My own metaphor for teaching can be presented by visualizing an old cartoon where a snowball started down a hill and as it picked up speed and size also picked up people. Soon a huge snowball with arms and legs sticking out at every angle was speeding down the hill. This is how I imagine my classes. I may not get every need met by every student but as a whole we do learn and pick up speed and turn out going in the same direction. Some (arms and legs sticking out) may not completely get it at first but as the snowball gets bigger, they are engulfed. That's how I view my classes. Alison
Hello class, For me, my teaching reminds me of being an adventure guide through the jungles of learning. I am dressed in my khaki cargo pants, decked out with pockets full of maps, bug spray, flashlights and of course-snacks! I initially lead the way pointing out rope bridges and the best way to find clean water. But as my group begins to become acclimated to the jungle environment, other leaders start to emerge. I let them take charge, ask questions, and occasionally they trip in the dirt, but I am there to give them a hand up and to start on the path again.
It was good meeting all of you today. I am looking forward to the next few weeks! Heather Smith
My metaphor comes from a quote from Plutarch: “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” I think of myself as some sort of scout leader, sharing wood lore and teaching students how to make and tend a fire. At first, I need to do a lot of stoking of all of the individual fires (yes, me running around like a headless chicken). But then, one gets it and starts to kindle his/her own fire. Then another. Then one of the early ones shares a tip with another student. Helping spreads. Lots of little fires are winking and glowing around the room. As they get stronger, we also join together to have a central bonfire of learning, that we all tend together, or take turns tending. Yet, each has the skill to tend their own fire, and survive a night (or a life of learning) on their own.
For me, teaching is much like being a gardner tending a garden not knowing what seeds have been planted. Some will need more water while others less. As the plants begin to grow, some will need lots of sunshine and others will flourish in the shade. My job is to make adjustments to ensure each seed has the opportunity to grow into a healthy plant and enjoy the surprises along the way.
Perhaps if asked this question in the winter, I may have seen it more like the giant snowball. It is a nice sunny day though, and I am sitting looking out into my garden wondering what is growing.
I have heard many great metaphors for teaching, but the one that I connect to the most is Donna Bowles’ The Wizard of Oz is a Metaphor for Teaching Excellence. Like Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man, successful teachers must have courage, passion and brains.
Courage is needed to trust one’s “gut” feelings and intuitive perceptions involving students; try new teaching strategies and obtain feedback to assess their effectiveness; disagree with colleagues on program development issues; and approach student evaluations of teaching performance with humbleness rather than vulnerability.
Passion is needed to care for yourself (physically, mentally and spiritually) in order to care for students; put forth the effort to know each student’s name and special learning needs; provide prompt feedback for student performance along with critical encouragement; and instill a sense of hope for academically challenged students.
Brains are needed to focus on diversity in students’ learning styles rather than on students’ intellect/personalities; read or seek information about teaching at every opportunity; laugh, have fun and enjoy students; and learn from past mistakes when developing and implementing future lessons.
Bowles identifies Dorothy as having all these character attributes most admirable in teachers. She’s adventuresome, keeps an open mind, perseveres even in difficult circumstances and networks with great confidence. Her sense of hope helps others in troubled times.
I think a long distance runner is an apt metaphor for my teaching style in two distinct ways. The first way is that building students' knowledge is a long and involved process that develops over a long period of time. In elementary school the teachers introduce students to students that will be developed further in middle and high school. Then the further knowledge gained in high school will be deepened in colledge or other life experiences. I do not believe it is necessary to attempt to give the student a deep understanding of every subject but rather to familiarize them enough with the content that when they encounter it again in the future they have a knowledge base to draw upon. In this manner knowledge is built piece by piece over time. A teacher should focus on the essential questions and enduring understandings much as a distance runner focuses on the next 100 yards or mile and finally completes the marathon. The only difference is that with learning hopefully the race never ends. The second way teaching is similar to distance running is in the personal development of the teacher. From developing content knowledge to pedagogical knowledge to refining classroom management techniques the learning process is long and at times exhausting but every year shows improvement as practice and competition foster improvement in a runner.
By the way, ask me again in 6 months and I'll have a different metaphor for myself. Now that you have me thinking about it I will not be able to let it go.
As I thought of different metaphors of teaching I thought of the gardener taking care of seeds. The seeds being the knowledge and I’m the gardener tending the garden. Then I read the posts form other students in my class and I realized that idea as been taken. I thought of using it anyways, but then I thought some more. While I was watching my favorite show, Top Chef, BLAMO!, it hit me, my metaphor that is. Teaching is like a great chef who can take any ingredients and turn them into a masterpiece. On Top Chef, the contestants are given ingredients and then have to make a dish that scintillates sublimely. As a teacher, I feel that we are not always able to pick what ingredients we get when we teach: the curriculum, the students, the atmosphere, the supplies, technology, and parental support, but we still have to create students who scintillate with knowledge. That is what I feel my teaching style is. Give me any of those ingredients and my goal would be the same: to teach students by creating the best learning environment possible, and have students who leave with a unique experience.
