English 100 - Fall 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
RE-READING: Ways of Reading Intro & "Learning to Read"
From what is briefly described in the introduction, to your understanding, what is “the banking concept?” Why do you think Freire uses this weird term? Is this how instructors should approach educating students? Do you think this method is effective? What are some pros/cons? How do YOU want to be taught? How do you best learn? How do you suppose Malcolm X would feel about this concept? Was his education, in any way similar to the banking concept? If so, how? And how would that type of education both help and limit/hinder him? If not, what made his education different? What do you expect from ME, as your instructor? What do you expect me to teach you and for you to learn during this class?
Instructions: I do not expect you to answer these questions in order, necessarily. Nor do I want you to create a question-by-question, bullet pointed response. SYNTHESIZE your response.
Read the questions first, consider them and your response AS A WHOLE, then respond. Do your best to address every question at least to an extent.
Don't forget to comment on someone else's post and enter into a CONVERSATION with that writer.
Your posts are due by Monday
Have fun! :)
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The banking concept is the idea that the teacher has all the information that the students need and gives that information to the students. The students then take that information and keep it safe, without any changes or revision. Freire uses this weird term because the process is like withdraw money from a bank. The person just goes inside or to an ATM and after putting in a debit card, takes the money out. All the banks do is give the money to recipient and the recipient does nothing more than put the money in a wallet or purse. This method works really well in some subjects and does not work as well in others. For example, a math class would most likely use this method because everything the instructor teaches does not have many changes to what they are teaching so therefore would be a great method to use. On the other hand, if you were teaching an composition class, you could teach them ways to write essays and annotate texts but the students need to figure how they want to write their essay or annotate a text because there would not be any variety in the class if everyone wrote their essays the way the instructor did. The “banking concept” is a method of teaching that works in subjects that do not require much change like math and is not as effective in a subject that relies on variety to be successful like composition. The pros of this particular method is that it’s an easy way of teaching students how to do something that requires more memorization without much change and easier for students to learn because of how straightforward the method is. However, cons of this method include little to no variety in way of teaching the concept and how it can be so easy that you may miss important information about the concepts that are not normally seen.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Malcolm X would hate the “banking concept”, however. Malcolm X is one of those people that likes to learn an idea and take it further than its original idea. His education, on the other hand, is the “banking concept” in practice because Malcolm learned how to read and write by practicing from the dictionary and tablets he received. It’s quite ironic because Malcolm would hate to see people learning ideas directly from a teacher or book and not expanding it further yet that’s how he had to learn, at first. Malcolm X started off word for word, reading and copying each one. He describes how he does this in paragraph 7-8 in his autobiography “Learning to Read”. He states: “In my slow, painstaking, ragged handwriting, I copied into my tablet everything printed on that first page, down to the punctuation marks. / I believe it took me a day. Then, aloud, I read back, to myself, everything I’d written on the tablet. Over and over, aloud, to myself, I read my own handwriting.” The “banking concept” would help Malcolm X because he knew absolutely nothing before he started reading and writing and gave him the education that he would make him “free” as he states in paragraph 11 of his autobiography “Learning to Read”. He states: “In fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life”. Malcolm believes that becoming literate allowed him to see the world from a new perspective that he truly follow because he could now come up a purpose for why he chooses to believe something.
As for my preference on how I want to be taught, that is a difficult question to answer because I really do not care how you teach me as long as I learn something at the end of the class. I feel that I’ll learn the way the class chooses to learn because I think that can learn with any method you teach me. As for what I expect from you, I expect to you to teach me something about reading and writing that can be used for the future. I really don’t have a specific method or way that you can teach me.
I believe that “The Banking Concept” essentially is a teaching method where students just sit back and listen to what a teacher says or what they read in a text book and are supposed to just memorize it to get an A in the class. I do not think you are actually learning from this because you are probably not fully grasping the concepts put before you. You are just told what you need to know. Instructors should not teach this way because I do not think it benefits the students. Just having everyone sit there and just listen is not getting involved; which I do not think is a good way to teach. How is the student expected to learn anything without asking questions when they do not understand something? I would personally like to be taught with class discussions or debates. It really helps me to better understand something when I hear what other students have to say about that certain topic, especially if I am uncertain about it. I learn the best when we discuss what we have read the night before. Normally, when I read something I may think I understand it, but I actually may be picking up the wrong ideas. Hearing what my peers have to say definitely helps.
ReplyDeleteMalcolm X on the other hand, would disagree with this concept. He believes you should be confined to yourself and learn without the input of others. I believe hearing other peoples opinions can actually help you to better understand a concept. Malcolm X’s education is kind of similar to “The Banking Concept” because he would just read and had to take in what he understood from it. He had no one he could ask questions to or discuss a concept with. His education could be useful because he was never distracted by anyone so it was easy for him to read everything and learn from it. I think his education was hindered because what if he read something and took the concept in the wrong way? He would never know if what he got from a book was actually right. He could have misread something and not have known because he did not have anyone to ask.
What I would expect from my instructor is to help me understand if what I took out of a story or a concept is what the author was trying to say or if I was going off on the wrong track. I just expect to learn a better way of reading and actually understand and remember what I read and why it was important. I also want to become better at public speaking; which the discussion time truly helps me to be more comfortable sharing my opinion. I want to learn how to get my point across in a way others can understand in my essays and know how to approach a difficult reading assignment. I hope I can get all of that out of my English 100 class.
