A loud, siren - like noise pierces the morning's silence, and you are unexpectedly jolted awake. That annoying noise is unmistakable. You know the drill by now. Its 7:00 AM and its invariably time to get ready for your first day of school. You hurriedly shave, shower, get dressed and assemble your books and supplies and then it's off to usher in another school year and yet another productive year of "learning."
             You arrive at your first class, brimming with breathless anticipation, and a robotic, monotonous instructor who proceeds to meticulously detail the course work for the duration of the semester soon greets you. "You will read this book, you will do this homework, you will write these essays, and you will be evaluated on my criteria for success," the teacher growls. This intimidating tactic that your teacher has knowingly (or unknowingly) chosen to employ could potentially render you and your classmates unwilling and unable to pose questions to the instructor and to provide constructive input and feedback, actions that are critical to the learning process. This episode is all too similar to Paulo Freire's essay "Banking Concept of Education." Freire concludes, "The teacher talks and the students listen, meekly (261)." The idea of dictatorial education is seemingly rampant in today's society much like it was in Freire's almost 90 years ago. Clearly, many educators still advocate this style of education today. However, it is unmistakably apparent that the continued promotion and practice of this often times dominant form of teaching and learning must be done sparingly and with discretion or it may wholly yield devastating consequences for its victims, the students; both in the classroom and in society overall.
             The teacher begins to ramble about the history of the United States shortly into the class period. She chooses to start by talking about Pearl...