Here’s a Good Metaphor…Teacher as Builder

Building StudentsBuilding KnowledgeBuilding InstitutionsBuilding SocietyBuilding a ProfessionBuilding a RoleBuilding CurriculumBuilding MethodologiesBuilding TechnologiesBuilding Self

How does one go about building?

ROLE of schools…National Post--State Of Education, Quarterly Report, September 2001

Citizenship?

Workers?

Happy People?

Good People?

Builders of the Future (i.e., parents)?

Radical change agents?

Scholars (knowledgeable inquirers)?

ROLE of schools…

National Post--State Of Education, Quarterly Report, September 2001

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Most Important

Purpose?

Workers

Citizens

Inquirers

Good Kids

Happy Kids

Parents

Radicals

Groups Rating Teacher Roles

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Roles

Counsellor

Manager

InstructionalExpert

ReflectivePractitioner

Leader

Model

Motivator

Freq

A popular notion of learning… we remember

10% of what we read20% of what we hear30% of what we see50% of what we see and hear70% of what is discussed with

others80% of what we experience

personally95% of what we teach to

another

1. Tabula Rasa Model

Latin for “blank slate” the “empty vessel” metaphor

equal at birthexperience writes its messageexperience accounts for

differences

e.g., Skinner and the behaviourists

2. Hypothesis Generator

Not just experienceWe are characterized by

intentionality:-we choose experiences-we generate hypotheses-we interpret experiences (in terms of our notions about the world)

e.g., Hull

3. Nativism Model The mind has built-in

Constraints and Capabilities

“hard-wired” to learn certain things imprinting (of goslings is pre-wired) language (LAD) –pre-programmed to learn

language social behaviours (sociobiologists—social

behaviours that are genetically pre-programmed)

e.g., Lorenz, Chomsky,

4. Constructivist Model

Learner constructs his/her worldLearner is a builder of knowledgeLearner progressively discovers

rules-that govern relationships-for abstracting significance-for generating concepts

The Constructivist Learner

The constructivist learner is:-self motivated-mastery oriented-driven by needs

to knowto organizeto understandto build meaning

e.g., Bruner and Piaget

5. Novice-to-Expertpracticallearners move from novices to expertsbased on analyses of novices and expertsevident in information processing

approaches

e.g., Rummelhart, Lindsay, Norman

The Teaching Process(Somewhat Traditional)

Drill

Direct Instruction

Telling

The “Mug & Jug” Model

The Teaching Process(Somewhat Contemporary)

Guided Discovery

Cooperative Learning

Student Centered Learning

A “Constructivist” Model

Constructivist elements...

Guided Discovery Cooperative LearningStudent Centered Learning TalkIntrinsic motivation Peer teaching Authentic Learning Authentic AssessmentMessy Problems Independence Real ProblemsImplicit Instruction ApprenticingStudent empowerment Active learningTeacher as “Guide on the side” EffortCollaboration Meaningful

Metaphor Teacher as orchestra conductor What does an orchestra conductor build? How does an orchestra conductor operate? If this was the metaphor that informed your teaching what would

the following look like: Your teaching? Your classroom? Your students?

You are not teaching music. You are treating all curriculum

metaphorically, like music, and all classes (math, science,

history, art, reading, etc.) like an orchestra.

Metaphor: Teacher as Orchestra ConductorIf you were approaching your class much like an orchestra conductor approaches the orchestra, what might your class and teaching look like?

Examples of questions to think about…

…How does an orchestra conductor give assignments? What is the nature of these assignments? How does the orchestra conductor introduce new material? What rules would an orchestra conductor establish for behaviour in the classroom? What kind of learning activities does an orchestra conductor use or plan to use? How does an orchestra conductor assess student performance? What might the lesson plans of an orchestra conductor look like? What kinds of teaching aids might an orchestra conductor use? What might an orchestra conductor communicate to a student’s parents? How would the room be arranged? What would homework be like? What model-of-the-learner would be most prominent? What roles of the teacher would be most prominent? Least prominent? What purpose of school would be most prominent? Least prominent? What is being constructed or built?

An Orchestra Conductor is a Builder

-Building a musician-Building a section-Building a team-Building a

performance

Hand in the answers your group came up with in response to this metaphor. Make sure the names (first and last) of group participants are listed at the top of the page. Make sure they are legible.

Metaphors

Person Metaphors Institution Metaphors

Teacher as Sergeant MilitaryTeacher as Aerobics Instructor GymTeacher as Coach TeamTeacher as Gardener GardenTeacher as Zookeeper ZooTeacher as Nature Trail Guide NatureTeacher as Tour Guide Foreign CityTeacher as Architect BuildingTeacher as Medical Practitioner HospitalTeacher as Politician ParliamentTeacher as Orchestra Conductor StageTeacher as Researcher Lab