I agree with you completely! Especially in saying that “the banking concept” isn’t allowing students to get involved. Discussion helps me as well when I’m unsure about something or understanding something even further because I can hear my peers’ opinions. Good job on answering the questions as well!
DeleteI honestly feel that the banking concept has its uses in some subjects. A math class, for example, would get far more done if the teacher gave the information on how to do a concept rather having a large discussion on how it's done. Of course, when you have a problem understanding the concept you can ask questions about it. Maybe this particular idea does not work for a Composition class, but it has uses in other subjects.
DeleteI agree that the banking concept, siting and listening, isn't the best way to learn, but there are some cases where there isn't a choice. Most of the math and sciences and even some histories are easily remembered by giving direct answers. However, I believe that there are better ways of learning these subjects other than sitting and listening.
DeleteI can see how Malcolm X would hate the banking system, but I feel that there is no way to avoid it. Even Malcolm X himself learned that way, so how could he be completely against it?
Good job on the posts so far!
ReplyDelete@Anhkhoi, thank you for pulling in quotes to support your claims. Good work.
I believe that “the banking concept” is a self-taught lesson. The teacher provides the student with all the information and lets the student decide whether he/she wants to have an understanding of what they are writing down. I think that the class essentially is based on how much effort the student wants to put into their work. It’s difficult to have a short time period to take lots of notes, that the student probably has no clue what they’re writing down, then get a worksheet and have to use his/her notes to complete it. If the student didn’t absorb what was written down on their paper, they have to go back and read over what was written and then be able to fill in their worksheet.
ReplyDeleteI believe that instructors might think this approach will be effective by making a student more willing to take control of a situation that is presented but instead I feel that the student would find the situation frustrating and useless. Freire states, “Education as the exercise of domination stimulates the credulity of students, with the ideological intent (often not perceived by educators) of indoctrinating them to adapt to the world of oppression.” Educating students with “the banking concept” would be ineffective in certain subjects but overall I think it’s unnecessary. The concept might be effective in teaching kids to be more responsible and prepared for difficult tasks but overall I believe it’s teaching students to be stressed out, rush and force themselves to memorize notes right away. We’re only human and majority of people need more than a class period to memorize, and even understand, four to five pages of notes. I wouldn’t mind somewhat using this concept if the teacher went over the notes after the students have written them down. I find it more effective to be taught about what we are learning after students have written the notes down. That way we aren’t busy multitasking and are 100% focused on what the teacher is saying.
I feel that Malcom X would look at “the banking concept” as another attempt to learn and create a new system or beat it. His education is somewhat similar to this concept because he reads with the grain without questioning it majority of the time. On the other hand, some of the students might disagree with the banking concept so he might too.
As an instructor, all I expect is you to be lively and seem passionate about what you are teaching. I want to go to my class knowing I will enjoy it just as much as my teacher enjoys teaching it. I expect to learn everything that is in the goals of the syllabus.
I don't think "self- taught" would be the right word to describe the "banking concept" but I see what you're trying to say! The only reason I wouldn't call it self- taught would be because the teacher does still give out the information but I completely agree with you on the note that it's up to them to learn it. I also agree that it is a horrible way to learn because of how stressful it must be to memorize it all! I love how you said that you want to go to class knowing you'll enjoy it as much as the teacher does because the teacher's attitude is a big factor on how well the class goes!
DeleteRachel, good post, but when you incorporate quotes, you must explain the quote & incorporate it into your claim. It doesn't seem you've done that here. Thus, the quote seems out of place. Next time, try to weave the quote into your writing, pointing out how it is relevant and adds to/ supports your discussion. We'll go over this in the class, but I'll make another comment with a link you ca n check out in the meantime.
DeleteI don't think "self-taught" is the correct word either. I do think it is the teacher giving all of the information and just wanting there students to accept it. I kind of agree with it is what the student puts into it because they choose to memorize it or they choose to not take anything away from the class. I too think the student would find this frustrating because they can't learn for themselves and ask questions. This method is just forcing their students to memorize everything they teach them, which doesn't help. I also do think Malcolm X's way of learning was similar to "The Banking Concept"
Delete@esther & haley, you both did a good job of entering into a conversation with Rachel by addressing a specific point of her blog and complicating her post. Good job & thank you!
DeleteFreire’s “banking concept” is a way of learning in which you take in all you are taught without a question or doubt. This concept consists of a teacher/ instructor who holds all the information a student could possibly need and a student/ class who is willing to receive it all without pausing to inquire about the information that is being given to them. I believe Freire used this term in order to criticize the method; he used a comparison that any reader could relate to and set it as an example for what he was trying to get across. He likens the form in which we deposit money into our bank accounts without any change or interrogation to the way a teacher would transmit material into their student’s minds with no room to be challenged. In my opinion this is a horrible way for instructors to approach educating students in most conditions. There may be some exceptions but for the most part there is always room to challenge a previous accepted truth or at least a way in which something may be improved. I don’t think the “banking method” is effective because it doesn’t allow for students to use their own brain and think outside of the box. A pro would be that it would be an easier way of teaching/ learning, but the definite con would be that in a way it can’t be considered teaching/ learning. Malcolm X would not agree with this method, he became engaged in his readings and had responses and comments for everything he learned. I don’t think his education was similar to the “banking concept” because he responded to the readings and made his own interpretations.
