Cover letter
Dear ,
Following in the footsteps of a memo I prepared recently, I hereby present a cover letter detailing my area of study. I chose renowned Brazilian author, philosopher, and educator, Paulo Freire (1921-1997) and his pedagogical methods as detailed in a piece titled “The “Banking” Concept of Education”-Paulo Freire. I found Freire’s advocacy of critical pedagogy to be interesting in revolutionizing education and adding meaningfulness to the process of learning.
Freire’s view of education as a banking model is a revelation that ought to spearhead reforms in education. In his book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Freire elaborates his view of comparing pedagogy methods to banking. He states that teachers in most cases act as a subject while the students are the passive objects. Teachers act as the ultimate source of knowledge, which they deposit, or bank into their students who act as depositories.
Freire advocates a problem-solving model. In this case, he states that the teacher and the student co-work as partners. The two parties use cognitive and communication realities as part of the learning experience while factoring in socio-cultural and economic realities. The replacement of the pedagogical banking model with the problem-posing model avoids a situation where teachers determine the delivery of educational content.
Freire appreciates some realities about the problem-posing model for which he advocates. He states that the teacher has to be more knowledgeable so that he does not project the ignorance onto the learners. I use Freire’s assertions to support efforts towards improving the meaningfulness, and the importance of education. I find Freire’s text as being heavy on the disadvantages of ineffective and traditional pedagogy approaches.
In summation, Freire is a towering authority in the matters of education, and his assertions are credible, insightful, and futuristic.
Fact Sheet
- Analysis of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire (1921-1997) educational theories
- Freire is a respectable authority in matters of pedagogy
- Freire has authored a book titled Pedagogy of the Oppressed in which he discusses his educational theories
- Freire is famous for his criticism of the “Banking Model” of education
- The Banking Model views the teacher as the depositor and the student as the depository of knowledge
- The Banking model advocates learners to receive, memorize, recite and apply
- In the Banking Model, learning rises and falls with the manner in which the teacher delivers the content
- Freire’s text discusses the meaning, importance and disadvantages of education in general
- Other models of education such as liberating, problem-posing, and problem-solving models are effective in improving teacher-student relations
- The liberation educational model is reconciliatory. It presents education as a solution to the teacher-student disparity
- Freire’s address of ideological stances of teaching such as the Hegelian dialectics helps readers to appreciate the importance and underpinnings of education
- In general, Freire opens up a discussion on the different forms of educational models.
- In his article The “Banking” Concept of Education” Freire simply points to the importance of education and shows how the current teacher-student relationship misses the mark
- In a subtle way, Freire advocates a problem-posing model in which teachers and students are co-workers in the process of creating meaningful education for the society
- Freire’s article finds applications to education policy makers, curriculum developers, trainers, trainers and parents.
- Ultimately an effective educational system is dependent on the factoring of cultural and socio-economic factors
- The more complexities of a society ought to play a central role in the determination of an educational model suitable for that society.