Steve, since I "took" your first idea, I thought I would let you know that I also thought of a chef. I guess we tend to think alike as far as teaching.
My metaphor for teaching is like rowing a boat or canoe. Picturing the back and forth as the give and take, sometimes pushing and sometimes pulling. It also reminds me that it may be hard and not feel like I'm getting anywhere then when I look back we are across a big lake. Sometimes it is hard rowing and sometimes it is stopping watch the waves in the water and feel the sun and the breeze. I also picture a crew team and think about how it is better as a team effort, and this could be the school, grade level teachers, and the families of students. Each lake represents new adventures and new challenges and it is something that takes practice and gets better over time.
I think it is interesting how many of our metaphors involve nature, it tells me teaching and learning are both organic and constantly changing.
Hello from the other Heather, My teaching style is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. You see the big picture, but the pieces get put together one at a time. Sometimes it is hard to find the right piece, and at other times you can put a whole section of the puzzle together quickly. I think my style of teaching is like this because when I introduce the topic and lay out the main objectives for the unit, students get introduced to the big picture. As the students get each concept from different lessons these are the puzzle pieces that fit together. As each section of the puzzle - more concepts - come together, students see the big picture more clearly.
Hi All, I am very behind. I am glad that everyone thought of "serious" ideas. I, myself, and me are crazy and off the wall. I pride myself on being unexpectedly random and crazy but with purpose. So...my metaphor for learning is like a Farrelly Brothers movie: it's random, crazy, fun, has personality and character, doesn't always make sense to the outside, but does all with purpose and thought and reason. Like a Farrelly Brothers movie -- I won't attract everyone, I won't make everyone laugh, and I won't pull everyone inside my bubble, but I know my reasons and I know why I do things and that is for the audience who keeps me going: the students.
My own metaphor for teaching can be presented by visualizing an old cartoon where a snowball started down a hill and as it picked up speed and size also picked up people. Soon a huge snowball with arms and legs sticking out at every angle was speeding down the hill. This is how I imagine my classes. I may not get every need met by every student but as a whole we do learn and pick up speed and turn out going in the same direction. Some (arms and legs sticking out) may not completely get it at first but as the snowball gets bigger, they are engulfed. That's how I view my classes. Alison
ReplyDeleteHello class,
ReplyDeleteFor me, my teaching reminds me of being an adventure guide through the jungles of learning. I am dressed in my khaki cargo pants, decked out with pockets full of maps, bug spray, flashlights and of course-snacks! I initially lead the way pointing out rope bridges and the best way to find clean water. But as my group begins to become acclimated to the jungle environment, other leaders start to emerge. I let them take charge, ask questions, and occasionally they trip in the dirt, but I am there to give them a hand up and to start on the path again.
It was good meeting all of you today. I am looking forward to the next few weeks!
Heather Smith
Hello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy metaphor comes from a quote from Plutarch: “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” I think of myself as some sort of scout leader, sharing wood lore and teaching students how to make and tend a fire. At first, I need to do a lot of stoking of all of the individual fires (yes, me running around like a headless chicken). But then, one gets it and starts to kindle his/her own fire. Then another. Then one of the early ones shares a tip with another student. Helping spreads. Lots of little fires are winking and glowing around the room. As they get stronger, we also join together to have a central bonfire of learning, that we all tend together, or take turns tending. Yet, each has the skill to tend their own fire, and survive a night (or a life of learning) on their own.
Hello class.
ReplyDeleteFor me, teaching is much like being a gardner tending a garden not knowing what seeds have been planted. Some will need more water while others less. As the plants begin to grow, some will need lots of sunshine and others will flourish in the shade. My job is to make adjustments to ensure each seed has the opportunity to grow into a healthy plant and enjoy the surprises along the way.
Perhaps if asked this question in the winter, I may have seen it more like the giant snowball. It is a nice sunny day though, and I am sitting looking out into my garden wondering what is growing.
Tiffany
Hello all,
ReplyDeleteI have heard many great metaphors for teaching, but the one that I connect to the most is Donna Bowles’ The Wizard of Oz is a Metaphor for Teaching Excellence. Like Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man, successful teachers must have courage, passion and brains.
Courage is needed to trust one’s “gut” feelings and intuitive perceptions involving students; try new teaching strategies and obtain feedback to assess their effectiveness; disagree with colleagues on program development issues; and approach student evaluations of teaching performance with humbleness rather than vulnerability.