ReplyDeleteI best learn through commentary, I love getting back drafts that are written all over telling me where I am not being thorough and what I am missing. I also think discussions in class are very helpful by allowing you to hear what everyone else has to say and how their opinions and experiences through the text are different from your own. I don’t have any specific way that I’d like to be taught as long as it is done through interactions and not a “banking method”. I expect you to understand if I feel lost at times and be able to help if I need it. I expect you to teach me how to explore readings outside of what I have been doing for the past 13 years and I hope to learn to read in between the lines and get real meaning out of what I am taught.
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DeleteIn my opinion, I think that Malcolm X's education was very similar to the banking concept because when he was younger, he read through the dictionary and memorized what words meant. This also displays how this concept of education would be good for him because he can obviously memorize information very well. In addition, when he was reading Elijah Muhammad's writings, he never really seemed to question what he read, he pretty much read his writings as facts.
DeleteThe "banking concept" introduced by Paulo Freire is very common within the educational system. This concept focuses mainly on a students ability to memorize information presented before them. The absorption and storage of this information is rendered nonexistent after testing on the subject has been completed. The student can be thought of as being in a permeable state.
ReplyDeleteThe classroom environment is not only created by the professor's teaching styles and lesson plans, but by the involvement of the students as well. Every teaching figure has a different way of approaching their lesson schedules and materials. In my opinion, it is up to the students to seek out opportunities in order to receive the most out of the class.
In the excerpt from page 11 of the Ways of Reading text, a student writes about his experience in his sociology class. He talks about his everyday classroom activities. He comes into class and starts on note taking and then moves to answering questions based on the material embedded in the notes. He then presents a quote from a fellow student who describes the course as "education by memorization." Ironically, I feel that this way of teaching is most effective. Having a similar course in high school, I saw myself excel. I would not discourage a professor from taking this angle of teaching to the classroom. The professor is responsible for presenting the information to the class, yet it is how the class receives and stores this information that is more crucial.
Malcolm X was a very well educated man who was extremely successful in his self teaching methods. 15 or more hours a day in prison, he would bury himself in the pages of different types of literature, absorbing along the way. Due to his self motivation to further educate himself, I believe he would not focus on how the information is given to students. He would advise the student to further broaden their knowledge of the subject outside of class.
The banking system can be beneficial to some students if they truly go above and beyond with studying the information they were given. But looking at students as a whole, most of them wouldn't excel from this because they aren't going to re read notes that they didn't pay attention to when they first wrote them down. I do agree that education by memorization is a helpful way to learn certain things. But, if you are constantly just memorizing things you are eventually going to forget the things you previously memorized. So that is why there should be different techniques to learn and permanently remember things.
Delete@ Jared: In your opening paragraph, you state, "the absorption and storage of this information is rendered nonexistent after testing on the subject has been completed," yet you completely contradict this argument later in your post when you mention "... I feel this way of teaching is most effective." The banking concept is either most effective or information, as a result of this teaching technique, is rendered useless and nonexistent -- not both. Which is YOUR argument????
DeleteFrom my understanding, “the banking concept” is a method of teaching that involves the teacher distributing their knowledge of the certain teaching subject or task at hand directly to their students with out any ifs or buts. Just Freire describes it in the last paragraph of page 10, “the teacher as the active agent and the student as the passive agent.” The student as a passive agent essentially means that the student takes whatever knowledge or information the teacher or “active agent” gives. “The banking concept,” then, makes sense to Freire, the teachers depositing knowledge into the students mind capacity just as one would deposit money into a bank. I think this is a somewhat effective method of teaching when it comes to the sciences only though, such as math, chemistry or biology. It is effective for these subjects because for formulas, definitions, or laws, which are involved in sciences, there is only one method or reason for each of these. So the knowledge given should be taken as is for these particular subjects. One defect in this method though may be that one is memorizing and not really so much understanding the subject, it is easier to forget something you memorize than to forget something you understand. I would prefer to be taught in a way that I understand the subject and concept at hand as opposed to just memorizing it.
ReplyDeleteThrough reading the packet “Learning to Read,” from Malcolm X, I think that he would see “the banking concept” as a perhaps somewhat effective way of learning. After all, Malcolm X pretty much only learned about history through reading books, assuming that the book is the teacher, and Malcolm the student, then “the banking concept” is at play. The book, playing the teacher role, distributes information in only one way, that is, the way the text is structured, the student then, must consume it as is. In that case, Malcolm took part of “the banking concept,” this concept came into play when Malcolm wanted to learn how to read and write more fluently. Malcolm used the dictionary, it being the teacher, and wrote down the entire dictionary verbatim, at first he memorized the words and definitions that he wrote down but within time he was able to understand the definitions and was able to apply them in his reading and writing. I don’t really think there is a shortcoming to the way he gained his knowledge though because he was able to use the knowledge he gained effectively as a minister and civil rights leader. What I expect from Elice as my instructor is a different way of being taught than any other instructor. For the most this seems like a class that I will learn a lot from through doing. Reading and knowing is not going to be enough, I would have to apply what I know like in in class discussions, quick writes and blog entries. I expect to learn different ways to read ad write because I am certain there isn’t only one certain way of reading and writing. All in all, it seems like it will be an interesting class and one that I will learn a lot.
