Friere's Own Essay

Paulo Freire uses the Brazilian educational system to address “The “Banking” Concept of Education.”   The article begins by explaining the educational system and harmful effects of such a manner. In this “narrative”, as Freire explains there is a stillness of the education provided because the students are treated as storage units to be filled by the professors, while telling of alternative ways to educate students without harming them. Paulo also provides efficient actions to be taken place in this type of education to overthrow the power behind it all, but it is stressed that it cannot be done alone.   Paulo, being a student and teacher of this system writes against the “banking” system by creating awareness of the issue with believable ideas and providing good examples.
Freire’s purpose quickly becomes clear in the beginning of the article when he says, “Education is suffering from narration sickness.” He points towards the ability of students to think for themselves against the fact that they should not just be able to spit back information but to actually use it. Freire often points towards the fact that this type of education will inevitably hinder students in the full scheme of things since they will not be able to put words into action and use them in reality. Freire writes of how the information is taught and how the system is neglecting students while filtering reality. He uses many examples of the system that is inflicted, and points out the many flaws of the educational processes in which it performs.  
Paulo says, “…, knowledge is a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowledgeable upon those who they consider know nothing.” This truly speaks out for the power that put the educational system into affect and leads to a basis of succumbing to power and not asking any questions just responding with the correct answer that those who are in power request to hear.   He tells of the oppressors and the oppression in the places that this “banking”...