Passion is needed to care for yourself (physically, mentally and spiritually) in order to care for students; put forth the effort to know each student’s name and special learning needs; provide prompt feedback for student performance along with critical encouragement; and instill a sense of hope for academically challenged students.
Brains are needed to focus on diversity in students’ learning styles rather than on students’ intellect/personalities; read or seek information about teaching at every opportunity; laugh, have fun and enjoy students; and learn from past mistakes when developing and implementing future lessons.
Bowles identifies Dorothy as having all these character attributes most admirable in teachers. She’s adventuresome, keeps an open mind, perseveres even in difficult circumstances and networks with great confidence. Her sense of hope helps others in troubled times.
This is how I visualize an effective teacher.
Amanda
I think a long distance runner is an apt metaphor for my teaching style in two distinct ways. The first way is that building students' knowledge is a long and involved process that develops over a long period of time. In elementary school the teachers introduce students to students that will be developed further in middle and high school. Then the further knowledge gained in high school will be deepened in colledge or other life experiences. I do not believe it is necessary to attempt to give the student a deep understanding of every subject but rather to familiarize them enough with the content that when they encounter it again in the future they have a knowledge base to draw upon. In this manner knowledge is built piece by piece over time. A teacher should focus on the essential questions and enduring understandings much as a distance runner focuses on the next 100 yards or mile and finally completes the marathon. The only difference is that with learning hopefully the race never ends. The second way teaching is similar to distance running is in the personal development of the teacher. From developing content knowledge to pedagogical knowledge to refining classroom management techniques the learning process is long and at times exhausting but every year shows improvement as practice and competition foster improvement in a runner.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, ask me again in 6 months and I'll have a different metaphor for myself. Now that you have me thinking about it I will not be able to let it go.
ReplyDeleteAs I thought of different metaphors of teaching I thought of the gardener taking care of seeds. The seeds being the knowledge and I’m the gardener tending the garden. Then I read the posts form other students in my class and I realized that idea as been taken. I thought of using it anyways, but then I thought some more. While I was watching my favorite show, Top Chef, BLAMO!, it hit me, my metaphor that is. Teaching is like a great chef who can take any ingredients and turn them into a masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteOn Top Chef, the contestants are given ingredients and then have to make a dish that scintillates sublimely. As a teacher, I feel that we are not always able to pick what ingredients we get when we teach: the curriculum, the students, the atmosphere, the supplies, technology, and parental support, but we still have to create students who scintillate with knowledge. That is what I feel my teaching style is. Give me any of those ingredients and my goal would be the same: to teach students by creating the best learning environment possible, and have students who leave with a unique experience.
Steve, since I "took" your first idea, I thought I would let you know that I also thought of a chef. I guess we tend to think alike as far as teaching.
ReplyDeleteTiffany
My metaphor for teaching is like rowing a boat or canoe. Picturing the back and forth as the give and take, sometimes pushing and sometimes pulling. It also reminds me that it may be hard and not feel like I'm getting anywhere then when I look back we are across a big lake. Sometimes it is hard rowing and sometimes it is stopping watch the waves in the water and feel the sun and the breeze. I also picture a crew team and think about how it is better as a team effort, and this could be the school, grade level teachers, and the families of students. Each lake represents new adventures and new challenges and it is something that takes practice and gets better over time.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting how many of our metaphors involve nature, it tells me teaching and learning are both organic and constantly changing.
and yes, I'm up too late!
Hello from the other Heather,
ReplyDeleteMy teaching style is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. You see the big picture, but the pieces get put together one at a time. Sometimes it is hard to find the right piece, and at other times you can put a whole section of the puzzle together quickly.
I think my style of teaching is like this because when I introduce the topic and lay out the main objectives for the unit, students get introduced to the big picture. As the students get each concept from different lessons these are the puzzle pieces that fit together. As each section of the puzzle - more concepts - come together, students see the big picture more clearly.
Hi All,
ReplyDeleteI am very behind. I am glad that everyone thought of "serious" ideas. I, myself, and me are crazy and off the wall. I pride myself on being unexpectedly random and crazy but with purpose. So...my metaphor for learning is like a Farrelly Brothers movie: it's random, crazy, fun, has personality and character, doesn't always make sense to the outside, but does all with purpose and thought and reason. Like a Farrelly Brothers movie -- I won't attract everyone, I won't make everyone laugh, and I won't pull everyone inside my bubble, but I know my reasons and I know why I do things and that is for the audience who keeps me going: the students.
"Big Gulps, huh? Welp, see ya later."
-Brenda