I agree with you that the "banking concept" is somewhat effective for certain subjects like math and science; however, math also has some certain characteristics that demands for the student to critically think and know how to apply these formulas to any given situation. The formula might always be the same, but different numbers lead to completely different outcomes and an intelligent student should be aware of these outcomes. It's not really what you learn, it's what you get out of it.
DeleteYes true great point. This comes into play then with higher levels of math then I suppose. It is not just about plugging in numbers and formulas right.
DeleteI agree with you when you mentioned that Malcom X learned in a very similar way to the "banking concept" after all the books were fixed so he possibly couldn't learned more than what the books had. So the books took the role of the teacher putting all the information out for Malcom X to understand on his own.
DeleteThe banking concept is the easy way out to teaching. It's where teachers just teach you very minimal concepts that you ultimately just have to memorize. The teacher would give you some notes, then you would be tested on those that you memorized. But, you weren't learning any real in depth information about anything. So it is practically just seeing if you have a good memory and then on to the next chapter. They don't care if you get anything out of it, all they care about is passing or failing you and then you're gone and out of their hair. I think Freire uses this odd term because it is similar to going to a bank and withdrawing money. Because you go to your bank, collect your money and then forget about it once you use it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this method of teaching is effective at all. It makes the students not want to go to class to learn because they don't feel as if they are getting anything out of it. My high school Econ class was just like that. It made it feel as if everyday we were just doing busy work. I didn't really learn anything in that class because all I would have to do was copy sentences from the textbook and notes onto a worksheet. I don't think Malcolm X would appreciate the "Banking Method." He did however copy lots and lots of words, but he wasn't doing it to memorize them for a short amount of time. When Malcolm states, "It was inevitable that as my word-base broadened, I could for the first time pick up a book and read and now begin to understand what the book was saying," it shows that he was actually self teaching and copying words to truly get the root of each word and fully get a clear understanding of that he could understand in context. However, he was alone so he didn't have any source of feedback besides his books. So in a way he did do a similar tactic compared to the banking system but he went as deep as he could to get the most out of the resources he had at hand.
I feel like I learn the best when there is a lot of interaction with my classmates as well as doing activities where I get a lot of feedback from the teacher. It's much nicer learning things when the teacher keeps it interesting. Not the same thing everyday with different subjects and topics. I love when English teachers give you time to free write during class to get your creative juices flowing. What I expect to get out of this class is to be more confident in my writing and my voice I write with. I want to be able to write throughly with my main idea clear and concise. As well as bringing up my counter arguments and proving my point with a lot of support and reasoning. As my instructor I expect you to be constructive and helpful. From what I have seen so far it seems like a well organized class that I feel with definitely be challenging but will help me in the long run to be the best writer I can be and will keep me improving all semester.
I completely agree with you on the banking method! When you're being taught that way you feel like they don't care if you understand it or not. Therefore you start to not care and get nothing out of it, other than memorizing to pass the class.
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ReplyDeleteTo me “The Banking Concept” is a way of teaching used by many educators worldwide. The best reason as to why Freire uses the term banking can be best summed up by these words in the text “The teacher has knowledge and makes deposits from this storehouse into the minds of students, who are expected to receive these deposits completely and without alteration-like moving money from a wallet to the bank vault”. The teacher is basically grabbing information from the storehouse in his brain and is systematically feeding that information into the brains of his students. This type of teaching can have varying degrees of successes and failures. The student may be able to see the tip of the iceberg but it might cause him or her difficulty in seeing what lies beneath. However with the information learned and stored in the student’s mind he or she can use this information as a base to expand his or her learning if the student chooses to. The way that Malcolm X learned how to read reflects this. In his autobiography “Learning to Read” he states that while in prison he was inclined to increase his “stock” of knowledge. His first steps was to pick up a dictionary and learning the words inside it. With the dictionary as his teacher giving him the information and playing the role as a student Malcolm X diligently without question absorbs all the information that he possibly can. With this base he took it further by using the information he learned by starting to read books. I feel as though Malcolm X would say that yes this way of teaching can help students but there’s also a limit to how far it would let students go. As a student in this class I want to be able to improve my writing, become a better reader, and not only be able to recall information from the top of my head but to also understand why this information is important and significant to my education. I expect my instructor to be able to help me achieve these goals.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with your statement as to how the student can use the information given to him by the teacher to expand his or her learning. Your bridge in between your opinion of the "banking concept" and your reference to Malcolm X is very good. I as well thought that Malcolm X would not discourage this way of teaching, but would have liked to learn more about your opinion on the limits of how far you think a student could go with this teaching style.
DeleteAn example I thought of are the theorems that students learn in Geometry. It is pretty basic to memorize the words of the theorem but if the student does not invest in the time to learn why the theorem says what it says it could impact them in a bad way when they have to apply what they understood on an exam.
