Can humiliation be liberation? Do you think that pointing out ego fixations publically serves to free students of their egos? What do you think are the advantages, and drawbacks of this teaching method? Why do you think it works or does not work? In more ancient times, it was very common for aspirants to be repetitively humbled by teachers, in an attempt to free them of ego attachment. That is a less common tactic nowadays, but I have seen it still show up occasionally. I had two experiences in which a teacher has pointed out my ego fixations in front of a group, leaving me to feel humiliated. The first time it happened I ended up more cemented in my own suffering. The second time I was able, later in my own meditation, to take a perspective on the experience and see how my false-self was keeping me stuck in fixation.  Now I find myself standing more firmly in my own truth, but less confident in the teaching I was given. Does anyone have a similar experience?
Do you think that pointing out ego fixations publicly serves to free students of their egos?


In general, no. To me, it is cultish behaviour.


  What do you think are the advantages, and drawbacks of this teaching
  method?


No general advantages. Probably some drawbacks, such as making the student project ego onto the guru. The student that cannot free the mind from ego will abandon their ego &amp; take up the ego of the guru. 


  Why do you think it works or does not work?


The Buddha, according to the Pali suttas, simply pointed the way/path &amp; the student went off &amp; practised alone. The capacity to give up ego can only occur in a mind ready &amp; prepared for it. 


  In more ancient times, it was very common for aspirants to be repetitively humbled by teachers, in an attempt to free them of ego
  attachment.


Possibly in Hinduism, Mahayana or Zen but I do not recall reading this as something that commonly occurred in the ancient Pali suttas. While I have read public admonishments in the Pali suttas by the Buddha for monks publicly preaching wrong views (e.g. MN 22; MN 38), I don't not recall many of these public admonishments leading to enlightenment (although there might be some, somewhere). For example, in SN 22.85, Venerable Yamaka was publicly preaching wrong views and the Venerable Sāriputta approached Venerable Yamaka, in private, addressing Venerable Yamaka as "friend", to rectify the wrong views, which resulted in Venerable Yamaka attaining enlightenment.


  I had two experiences in which a teacher has pointed out my ego fixations in front of a group, leaving me to feel humiliated.


Indeed. 


  The first time it happened I ended up more cemented in my own
  suffering.


Indeed. 


  The second time I was able, later in my own meditation, to take a perspective on the experience and see how my false-self was keeping me
  stuck in fixation.


Yes, in your own meditation. If the teacher gently pointed out the ego-fixation in private, the same result may have occurred. I think public humiliations give a bad example to students. Often students imitate their teachers.     


  Now I find myself standing more firmly in my own truth, but less confident in the teaching I was given. Does anyone have a similar
  experience?


Yes. Teachers can disappoint us when they do not act with the virtue &amp; care we expect however this gives us an opportunity to be more firm &amp; mature in our own virtue &amp; care. Even if a public humiliation resulted in your mind eventually abandoning 'false-self', this does not mean you should engage in this cultish behaviour.