The first chapter of Pedagogy of the Oppressed is a challenging read, but I was able to derive some meaning from it. The way I see it, children (or the students we will be teaching) are inherently oppressed because they are not yet adults. They live under the rule of others. And because they lack power, they may fear what freedom entails. As teachers, it is our job to help students develop as individuals (i.e. strive for humanization) so they can escape the oppression life puts upon them and remain fearless when the enter the adult world and the freedom that brings.
Since students are inherently oppressed, they may have tendencies towards self-depreciation. As teachers, we need to help our students separate themselves from fatalistic attitudes. Until students overcome their dependence, they will be like the peasant who says "'What can I do? I'm only a peasant.'" But instead, it will be "What can I do? I am only a student." We need to help students overcome the apparent power and invulnerability of their oppressors (society, perceived limitations, etc.), so they can survive and thrive in the adult world. We teachers need to instill a sense of self-efficacy so students can realize that they have significance as a unique individual.
Lastly, I think it is important that teachers and students are both subjects in the "task of unveiling ... [and] recreating ... knowledge," as the chapter mentions. The achievement of individuality, humanization, and freedom from oppression is dependent on the efforts of both the teacher and the student. Students must be willing to reflect upon their situation and experiences in order to re-create themselves, and teachers must create opportunities for the development of their students and practice responsive teaching so they can meet the needs of their students as they take steps towards independence.
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