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ReplyDeleteBased on what is described in the introduction, "the banking concept" is a way of teaching that concentrates more on memorization of other peoples ideas that your own ideas that you had to develop yourself. This way of teaching makes it extremely difficult for some students to succeed because some are just not good at memorization and unfortunately memorization cannot be taught. However, making students think will help them out more in the long run because in most jobs, employees are not forced to just memorize facts. With that being said, I do believe that some memorization is necessary in order to make someone well rounded. Freire uses the term "the banking concept" because banking means putting something away and in this case information is being put away into someones memory. Instructors should not approach educating students in this way because not only can it be extremely difficult for some students, it also does not prepare students for the real world as well as other methods can. While this method can be extremely effective for some students, there is a group that struggles greatly with memorization and this only will make education only more difficult. However, if a student can memorize facts very easily, this is a very good method because one can attain a great deal of information in only a short period of time. I would rather be taught in a setting in which I have to come up with my own ideas. This makes it easier for me to remember information and is much more enjoyable for me. Throughout my life this has been the easiest/best way for me to learn all subjects. I am sure that Malcolm X would actually really like this form of education because that is the way he learned when he was in prison. He displays this when he says, "then, aloud, I read back, to myself, everything Id written on the tablet. Over and over." This displays that although this was his only option, I am sure this was a very easy way for him to learn and probably the best way for him as an individual to learn too. His own education was extremely similar to "the banking concept" because in many cases he just accepted what he read as fact. For example, when he was reading the writings of Elijah Muhammad, he didn't seem to question what he was writing, he accepted Elijahs ideas with hardly any question about them. This form of education helped him because he was very responsive to it seeing that memorizing facts was pretty much the only option he had. However, it could possibly be hindering to his education because he never really had the chance to create his own opinions of certain topics. Overall, I do not think that it hindered his education because this was the way he learned best and he made the most out of the situation he was put into. I expect you as an instructor to make us think and become better writers. In addition, I would like to become a more attentive and active reader in a sense that I would like to attain more than just the overall main idea of what we are reading. I expect how to learn how to read different kinds of writings actively and how to respond to them in an educated manor based on my own ideas I have drawn from the readings.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you that Malcolm X to some degree used the method of "the banking concept" to be teach himself. With the dictionary and books he read being the teacher and Malcolm X being the student. This was the only method that he was able to use, since being in prison gave him little resources. What I wonder is if his teacher Muhammad used this "banking concept" with his student Malcolm X? Perhaps it was the case?
ReplyDeleteTo my understanding, "the banking concept" is the idea of an expert on a specific subject teaching an apprentice, who accepts all the lessons for what they are without any questioning. The apprentice is told to memorize all the information but is not allowed to have an opinion on the subject. Freire uses the term, "the banking concept" because it reminds him of the concept of "moving money from a wallet to a banking vault" (11). The comparison is between the wallet, or teacher, transferring money, or education, into the bank vault, aka the minds of the students. There is no thinking involved for the students, just simply memorizing the content. I do not believe all instructors should be using "the banking concept" as the only form of teaching. Sometimes the method is necessary for a subject like chemistry and math when having to memorize formulas. However, I believe that most of an instructors teaching should allow the ideas and thoughts of others to take part. The "banking concept" is an important method to learn and remember from mistakes of the past. It can be used as a way to ensure that no one makes the same error as another person. The lessons can be used as advancements instead of taking a step back. On the other hand, "the banking concept" can be a limiting way to learn. It does not allow time for others to have an opinion on the matter. In a way, it could also be a step back instead of an advancement. I believe "the banking concept" can be either good or bad depending on how the method is used. I would want to be taught with both methods because I believe having the ability to understand both concepts would help expand my thoughts and perspectives on anything. I believe they can both be used in every day life not just academics. When Malcolm X first began reading, I believe he was using "the banking concept." However, over the years he would not completely agree with the concept. Malcolm took those concepts and applied the guidelines using his own life story, another concept of "reading with the grain." For example, as Malcolm was writing to Muhammad and reading/listening to America's UN ambassador talking about a "skin game." It came to Malcolm's realization that he was living the "game." I believe both methods combined helped Malcolm open his perspective on everything. It allowed him to grow as a thinker and a person making a difference in the world. As my instructor, I expect to be taught to be open minded of different perspectives. Also, to be taught lessons that apply to the real world in everyday life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Malcolm learned by applying his life experiences his progressing education. In a way he was "Framing" with what he was learning
DeleteAurelio, great connection to "framing," here!
DeleteFreire’s term of the banking concept is a way of getting students to learn by working with difficult situations. These situations can consist of reading or writing and requiring exercises to be completed. Freire used the term “Banking” because he education as banking system. Teachers hold the knowledge and deposit this knowledge into the heads of students. Students are supposed to receive these “deposits” without problems, just like depositing money into a bank account. It sounds like a well working system; however, Freire believes that the banking system is not a good thing. Students are forced to memorize terms without knowing how to apply them. In other words, “Education by memorization” if forced onto the students which does not give them a strong informative outlook on what they are learning. Freire says that schools regulate the way the world ‘enters into’ students” and is a “problem posing education.” I personally believe that the banking system is effective to some extent, it gives students the ability to memorize what is needed, yet it doesn’t show them how to apply what they learn. It is like learning every word in the dictionary without learning how to use those words in your writing, its irrelevant. I wish to be taught in a way that tells me how to read and write correctly, yet also learning how to apply myself in a way that makes me understand how to read and write correctly. I want certain goals to be set that mark my progress.
