Education Psychology – Teaching Metaphor
“Students are a blank piece of paper, a symbol of limitless potential. Teachers are the pen that fills up the paper with knowledge of both the world and the curriculum; with tips and tools that the students may employ as they learn to navigate the world on their own. Teachers are the hands that fold the paper into an airplane and make the students feel as if they could fly. Teachers are the recyclers that find a purpose for the sheet that was previously cast aside.”
It is my sincere belief that students are a blank slate, a tabula rasa. Each student is unique and comes equipped with strengths and weaknesses; however, the majority of their knowledge will come from what is taught to them in school. There is an unlimited amount of ways that a teacher can affect a child’s life, some are good and some are bad. I chose to only focus on the good ways for my metaphor because I think that the more we worry about what can or has gone wrong, then the more we lose sight of what we as teachers can do to change that.
As a pen, teachers fill the minds of students with basic theory’s, concepts and terms to establish a general knowledge base about the world we live in. Teachers can foster self-esteem in children by acknowledging or rewarding exceptional efforts. When a teacher believes in a child, a child will believe in a teacher and feel as though they can tackle anything (feel like they can fly). Lastly, it is the unfortunate truth that, for whatever reason, some students feel as though they are left behind. This does not mean the student should feel like this forever. Other teachers may be able to get through to the same students and un-tap the potential that resides within that child. It is important to never assume one child cannot benefit from your style or efforts, just because others have failed before you.
“Students are a blank piece of paper, a symbol of limitless potential. Teachers are the pen that fills up the paper with knowledge of both the world and the curriculum; with tips and tools that the students may employ as they learn to navigate the world on their own. Teachers are the hands that fold the paper into an airplane and make the students feel as if they could fly. Teachers are the recyclers that find a purpose for the sheet that was previously cast aside.”
It is my sincere belief that students are a blank slate, a tabula rasa. Each student is unique and comes equipped with strengths and weaknesses; however, the majority of their knowledge will come from what is taught to them in school. There is an unlimited amount of ways that a teacher can affect a child’s life, some are good and some are bad. I chose to only focus on the good ways for my metaphor because I think that the more we worry about what can or has gone wrong, then the more we lose sight of what we as teachers can do to change that.
As a pen, teachers fill the minds of students with basic theory’s, concepts and terms to establish a general knowledge base about the world we live in. Teachers can foster self-esteem in children by acknowledging or rewarding exceptional efforts. When a teacher believes in a child, a child will believe in a teacher and feel as though they can tackle anything (feel like they can fly). Lastly, it is the unfortunate truth that, for whatever reason, some students feel as though they are left behind. This does not mean the student should feel like this forever. Other teachers may be able to get through to the same students and un-tap the potential that resides within that child. It is important to never assume one child cannot benefit from your style or efforts, just because others have failed before you.