As I was developing an idea for the Teaching Metaphor assignment, I began to explore my thoughts on the profession I will soon enter. The first idea I developed was that of a painter. Though I think that a painter certainly could be likened to a teacher, I did not feel that it fully explained my thoughts on the role of a teacher and the students. After further thought, I decided that a gardener more accurately clarified my beliefs. A gardener must think about the environment that best suits their plants needs. They must water the plants, provide a source of light, and maintain an optimal temperature in which the plants can flourish. They must supply a balanced soil with the proper pH level and amount of nutrients. Though it is possible to purchase all of the same types of plants, most gardeners have many different plants that require different water, light, and temperature amount and frequency. Some of the plants must be rotated to another location to achieve optimal growth, depending on the season and year. In order to complete all of the tasks, a gardener must research the plants and use many tools to watch the plants grow and expand. It takes a dedicated person to become a gardener, one with a green thumb!
In an elementary classroom, a teacher also has much to think about the environment in which their students will learn and grow. They must organize the classroom set up, deciding where to place the desks, books, and many other materials that will provide a comfortable environment in which students can flourish. Just as gardeners must determine the correct soil components and pH levels, a teacher must decide the correct text level and other components of the curriculum for every student. A teacher will always be blessed with a group of students all with very different characteristics and interests. As such, teachers must be able to group students based on their abilities. Often, students will even rotate to another group (or location) as the teacher deems necessary through the use of running records and other assessment tools. Through research and utilizing the resources available, the teacher will be able to provide all of this nourishment to the students and watch them grow and expand. It also takes a dedicated person to become a teacher, one who enjoys working with children and takes pride in every student as they strive to learn.
3 comments:
You mentioned that you first considered using a painter as your metaphor and while I agree and can relate to your gardener metaphor, your ideas forced me to consider the fact that multiple professions could be applied to this assignment. For example, consider a chef. Chefs have to know and understand what foods compliment one another and which do not. They need to know how long it takes for things to cook. While teachers don’t need to know the specifics of foods, they do need to know which students work well together and aid in each other’s success (which foods go well together). In addition, they need to have a grasp on how long it takes certain students to understand concepts (how long it takes for something to cook/be complete). Thus through reading your metaphor I began to realize how many jobs could be related teaching if you really analyzed it.
Jessica,
I was especially drawn to your metaphor because I worked with you last semester and will be working with you again this semester in the classroom. I think your metaphor as teacher as a gardener is great because it really describes your teaching style as I have seen it in the classroom. You do a great job of nurturing your students, much as a gardener would. I believe that it is incredibly important to nurture and watch out for students so that they can grow to be great citizens and I think that your metaphor captures that well!
Jessica-
Your metaphor, especially the reference to the "green thumb," made me realize that teaching and gardening are similar in another way. There's a lot that happens behind the scenes--in terms of planning, in terms of determining the soil pH levels, that most people don't think about. Yet, for us to help both students and plants grow, it is crucial that we attend to these things. I encourage you to think further about this metaphor as the semester progresses--how can teachers, like gardeners, establish conditions that promote the greatest growth?
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