ReplyDeletePersonally I believe Malcolm X would dislike the “banking system”; however, I also feel that he would slightly contradict his own education. Malcolm X learned how to read and write while he was in prison. He learned by reading a dictionary and writing every word until he learned it, he learned the meaning of each word which helped him interpret what each one meant; however, I am not quite sure how he was able to learn how to use these words together in his writing. He didn’t learn by the common term used by Freire, teachers depositing their knowledge into students; however, he did learn by repetition which was stated in the ‘Ways of Reading Intro’.
As my teacher, I expect you to teach me how to correctly read and write. Ways to improve my abilities, ways to understand on the terms of English. In other words I want to learn using the “banking concept”, yet I also want to learn using every other system known to man.
@aurelio : "every system known to man?" (Lol) that would take a very long time! But I like your enthusiasm. ;) lol
DeleteI could not agree more about how it gives students the ability to memorize, but it doesn’t show them how to apply what they learn. At the end of the semester, the students leave knowing nothing except weather they passed the class or not.
DeleteAs I understood the banking concept" it was a mental place to put all the information and skills you learned in the process of gaining that information. We withdraw a certain concept we have already learned and use it to help us gain more knowledge or to help us through a situation. This method is not very effective when we are just memorizing facts to use later on a test, we need to understand the concepts behind those facts to really learn from that lesson. This is how instructors should approach teaching, teaching to give their students the necessary skills to function in the future.
ReplyDeleteI believe Malcolm X feels that the concept is valid in his education, even though he didn't have an instructor. He was able to take the dictionary and learn to read and write from that. He took the words he knew from rewriting the dictionary and he then he went and read books with his new understanding of the meaning of those words. This type of education would benefit him because he was able to communicate and learn more clearly and he was could see the word through a new lens. But, his education could have also hurt him because he may have spoken too much at a higher level to his followers for them to understand what he was saying.
As a student I would like to be taught with clear and direct instructions and answers, I know these are not always available. I would like to also get a full understanding of the concept we are learning, rather than just memorizing facts. However, I do understand that memorizing is a big part in some classes, such as anatomy. Looking back I have realized that I learn best by repetition. I expect for you to be there when we have questions. But, I do not expect you to have every answer. I have found that sometimes I learn more when I work with the teacher to find the answer. I want to learn how to express my thoughts more clearly and efficiently, because I know that in my future nursing career that writing and thinking critically will be very important.
I had not really thought of the "banking concept" as a way of building on ideas to understand concepts but instead as just depositing information into your mind. I like that idea of it and I agree with you after reading your response. I also agree with you that the "banking concept" was both helpful and hindering to Malcolm X's education.
DeleteTo my understanding the banking method is memorizing concepts. Instructors giving students information to jot down in their notes in hopes that they will memorize and grasp everything that is being presented to them. I think Freire uses the banking term to mock it. He want others to realize that it's ridiculous to expect all individuals to learn that way. I have had several classes where teachers teach this way and just want us to memorize vocabulary and such, and when the test comes rolling by, I memorize what is going to be on the test and once its over, its like it goes in one ear and out the other.
ReplyDeleteHowever I do think there are certain subjects where this method would work. For example science and math, there's no tinkering with either one. You are either right or wrong. But with subjects like english, theres so much depth that goes into reading and writing, it wouldn't be reasonable to use this method. Thats the beauty of reading, there's never a right or wrong answer, due to the fact that now all of our opinions are involved and the way we interpret things is very different. I learned that when i took CWL 161 last semester with professor McHugh, if you ever get the chance i really recommend taking the class. You see the world and reading in a totally different perspective.
I think Malcolm X would agree with the banking concept because even though he didn't have an instructor giving him all the information he did have his books. He learned to read and write from books, and gained all of his knowledge from books and he claims that he has never felt so free in his life. However him always being in his books gave him no room to really see anyone else's perspective and wasn't exposed to other's knowledge other than his books for the most part.
I think that i learn best from interaction and class discussion with my peers. Its nice when you get to hear what others think on certain issues and if you agree or don't. What i expect to get out of this class is to become a better reader and writer and actually enjoy to read and write. I want to feel confident in my writing. What I expect from you is to always stay motivated and in high spirits because an instructor's attitude can set the mood. I want to be excited to come to class even though I have to be there at 8AM.
I agree with you that there is more to the banking concept than just memorizing facts, but memorizing concepts. However, I don't believe that Freire is mocking that way of learning, I feel that it is simply a metaphor for the way we hold that information. What lead you to believe that it was mockery? I am just curious.
DeleteYes, in math and science it is hard to learn any other way than the banking system. The math lesson would take to long and would be too confusing if we had to explain and discuss why the Pythagorean Thorium is the way that it is.
I think that Malcolm would in fact disagree with the banking concept. He did learn by looking at a dictionary but he connected it with his life experiences. He's making relations with his life which makes it easier for him to learn. I don't think that's considered a banking concept, it's a more advanced way of learning.
DeleteTo me, "the banking concept" essentially means that students are fed information and expected to memorize it. All the information comes from the teachers and is not supposed to be questioned, changed, or interpreted; it is meant to be stored in our minds. Freire uses the term "the banking concept" because it perfectly sums up what is happening in some classrooms. Students are being told information by their teachers that they are supposed to bank in the back of their minds so that they can later regurgitate it onto a test or quiz. Instead of being required to learn, students are required to memorize. No teacher or instructor should teach like this because it does not work. In my experience, I forget information that I am only required to memorize and not do anything with. Also, as Freire mentions, students who are taught like this are not being given the problem solving skills that are necessary to be successful in the real world. This method of teaching may be helpful if you have a lot of information to learn in a short period of time but in the long run, it will just be tedious and forgettable.
