The model of humanity recognized by both of the oppressed and the oppressor is that their ideal is to be men; but for them, to be men is to be oppressors. In this situation the oppressed do not see the "new man" as the person to be born from the resolution of this contradiction, as oppression gives way to liberation. For them, the new man becomes oppressors too. Their vision of the new man is individualistic; because of their identification with the oppressor, they have no consciousness of themselves as persons or as members of an oppressed class. The reason behind this kind of belief is the fear of the oppressed to embrace freedom even they know that they cannot exist authentically without it. They are confused to make an action; they have conflict in choosing between speaking out and being silent. This is the tragic dilemma of the oppressed which their education must take into account and this struggle is the reason why this pedagogy is made. This becomes an instrument for their critical discovery that both they and their oppressors are manifestations of dehumanization. Because of this discovery, the solution of this contradiction is born in the labor which brings into the world this new being: no longer oppressor or longer oppressed, but human in the process of achieving freedom. With that I conclude that this critical pedagogy of Paulo Freire is the best material that showcases preparation to fight for liberation from oppression that can be applied in the current mode of teaching and learning.
In connection to the current mode of teaching and learning based on my observation and experiences in this field, teacher can be oppressor at the same time student can be oppressed if the method of teaching remains traditional. When I say traditional, it is more on narrative. In this method teacher teaches lesson that is not connected in students real life experiences that results in subject content memorization instead of learning content through real life application. In this way the student (the oppressed) will see teacher (the oppressor) as the only source of information. This is called teacher-centered learning. During pandemic, it is unavoidable to use this type of teaching approach since our classroom is transferred into the virtual world. Most of teachers prepare to use video lessons instead of live discussion to save time and efforts. But video lesson did not requires student and teacher interaction that is why even we use technology in preparation the instruction will still be traditional, no more recitation only memorization. As a teacher I think we should help the oppressed and ourselves as an oppressor to step up and make learning more meaningful by preparing them to fight for liberation from oppression. This can be done by thinking deeply about the message of Freire in his Pedagogy of the Oppressed. We should guide student to have their own language by educating them how to speak and relay to their true to life experiences and let them share their views about it instead of giving them a task to memorize and to participate to an old recitation practice. To achieve it successfully, the change of teaching instruction is needed. From traditional approach to modern approach that requires out of the box collaboration that can sharped student skills and improve their intellectual behavior. This can become a first step for the student to be innovative and more productive that can lead them to think about progress and changes in their culture and society that benefits both oppressed and oppressor but this equality will be dominant and the process of achieving freedom is now included in the praxis.
Reference Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed