My Education @ Liberty High School

Liberty High School is composed of a very diverse community. The school is unique in that it does not have obvious race or financial barriers. While some wear expensive clothes that others cannot afford, it does not affect the relationships between students. Those in the town sometimes talk about how rough the school is, or has gotten to be, with fights and so many students, but it really isn’t when compared to other schools surrounding, particularly in Allentown. Attending this school proved to be a good experience for myself, and the others who graduated, because it exposed us to many different cultures, classes, and above all, education styles.

Courses at Liberty varied in teaching methods and difficulty, with most of the regular classes fitting Paolo Freire’s banking concept. On the other hand, many of the higher level classes - Honors and AP - were set up as problem-posing atmospheres. These involved much discussion between the students and teacher, and encouraged students to think deeply on subjects. Perhaps the students in these classes valued their education highly, or they were influenced by the problem-posing education that caused our comprehension “to be increasingly critical and thus constantly less alienated” (Freire 373). This showed through students who were a part of the problem-posing classes attending college or trade schools after graduation. Albeit, students can attend secondary education whether or not they were in higher level classes, for myself the problem-posing classes made a difference in my choice of attending a 4-year college. By way of the teachers including critical discussion in the daily curriculum, “the world… [became] the object of the transformation which resulted in our humanization” (Freire 376). It caused myself to want to continue thinking critically and facing challenges. This may have influenced my decision to become a nurse as well because as a nurse you are constantly facing problems, although not worldly or political for the main part, problems abound in hospital settings.  

Experiencing both banking and problem-posing education, I understand, and agree with, Freire’s argument against the banking concept. It is an efficient way to have students memorize information needed in the moment. Problem-posing education aides in retaining information for the long run, and helped me to think more critically than other classes.

LHS, Bethlehem, PA