ReplyDeleteI am not really sure how Malcolm X would feel about "the banking concept." In some regards he would not like it because he likes to express the ideas he has learned from others but he gives those ideas his own twist. On the other hand, Malcolm X was educated in a "banking concept" sort of way; he read, remembered and believed everything he read in those books and they became his thoughts and ideas. I believe that Malcolm X's education was helped by this sort of learning because he learned so much from all the books he read. At the same time, his education was hindered because he could have been influenced to think only in a certain way depending on which books he read. Overall, the "banking concept" worked well for Malcolm X in the beginning of his education but he eventually had to break out of it and develop his own ideas.
As our instructor, I expect that you will be there to guide us and help us do our best. I like to be taught in a way that makes me feel like I am being talked to instead of being talked at. Also, being a visual learner, I like lots of examples because concepts make more sense to me when I can see them working in front of me. I am really hoping that you can teach me how to be a better critical thinker and how to more effectively read "against the grain."
I agree with what you feel banking system means. No one will try to go against or question what they have already learned. They will just use it in the way that they were taught and that is all. Instead of walking straight through the path, they will walk all the way around and make it more difficult, without using their own ideas or thinking critically of the situation.
DeleteTo my understanding, the "banking concept" is the idea that the teacher knows all the information the students should have and then gives it to them in a direct way. This would usually happen in the style of notes, in which the student is then responsible for understanding the concepts of the material on his/her own. It is easy to understand why Feire would name this process of teaching as the "banking concept." Like a bank the teacher simply gives the information to the students in a direct manner in which students can't have different views on the information given to them. All that they can do is simply to take it. I don't believe this is a very effective method of teaching students. That is because their is little interactions among student and teacher, preventing clarification of the material. I do believe that their are times that this method can be useful in class. For example their might be times were a lesson is straightforward and is needed to be taught quickly then this method of teaching would be greatly beneficial. But I wouldn't want to be taught this way because I feel that this method would be very tedious and not effective to my learning. I would prefer to be taught in a more creative way that involves me to think outside the box and to question the material being taught to me.
ReplyDeleteI am not really sure how Malcom X would feel about this concept. Well it seems that he did most of his learning through the use of this system if you considered the books he was reading as the teacher. Because the books are fixed Malcom X is not able to learn more than what the books contained, so he was really learning in the form of the "banking concept." In that case I could see Malcom X supporting the "banking concept" as an effective way to teach students.
As my instructor I expect lessons to be well thought out before class in order to achieve maximum learning and productivity. I hope to learn in this class how to find ways to express my thoughts and ideas into words that can easily be understand by the reader.
The"banking system" is when the exact definitions, words, principles, and thoughts are expressed by a person of high knowledge and stored in your memory exactly how they were said. When students use the banking system in class they are taking every bit of knowledge told in a lesson and keeping it in your memory that way. The banking concept is much like a banking system. If you go to an ATM and deposit $100 then the ATM will accept it and put it into your account. Besides the initial question of how much money there is, there isn't any more doubt. There isn't any adding to the money or taking away from the $100, just the acceptance of the money. It's just like the banking concept, where there is juts the acceptance and no questions or adding to the subject. In classes such as a math class, history class, and psychology class the banking concept will definitely help a student ace a test. However, in classes such as English where you need to write responses with your opinions then the banking concept in useless. In classes where you need to memorize theories or formulas word for word on a test then the banking system would be very effective. I actually think it is almost necessary to use the banking concept when you are just being introduced to a new idea. After you can completely understand the topics that you "banked" then I think it's time to move forward to understand and even further those ideas. The banking concept would be effective on getting the A, but if you lack understanding then it isn't effective in the long run. If you are using the banking concept in a place that you need your own opinions with then you are not going to be able to express yourself as easy as you could while not using the banking system. When I am taught math I actually enjoy learning by the banking system because I know that that is what the teacher wants. In a class like english I want to be able to have my own ideas and opinions and the banking concept would make it hard to do that. I learn best when I can fully understand the subject or topic and sometimes the banking concept is all it takes. I think that Malcolm X's education became what it was because of the banking system. Without the basics of learning the dictionary word by word then Malcolm X wouldn't have formed his thoughts the way that he did in his future beyond prison. Much like how I said, it's easier to formulate your own ideas after the banking concept is infiltrated. Without the banking concept Malcolm X wouldn't have been the man that he was when he got out of prison. His education is different because it's self-taught. He wished for knowledge and worked hard to be educated and informed. As my instructor I want for you to keep the topics interesting so that I can stay interested. I expect for this class to make me think in ways that I have never thought before and make me leave class every day with new ideas.
ReplyDeleteI like how you thoroughly explained your idea of the meaning behind the term "banking concept." I also agree that this method can be useful to students in certain subjects. I believe that there's always questions to be asked and its better for students to have the opportunity to ask these questions. But like you said, in certain subjects like math and science, where there is usually only one right answer, it might be more beneficial to them to be taught through the banking concept. It's easier to just learn and retain given information without analyzing too long and hard about it as compared to English where it requires you to think and observe.
