Reflective Essay on Problem Posing Model of

Education

Critical Language Pedagogy

ELE 614

Submitted by:
Jaypee C. de Guzman

Submitted to:
Prof. Cecilia M. Mendiola
Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the
younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it
becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically
and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their
world.

Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

The banking model appears to me like a definition of not just bad teaching, but the worst
possible teaching. At the same time, it seems to me that at this point, and perhaps even
when this was written, the banking model is both a brilliant summary of the worst of
education. The teacher is the Subject of learning; the students are only objects of
learning. Teachers and others in powerful positions project ignorance onto others, a
quality of oppression, and negate education and the process of inquiry as a means of
demonstrating knowledge.

This banking concept is the reflection of the dichotomous oppressive society we live
in: the teacher knows everything and the students know nothing, the teacher thinks and
the students are being thought, the teacher talks and the students listen obediently.

While this very worst version does exist, and perhaps parts of it exist in almost every
school, and in these versions it is a soul-crushing, anti-democratic, anti-revolutionary,
dehumanizing experience, there are many better educational situations, and many
educational systems both private and public that strive to blend some of the content
crowding with more dialectical models, but these better versions are not sufficiently
revolutionary and dialectic to lead to liberation.

In addition, when people and their own thoughts and intelligence are not considered in
educational processes, they are alienated as human beings, void of decision-making
and transformed them into objects.

He confirms this point by delineating the conflict of these two educational concepts.
Banking education considers students objects in need of intervention whereas problem-
posing makes students critical thinkers. Banking education conceals certain facts that
may describe how humans are in the world, while problem-posing education illuminates
the realities of humanity. Banking education is a one-sided discussion imparted to
students whereas problem-posting utilizes dialogue to encourage thinking on the part of
all participants. In totality, banking theory and practicefail to acknowledge men and
women as historical beings; problem-posing theory and practice take the peoples
historicity as their starting point. Through problem-posing educational practices, the
world of the oppressed becomes the point of transforming action by the oppressed that
results in their humanization.

As an illustration, as an educator I agree with the problem-posing model of education

since I use this method in my class. I find this strategy very useful on the part of the
students most especially when I am asking them to share their insights and point of
views on certain issue; in sighting the pros and the cons on a particular topic. In this
manner, the students can freely express themselves since this involve direct
experiences on the part of the student. They can contribute on the discussion since they
themselves have witnessed it.

Through this model that students were freed from alienation, deprivation and
dehumanization of the teacher/oppressor.
 Narrative Essay on Paulo Freires Pedagogy of the
Oppressed

Critical Language Pedagogy

ELE 614

Submitted by:
Jaypee C. de Guzman

Submitted to:
 Prof. Cecilia M. Mendiola

The Pedagogy of the Oppressed was written in 1968. In the teaching realm this book
can be seen as something like an icon. It gives an inside view of the relationship triangle
involved with education. The book can be seen as a set of guiding principles which
Freire admits are skills he's learned through experience.

Freire encourages individuals to use growth through situations from daily life and
learned lessons from circumstances as tools to further your learning experiences. His
purpose in writing the Pedagogy of the Oppressed is to help oppressed individuals form
themselves and avoid being formed by other people's acts of oppression.

Throughout this book you will find different proposals made by Freire to help individuals
form themselves and heighten their own education. One of such examples is for a
person to take his own life experiences that are constantly encountered instead of made
up occurrences to rationalize problems in the educational aspect.
Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed gives us a view into the education system
and how it is becoming less of a good learning tool. The education system has become
less creative, and the teacher's are sucking the very supplement of life out of the
lessons. The minds of students today resemble that of storage, filled solid with
memorized information that is later replaced when the next subject is being taught. We
can see evidence in this today as many teachers' focus in the classroom is preparing
their students to the state's standards so that they may pass the standardized tests. The
teachers teach specifically to the test continuously replacing information in the students
"storage" so that only the test materials remain.
Freire's book clues us in on the relationship between teacher and student, and the
method that the teacher's try to instill in the students to produce the perfect student,
some of which include: "The teacher is the main subject or model for the students, and
the students are objects waiting to be molding into what the teacher perceives to be the
perfect student." This relationship refers to Freire's comment in his book "During the
initial stage of their struggle the oppressed find in the oppressor their model of
manhood."
Oppression of students is much easier the more teachers dominate and control their
students. Sometimes they are successful in their endeavors and others times the
students notice this and rebel in an attempt to challenge the teachers and dominate
over them instead. "Freedom is acquired by conquest, not by gift." This quote is used
not only to give hope but also instruction. Sometimes shedding a previous habit or
custom seems near impossible but in Freire's text he uses this statement to show that
there is a way to break free from the overbearing rules so that one may gain his or her
freedom.
When reading the book I saw that the main tool of domination when using the
"Oppressor-Oppressed" method in education is the "banking" approach. The banking
method, which is only the act of depositing information into a student, has very little
connection to critical thinking skills or creative thought process. The method is set up
that way so that there is no room to threaten authority. In this aspect the teacher is
superior because they know all the information that they are to instill in the student but it
is highly unlikely that through lecture alone the student will understand the importance
and application of this new information, which the teacher more than likely will know.
This is another example of the relationships Freire talks about amongst students and
teachers, "the teacher knows everything and the students know nothing." I find this to
be false though, even though the oppressed (students) are more often than not at a
great disadvantage to the knowledge of the teacher's they, being oppressed know in a
different sense a far greater importance than their oppressors.
Oppression can be the control factor in everything we as a people do. In education
there is a "formula" for the success and "Oppression" is the control factor in the
experiment. Without oppression students would use their creativity analytical skills to
seek out the answers to challenges in everyday life as well as in the classroom. One
thing that is very important to understand about education is that there isn't one set
method or formula to teach or learn something, there is only what works best for the
teacher or learner.
This book is ideal for educators as well as parents and students. The Pedagogy of the
Oppressed explains in great details the education system and the relationship of powers
amongst students and teachers. Freire divides the world into the oppressed and
oppressor, this is the under the assumption that the wielder and submitters to power fall
into those categories. Although neither is free from the other, the oppressed are those
who take the brunt of the relationship.
I can undeniably relate this form of oppression to educational trend in language
teaching. A concrete example is our neighbors children. They are studying in
Pampanga since their father works in a poultry but they are from Samar, Leyte. This
family has transferred in our place last year since the boss offered a free
accommodation and education of their children.
As we all know, the Mother Tongue-Based-Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) began to
be implemented in all public schools, specifically in Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2 and 3 as
part of the K to 12 Basic Education Program. . Their children are currently in grade 2 so
the teacher teaches using the Kapampangan language since that is the language of the
people from Pampanga.
That creates a burden on the part of the children since they were having a hard time
coping up with the discussion and also communicating with their classmates. The
teacher felt oppressed as well since she needs to translate their discussion for the
children to understand.
Also, it has become apparent that when the mother tongue is favored, the child's
proficiency in English and even the national language may become diminished. This
puts students at a disadvantage, especially since in an increasingly globalized world, it
has become more important than ever to be fluent in languages that allow one to
communicate with an international audience.
Citation

Freire, Paulo. (2000) Pedagogy of the oppressed /New York : Continuum,