that students
are being prepared for that time.
I identify strongly with the idea that education can be liberating for students. I believe that the more informed people are, the more power they have to create the kind of life they want to live. Students are often concerned that they won't use everything they learn in school and that they are wasting their time. While it is true that they probably won't use everything, everything they learn gives them more options, more areas they could pursue later in life if they choose. The more options they have, the more free they are. Contrary to what some people believe about teachers, I am not joining this profession to exert power or control over students. While discipline is unfortunately part of it, I want to be a teacher to help kids discover their own abilities and increase them. It also makes sense to me to see support for a view of education in which students and teachers have conversations with each other, because in my time in the classroom I've noticed that those are the kinds of lessons where students learn the most.
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