I stand with the overall message: indoctrinated education that focuses on creating docile wage laborers is not good for us, and we gain (some of our) freedom through what the author refers to as 'problem-posing education', i.e. dialogue, participatory action research rather than passively absorbing information. But, I do think the value proposition is flawed, as it should be centered around how such education can be directed to amassing social utility and creating a system that disables social inequality, rather than achieving an arbitrary individual freedom. It's nonetheless understandable when recognizing the climate at the time of this writing. ( )

A much needed book in this troubled world. ( )

I'm going to rate once I've read the paperback version as I've only so far listened to the audiobook.

This book was recommended to me many years ago by a professor at Azusa Pacific whose last name escapes me but her first name was Deborah. At the time I was interested in student services, and she suggested that I read this book. It's been a while coming, but this really is an important book about education. The notion of banking knowledge is something that we don't talk about in as many words, but it is something that the American system of education still views as a foundation of teaching, yet Freire boldly states "In the banking concept of education, knowledge is a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowledgeable upon those whom they consider to know nothing. Projecting an absolute ignorance onto others, a characteristic of the ideology of oppression, negates education and knowledge as processes of inquiry" (72). ( )

Read this in a book group. Obviously really great and rewarding. It'd be cool if everyone read it. ( )