DeleteIn my opinion, the banking concept is when a teacher just lectures students on ideas without giving them the opportunity to give any feedback or challenge the teachers ideas. I believe it is called the banking concept because it is as if the teacher was dropping off money into his bank account. Freire probably uses this term because it is a great example and makes sense when you think about it. This way of teaching seems very ineffective and can leave the students confused. I had a teacher that somewhat had this style of teaching and it was not a fun experience. The first day he said, "The book is alright but I believe I have a better way of teaching the material". He would ask if anyone had any questions and whenever someone asked he would attempt to make it seem like a dumb question. I would much rather have a teacher that enjoyed arguing and having students question the material. I find that whenever I ask a question and get a good response back from a teacher, I wont forget what they have told me for a test or anything else.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Malcolm X would disagree with this concept. Although this was somewhat how Malcolm learned, he did not really have a choice since he was in prison. He probably had questions, but there was no one to answer them. Also there is a difference between reading out of book and having your own opinion, and hearing a teacher read and give their own opinion to students.
All I really expect from you is to make the class interesting and enjoyable. I really need to work on staying on topic during in class essays and also staying focused on reading even when the subject matter is somewhat dull. I hope this class will help me with this.
I agree with how you believe Malcolm disagrees with the "banking concept," however just because there was no one to answer his questions does not mean he cannot still question the texts.
DeleteI believe that the “banking system” is when a teacher has the information and gives it to the student to memorize. Freire uses this weird term because it is like a bank transaction the customer deposits the money to the bank and the bank holds the money. In other words the teacher deposits the information into the student. I think that instructors should and should not use this method depending on the type of class that they are teaching. I think this method is effective if you are teaching a class that all the solutions are straightforward like mathematics for example, but it can also be ineffective if it is a class like creative writing where there is no straightforward answer and you have to think for yourself. Something positive about this method is that some students prefer to be given a straight answer rather than have to use their heads to create an answer so, more students pay attention. A con is that students do not learn to think for themselves or think outside of what the instructor is telling him/her. I learn best by being taught straightforward answers because most of my teachers have taught me in that kind of method.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Malcolm X would be comfortable with this method. In my opinion I think that Malcolm X’s education was like the “banking system” the only difference is that he got taught by a book instead of a teacher, but the concept is the same because he took the information that was given to him and he memorized it. This education would help him in a way that he learns everything that he wants to learn and it is all very easy to learn. At the same time it can hinder you because you will only learn the opinion of the author and most likely you will never question what they are writing about. I expect you to teach us the material in a way that we can easily learn the material but will also help us add to what you are teaching us. I expect to learn to use reading and writing in a way to help me think beyond the information that is being taught.
The banking system is when one is basically learning or memorizing everything the way it is taught in that way, and in that way only. People, or students to the method, will most likely not question their teachers or what they are learning because they are true believers to the higher and more educated beings. They will suck everything like a sponge and believe every word that is told. It is like a slave or peasant hearing out orders from a kings and there is no way to question the higher being. With that having been said, Malcolm X had a very different approach to this philosophy, or method. He was a believer, and a true student. Malcolm X took every bit of information, suck the knowledge of every book and instructor dry, and learned it all. But that wasn't all, he took that information and formed thoughts and new ideas toward it, against it, and with it. He questioned authority, questioned the higher knowledge, and rose above all. He figured things out, put more ideas on top of it, learned from it, put in in his own words, understood it, and shared it with all to hear. Malcolm X was an "out of the box" thinker, he used experience and preparation to make everything into perfection. As for my instructor, i would like you to keep things simple, not try to confuse us too much with your "higher knowledge," and really explain what you mean. And please, do be reasonable and lean with the the grading ;)
ReplyDeleteI interpreted “the banking concept” as an inadequate way of learning for students. The teacher simply drops all the essential information onto students in hopes of them being able to grasp and memorize the concepts in time for the exams. I believe Freire uses this term because you’re essentially like a bank. You’re given all this information to memorize and hold without question. You’re expected to take it all in and store it into your memory instead of learning and interrogating everything. This method requires students to memorize, not learn and it isn’t a very effective way to teach. Although you are storing information in your brain, it isn’t guaranteed that the information will retain. While learning and questioning requires you to think, and might actually help to remember the information in the long run. From my high school experiences, I hated being taught this way. While it was easy to memorize and pass the class, I didn’t learn much because it didn’t give you much room to analyze and think. It was simply just memorizing a unit and passing the exam until the next chapter came along. Once that unit was done I would easily forget what I had learned that week. The only pro for this method would be if it was a short, easy and pretty upfront unit. It’d be easier and more beneficial for the students to just get the basic understanding and move along to the next chapter. I would want to be taught in ways where I can connect with the teacher more. Being able to ask questions and observe other student’s thoughts would make it a lot easier for me to get into the material and retain information better.
ReplyDeleteMalcolm X’s way of learning is basically the banking system. He didn’t have a teacher helping or guiding him. The books were his teachers, throwing information at him, expecting him to learn and develop his own ideas. Although this was the way he learned, I don’t believe he would have thought it was the best way of learning. He didn’t have the option of having someone help him and was forced to learn that way.
As my instructor, I expect you to help me gain more effective ways of understanding and reading texts. I tend not to grasp information as well as others but I hope that you’ll be there to answer my questions and help me throughout the semester.