Here’s a Good Metaphor…

1. Here’s a Good Metaphor… Building Students Building Knowledge Building Institutions Building Society Building a Profession Building a Role Building Curriculum Building Methodologies Building Technologies Building Self Teacher as Builder How does one go about building?

2. 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)?

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

4. Groups Rating Teacher Roles Freq

5. A popular notion of learning… we remember • 10% of what we read • 20% of what we hear • 30% of what we see • 50% of what we see and hear • 70% of what is discussed with others • 80% of what we experience personally • 95% of what we teach to another

6. 1. Tabula Rasa Model • Latin for “blank slate” • the “empty vessel” metaphor • equal at birth • experience writes its message • experience accounts for differences • e.g., Skinner and the behaviourists

7. 2. Hypothesis Generator • Not just experience • We are characterized by intentionality: -we choose experiences -we generate hypotheses -we interpret experiences (in terms of our notions about the world) • e.g., Hull

8. 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,

9. 4. Constructivist Model • Learner constructs his/her world • Learner is a builder of knowledge • Learner progressively discovers rules -that govern relationships -for abstracting significance -for generating concepts

10. The Constructivist Learner • The constructivist learner is: -self motivated -mastery oriented -driven by needs to know to organize to understand to build meaning • e.g., Bruner and Piaget

11. 5. Novice-to-Expert • practical • learners move from novices to experts • based on analyses of novices and experts • evident in information processing approaches • e.g., Rummelhart, Lindsay, Norman

12. The Teaching Process(Somewhat Traditional) • Drill • Direct Instruction • Telling • The “Mug & Jug” Model

13. The Teaching Process(Somewhat Contemporary) • Guided Discovery • Cooperative Learning • Student Centered Learning • A “Constructivist” Model

14. Constructivist elements... Guided Discovery Cooperative Learning Student Centered Learning Talk Intrinsic motivation Peer teaching Authentic Learning Authentic Assessment Messy Problems Independence Real Problems Implicit Instruction Apprenticing Student empowerment Active learning Teacher as “Guide on the side” Effort Collaboration Meaningful

15. 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.

16. 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 learningactivities 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?

17. 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.

18. Metaphors • Person MetaphorsInstitution Metaphors • Teacher as Sergeant Military • Teacher as Aerobics Instructor Gym • Teacher as Coach Team • Teacher as Gardener Garden • Teacher as Zookeeper Zoo • Teacher as Nature Trail Guide Nature • Teacher as Tour Guide Foreign City • Teacher as Architect Building • Teacher as Medical Practitioner Hospital • Teacher as Politician Parliament • Teacher as Orchestra Conductor Stage • Teacher as Researcher Lab