In Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the oppressed, the banking education theory is discussed. Banking education is a term used by Paulo Freire to explain and critique the traditional education system. It is described as a method of teaching and learning where students store the information relayed to them by the teacher. There is a metaphor that describes the banking education concept as students are containers which teachers must put knowledge into. According to Paulo Freire, this form of education gives the impression that the teacher knows everything and the students know nothing. He also says that the teacher is the subject of the lesson and the students are just objects. This form of education does not cater to the student’s needs and takes away any opportunity for creativity from the students.
The New Zealand Curriculum states that the purpose of the curriculum is to develop students into lifelong learners and to realise their individual potential. In order to achieve this purpose, the learning of students needs to be focused and adjusted to their needs. The New Zealand Curriculum has many strong values enforced within the curriculum that need to be followed by teachers to assist in the students reaching their full potential. These values are excellence, innovation, inquiry, diversity, equity, community and participation, ecological sustainability, integrity and respect. In order to teach through these values, a teacher must disregard the banking education method and realise that students have knowledge to share with you and are more than just objects. Students need to be respected and will give you respect if you treat them as such. Within learning, teachers need to provide opportunities for students to be curious and inquire. This will give students creative power and stimulate their learning as you are giving them involvement in their own learning. This type of power that is being given to the students will result in more motivation for the students to learn. The world is transforming and we must as teachers transform the way we teach to meet the current needs of our students. In order to mold our youth of today into lifelong learners, we must allow them to be actively involved in their education and be able to discover knowledge for themselves. Let’s limit the time where students are to simply store information that is relayed to them by their teacher. Let our youth be creative and let’s guide them to discover knowledge for themselves in a safe and accepting learning environment. Give the power of their learning to the students.
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